Bill would require students be taught abortion is risk factor for preterm births

(Charlotte Observer) Students would have to be taught that abortion increases the risk for subsequent premature births under a bill a Senate committee approved Wednesday.

There are conflicting studies about whether that is true. But the N.C. Child Fatality Task Force included that recommendation in its list of issues for the legislature to consider this session. A committee of the task force heard from doctors on both sides of the issue in November.

If enacted, the legislation would require that seventh-grade health classes include a discussion of preventable causes of preterm births, specifically that abortion is one of the risk factors.

“This bill is about giving our young people scientific information about health risks,” Sen. Warren Daniel, a Republican from Morganton, told the Senate Health Care Committee. “It’s based on science, not political ideology.”

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GOP wants to revamp way judges are elected

(Raleigh & Observer) The legislature is considering revamping the way North Carolina selects its high-court judges this session, including possibly scrapping the state’s pioneering system of public financing and moving to partisan elections.

The efforts come as Republicans – in complete control in Raleigh for the first time since the 1800s – seek to put their stamp on the judiciary.

On the agenda is undoing a Democratic-passed program that made North Carolina the nation’s first state to begin a voluntary program of public financing. The law was enacted after other states began experiencing high-priced political shoot-outs between big business and trial lawyers in its court elections.

Since its adoption in 2002, New Mexico, Wisconsin and, earlier this year, West Virginia have adopted legislation based on North Carolina’s law.

But Republican Gov. Pat McCrory proposed abolishing the program in his budget recommendations to the legislature. There is considerable sentiment among GOP lawmakers for following suit, although on Wednesday Rep. David Lewis of Dunn suggested an alternative measure designed to keep public financing through 2016.

“Judicial candidates benefit from not relying so heavily on fundraising,” said Lewis, who is chairman of the House Elections Committee, which will consider the bill next week. He acknowledged his proposal “has a long way to go.”

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Suspect in triple homicide kills himself after manhunt

(Blue Ridge Now) A man shot and killed his estranged wife and her parents Wednesday in Hendersonville, setting off a nearly three-hour manhunt before he was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of multiple victims down and shots fired at 5:30 p.m. Carrie Tracy Warren, 30, Theresa Russell Tracy, 49, and Richard Allen Tracy, 51, were found dead in the driveway and yard of a home at 297 Piney Ridge Drive, according to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office.

Witnesses gave police a description of the shooter and his vehicle. Ralph Robert Warren III, 32, who was facing misdemeanor charges of harassment and making threats from February, was considered armed and dangerous as officers raced to shut down roads and secure a perimeter in search of him.

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Commissioners approve revised nonprofit funding policy

(Mountain Xpress) In the weeks leading up to their May 7 meeting, Buncombe County Commissioners debated stringent standards that would’ve limited nonprofits ability to request county funding for years to come. But when it came time to vote today, they settled on a slight rewording of the existing policy.

In a unanimous 7-0 vote, commissioners added language to the county’s guidelines requiring nonprofits that receive county funding to submit audited finance statements and IRS990 forms to the Buncombe County Finance Department annually. “In general, administrative costs of 12 percent will be used as a guideline; however, each application will be considered based on program need and community impact,” it reads.

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‘Complicated intergovernmental issues’: McCrory lets water bill become law without signature

(Mountain Xpress) Gov. Pat McCrory allowed a bill forcibly transferring Asheville’s water system to a new authority under the Metropolitan Sewerage District to become law without his signature, the first time he has done so. McCrory’s office offered the following statement:

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Mark Sanford redeems career, heading to Congress

(Asheville Citizen-Times) In a story of political redemption, Mark Sanford is headed back to Congress after his career was derailed by scandal four years ago.

“I am one imperfect man saved by God’s grace,” the Republican told about 100 cheering supporters Tuesday after defeating Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch to win back the 1st District seat he held for three terms in the 1990s. “It’s my pledge to all of you going forward I’m going to be one of the best congressmen I could have ever been.”

On Wednesday, Sanford told NBC’s “Today” show he thinks his record as a watchdog for taxpayers was more important than his personal redemption story.

