With a party-line 4-3 vote, Democrats on the N.C. Supreme Court have ruled that voter-approved state constitutional amendments could be tossed because they were placed on the ballot by a “gerrymandered” legislature. Republican justices objected. Though Friday's decision did not officially kill the amendments, “the majority nullifies the will of the people and precludes governance by the majority,” according to dissenters.
Democrats on the state Supreme Court will not use their narrow 4-3 majority to forcibly remove two GOP justices from a critical case dealing with state constitutional amendments. In an order released without fanfare just before Christmas, the court has in essence preserved the status quo. It has preserved a practice that’s been in place...
The General Assembly sent Gov. Roy Cooper a bill changing how proposed constitutional amendments will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot. Democrats claimed the move was motivated by fear the ballot language would portray the six amendments in an unfavorable light. In a special session convened with less than 24 hours notice, Republicans introduced House...
A proposed state constitutional amendment which would reduce the cap on the income tax rate to 5.5 percent moved closer to a statewide referendum Wednesday, despite the protests of Democratic lawmakers. The House Finance Committee approved Senate Bill 75 by a voice vote along party lines. Democrats asked for a roll call vote, but didn’t...
Advocates of constitutional amendments to rein in federal powers are optimistic North Carolina soon will join the effort. The effort surrounds a proposed meeting, called “Article V Convention of the States,” which refers to that part of the U.S. Constitution governing constitutional amendments. The article allows two-thirds of the states’ legislatures to apply to Congress...
