An election protest filed by Republican state Senate candidate Bobby Hanig alleges that his opponent, Democrat Valerie Jordan, doesn’t actually live in District 3, where they are running for office. After an investigation, Hanig officially filed a protest Monday to request that officials examine records that include her tax filings and Amazon Prime deliveries. Filed with...
On Friday, State Senator Bob Steinburg is expected to announce he is resigning his seat in the North Carolina General Assembly. He will officially resign at the end if the month, telling Carolina Journal that he plans a future career in legislative advocacy. State law requites a six-month "cooling-off" period before former legislators can begin active lobbying in the N.C. General Assembly.
The N.C. State Board of Elections officially certified primary elections on Thursday, June 9. According to the NCSBE, about 1.4 million people cast ballots, a 20% voter turnout for the May 17 primary. Karen Brinson Bell, NCSBE executive director, presented the results to board members for certification. “I think our voters can have tremendous amounts...
Incumbent state Sen. Norm Sanderson of Pamlico County will represent the Republican Party on the fall ballot after defeating fellow incumbent state Sen. Bob Steinburg of Edenton. Sanderson won 56% of the vote to Steinburg’s 44%. The new Senate District 1 includes large portions of coastal North Carolina, including Dare, Hyde, Pamlico, and Carteret counties....
The N.C. prison system, comprising 55 facilities and employing roughly 16,000 staff, is one of the largest agencies in the state. That might surprise some, as prisons, from the real estate they occupy, to the critical role they play in governance, are not foremost in our minds when it comes to policy. In 2011, after...
The U.S. Supreme Court backed donor privacy in a decision released Thursday, July 1. The closely watched ruling was based on a case from California in which the state’s then-Attorney General Kamala Harris tried to require nonprofit organizations to disclose the identities of donors by requiring them to file an unredacted “Schedule B” with their...
A bill to provide more transparency to the public regarding performance and disciplinary records of government employees moved one step closer to becoming law Monday evening as House Bill 64, Government Transparency Act of 2021, passed its third reading in the N.C. Senate. If enacted as law, the new requirements would apply to state employees...
A measure that would keep charitable donors’ personal information private was approved in the N.C. Senate Tuesday. The 28-21 vote fell along party lines, with Republicans voting in favor of SB636. Despite assertions from some Democrats who said it could shield political “dark money” from public disclosure, the bill does not change the reporting requirements...
A new bill supported by influential N.C. senators would protect the confidentiality of donors to nonprofit organizations and charities. Senate Bill 636 would prevent the disclosure of the names of people giving money or property to nonprofit corporations, making their identities confidential. The bill would also prohibit legislators and government workers from disclosing confidential information...
Republicans fought back an anticipated “blue wave.” They kept control of the state Senate by a 28-22 margin, losing one seat of their majority. “For the sixth consecutive election, voters made a clear choice in support of the Republican platform of low taxes, expanded school choice, and large investments in education and teacher pay. The...
A Senate bill establishing a disposal plan for solar energy panels cleared its first hurdle. The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources voted Thursday, June 13, to send Senate Bill 568 to the Finance Committee amid protests from some committee members. They said environmental protection regulations are premature. Bill sponsor Sen. Paul...
