NC General Assembly

NC Senate advances a pair of elections bills, shortening early voting period in primaries and special elections among a slew of other changes.

Less than a month after state lawmakers passed a long-overdue budget, they're making changes to the spending plan.

For more than 30 years, Charlotte and other municipalities have set goals to ensure their contractors hire minority- and women-owned businesses. But a provision in the state budget approved this month ends the ability of local governments to require participation by minority- and women-owned businesses in public contracts, a change that could have far-reaching effects across North Carolina.

The North Carolina House on Wednesday overrode Gov. Josh Stein’s vetoes of four bills requiring greater state cooperation with ICE and banning DEI in public schools and universities.

The bills ban DEI throughout state government and in public schools and stiffen immigration policies.

The North Carolina House voted Wednesday to override Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of a controversial immigration bill, allowing it to become law.

The bill would create a new Child Welfare Escalation Team that would investigate reports of abuse and neglect. It would also require more training for social workers and stronger documentation of home inspections by child protective services.

The 37-page bill contains a slew of provisions including allowing any voter to challenge any other ballot and banning overseas voters who haven't ever lived in NC from voting in state elections.

The measure was introduced after the state Supreme Court gave a coastal county the green light to spend occupancy tax revenue on law enforcement and other public safety services.

Republican state Sen. Vickie Sawyer has proposed legislation that would require Charlotte and other local governments to repay $60 million to the state if they don’t reverse course and support proposed privately built and managed Interstate 77 toll lanes in south Charlotte.