On November 2, 2010, voters sent a clear message. The number one issue in North Carolina is the economy – jobs, jobs, jobs. Years of overspending by Democrats have given North Carolina the highest tax rates in the Southeast and an estimated budget deficit of at least $3 billion for next year. High tax rates […]

HB 4: Good Faith Exception/Exclusionary Rule  (Stam) Judiciary I: 2/12/09 HB 65: Students Under 16 May Attend Comm. College (Tolson, Stam, McLawhorn, Wiley) Ch. SL 2009-46: 6/1/09 HB 104: Clarify Legislative Confidentiality (Glazier, Lucas, Stam, McGee) Presented to the Governor: 8/11/09 HB 162: Elec. Record Interrogation/B1, B2, C Fellony (Glazier, Blue, Ross, Stam) Judiciary II: […]

The 2010 “short session” of the NC General Assembly is winding down with plenty of unfinished business. The Democratic leadership has refused to allow consideration of a number of important bills, primarily sponsored by Republicans. Recent public opinion polls emphatically indicate North Carolina citizens resoundingly support these Republican initiatives. However, they have been refused a […]

On Thursday, June 3, 2010, the North Carolina House rejected, by a vote of 51 to 65, a procedural motion to allow the House to consider the education expense credit described below. Democratic leaders urged their colleagues to reject this annual savings to state and local government of $51 million. The parents of an estimated […]

The North Carolina House of Representatives on Thursday adopted four significant amendments to SB 897, the 2010-2011 budget bill. These amendments, offered by Republican legislators, will eliminate unnecessary end-of-grade tests and provide funding to teachers for classroom supplies, prohibit the paying of “golden parachutes” to state employees who are terminated or leave their jobs; forbid […]

Time To Act On Ethics Issues Raleigh, N.C. – Since May 19, 2009, three ethics bills (H944, H961, H1136) passed with broad bipartisan support by the House have been sitting in the Senate Judiciary I Committee chaired by Democratic leader Martin Nesbitt. None have been scheduled for committee consideration. H944 requires disclosure of campaign contribution […]

HOUSE AND SENATE REPUBLICANS SUPPORT TAX RELIEF Raleigh – Senate and House Democrats have hyped their recent proposals to create jobs in North Carolina. These proposals leave much to be desired. None of them address the high rates of taxation which is the main problem. These initiatives are clearly designed more for cover than for […]

On Monday, Governor Perdue announced a set of legislative proposals and proposed executive orders aimed at reforming the ethical requirements for state government employees, elected officials and appointees to state boards and commissions. Perdue’s ethics reform package comes amidst an ongoing investigation into former Democrat Gov. Mike Easley and Ruffin Poole, a former aide to […]

Raleigh – The News and Observer today reported that former Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand (D-Cumberland) worked in secret to enact a law resulting in enormous increases in medical care costs for NC prison inmates. Rand used a technical corrections bill to strip an essential cost cutting provision from last year’s budget. According to […]

“Republicans will not stand idly by and watch as citizens’ rights to make their own health care decisions are taken from them by the federal government.” – Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) Raleigh, N.C. — The Republican leaders of the State Senate and House were joined by the Chairman of the North Carolina Republican […]

Raleigh – The Joint Interim House and Senate Finance Committee on Tax Reform has now met four times since November 3. Unfortunately, there has been little progress reforming North Carolina’s revenue structure. It is time for an accounting. After participating in the first three meetings House and Senate Republicans released their “Proposed Principles for Job […]

Democracy North Carolina awarded 32 North Carolina State Legislators with their annual “Sunshine Award” which is presented to legislators who emphasize openness and accountability in state government.  For more information click here to read Democracy North Carolina’s press release:  http://www.democracy-nc.org/reports/researchreports/2009/SunshineAwardsPR.pdf