News

N.C. Senate approves medical marijuana, but questions remain on labeling, limited licenses

In a vote Monday evening, the N.C. Senate gave final approval to legalize use of medical marijuana in North Carolina. The Compassionate Care Act lays out a system of limited licensed growers, distributors who must be associated with those growers, and two boards to regulate the new industry made up of industry experts, doctors, and pharmacists, all appointed by N.C. lawmakers and the governor.

Donna King
News

Cooper vetoes bill that would limit his powers, those of his successors

Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, has vetoed a bill to limit his powers as a governor, as well as the power of his successors. House Bill 264, Emergency Powers Accountability Act, would have required that the governor receive concurrence from the 10-member elected Council of State for an emergency declaration of more than seven days, and...

CJ Staff
News

Bill curbing a governor’s powers moves from Senate Judiciary Committee to Rules

A bill to curtail a governor’s power during a state emergency has easily passed a Senate Judiciary Committee. The measure, Senate Bill 346, now heads to the Senate’s Rules Committee. Republican Sens. Bill Rabon of Brunswick County, Jim Burgin of Harnett, and Carl Ford of Stanley are primary sponsors. The bill allows an executive order...

John Trump
News

Harrington, known for her no-nonsense approach, Senate’s first female majority leader

Sen. Kathy Harrington, R-Gaston, doesn’t seem impressed at becoming the first female majority leader of the N.C. Senate. She is one of the most powerful lawmakers in Raleigh. She sports a concealed-carry permit, and her daughter is a law enforcement officer. She listens more than she talks, and she doesn’t forget.  She is not someone...

Julie Havlak
News

Bill ending three retirement options sent back to committee to make it more ‘lawyer-proof’

Persistent questions about the constitutionality of legislation to stabilize the underfunded state retirement system have slowed the bill’s advance. On Tuesday, April 16, Senate Rules Committee Chairman Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, recommended sending Senate Bill 374 back to the Senate Pensions, Retirement, and Aging Committee. The committee agreed. The bill would eliminate three methods of paying retirement...

Dan Way
News

Senate bill would raise self-distribution limit for craft brewers

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 7 p.m. March 13. A bill filed Wednesday, March 13, in the N.C. Senate would raise the limit on the number of barrels North Carolina craft brewers can self-distribute. Senate Bill 246 — Craft Beer Distribution and Modernization Act — basically maintains the current three-tier system, as well...

CJ Staff

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News

Twiddy, backed by GOP leaders, faces Rep. Steinburg in open SD1

Republican primary, state Senate District 1, (Dare, Currituck, Camden, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Gates, Hertford, Chowan, Washington, Tyrrell, and Hyde counties) Bob Steinburg. Education: Associate degree in Retail Business Management from Corning Community College. Bachelors in Business Administration from Upper Iowa University. Occupation: Retired, former businessman and newspaper columnist. Career highlights: Member N.C. House of Representatives since...

Kari Travis
Opinion

Transparent doesn’t mean invisible

It seems like all public officials celebrate transparency, until it applies to them. Case in point: Gov. Roy Cooper, who (years ago as attorney general) wrote the introduction to the North Carolina Guide to Open Government and Public Records for the N.C. Press Association. “The spirit with which public officials work to comply with the...

Rick Henderson
News

Rabon calls for legislative probe of pipeline deal

The last week of March could be a busy one for the Cooper administration. In a press release issued Wednesday, March 7, Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, who chairs the Senate Rules Committee, called on legislative leaders to open a formal investigation of the controversial side deal Gov. Roy Cooper worked out with operators of the...

Rick Henderson
News

Lawmakers demand transparency from Cooper after another tepid pipeline response

The most recent response from Gov. Roy Cooper to legislative leaders about a questionable $57.8 million funding arrangement with the operators of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline might lead to formal demands for information from the Cooper administration. A release issued Tuesday, Feb. 20, from Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, and Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, who lead...

Rick Henderson
News

NCGA dissatisfied with governor’s response to pipeline questions

The exchange of letters between legislative leaders and Gov. Roy Cooper over the Atlantic Coast Pipeline continued Friday as lawmakers expressed exasperation with a response provided a day earlier by the governor’s chief of staff. Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, and Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, chairmen of the House and Senate rules committees, respectively, resubmitted questions...

Rick Henderson
News

Analysts question whether voters would end judicial elections

The Republican-led Senate Select Committee on Judicial Reform and Redistricting on Wednesday rolled out a skeleton proposal for a constitutional amendment to switch from electing judges to a multistep appointment process. But political observers are skeptical the public would surrender the right to elect judges and pass a required referendum if an amendment went to...

Dan Way
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