“I think I have an incredibly strong track record with regard to watching out for people’s pocketbook,” he said.

Although the race was thought to be close going into the voting, Sanford collected 54 percent of the vote against Colbert Busch, the sister of political satirist Stephen Colbert, in a district that hasn’t elected a Democratic congressman in more than three decades. About 32 percent of the district’s voters went to the polls. Green Party candidate Eugene Platt finished far behind.

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NC Senate advances bills for student prayer

(Asheville Citizen Times) Bills protecting organizational rights of student groups and student-led prayer are advancing in the North Carolina Senate.

The Senate Education Committee signed off on two bills Wednesday intended to protect free expression in schools and colleges.

One measure gives student organizations at the state’s public colleges and universities the right to select leaders and govern themselves without interference from administrators.

Another bill clarifies students’ rights to religious expression within the bounds of rules preventing disruptions of the educational process in public schools.

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House approves expanded concealed weapons bill

(The Herald Sun) Over the objection of university officials, the Republican-controlled state House has approved a bill that would allow gun owners to store concealed weapons in cars on university and community college campuses.

The House approved the bill in a 78-42 vote on Tuesday.

UNC system officials have expressed concern about House Bill 937, which they say will increase the risk to public safety and make it tougher for campus police to protect students, staff, faculty and visitors to the 17 campuses that make up the state university system.

Meanwhile, supporters argue that the bill protects and expands Second Amendment rights and increases punishment for people who use guns while committing a crime.

In recent days, the faculties of UNC system schools also have weighed in about the part of the measure covering universities.

“I think it’s unfortunate that the legislature has decided to do this,” said Stephen Leonard, chairman-elect of the UNC Faculty Assembly, an elected body of representatives of the faculty of the 17 institutions of the UNC system that represents about 15,000 people.

Last week, the faculty assembly passed a resolution in support of UNC system President Tom Ross’ opposition to the bill.

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Gov. McCrory wants to make it easier to fire poorly performing state workers

(Raleigh News & Observer) Gov. Pat McCrory said Tuesday that he would seek the most sweeping overhaul of the State Personnel Act since the 1950s, making it easier to both fire and reward state employees.

McCrory said he would ask for changes in the law that protects about 120,000 state workers from arbitrary and political firings. He said his top administration officials were seeking more flexibility in managing state workers and would unveil new legislation in a House committee on Wednesday.

Speaking at a Council of State meeting, the governor said he wants “legislation that would give us more flexibility to help promote and give incentives to good employees who are doing a good job and at the same time dealing with employees are not doing a good job.”

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NC House votes to bar sex-selective abortions

(AP News) Seeking to further restrict abortions in North Carolina, the Republican-led House voted Tuesday to approve legislation that would prohibit the carrying out of abortions on the basis of the gender of the fetus.
The House voted 79-40 in favor of the measure, which also would allow a pregnant woman or others close to her to sue the doctor for damages. Hefty fines could be levied against a doctor who doesn’t follow a court order against such sex-selective abortions and is found in contempt. Republicans who took control of the Legislature after the 2010 elections passed new abortion restrictions the following year.

Some gender-based abortions have been documented in parts of Asia, where there’s gender bias in favor of boys and against girls. Such abortions are occurring in the United States, according to bill sponsor Rep. Pat McElraft, R-Carteret, citing university studies.

“This is a very simple decision. If you believe that a baby should be aborted just because it’s a boy or just because it’s a girl … then vote against this bill,” McElraft told colleagues. Three Democrats joined all Republicans present in voting for the bill, which now goes to the Senate.

Several Democratic House members criticized the measure, arguing the bill encourages ethnic discrimination and could lead to racial profiling of women of Asian heritage. Other doctors will be worried about violating the law and may decline to perform an abortion, said Rep. Alma Adams, D-Guilford.

“We are putting doctors in a position now questioning the motives of these women,” Adams said during the debate. “I don’t believe that doctors would be willing to take that kind of risk.”

Rep. Ruth Samuelson, R-Mecklenburg and another bill sponsor, said racial profiling was never mentioned in creating the bill. She urged colleagues to support the bill because no one believes gender-based abortions are right.

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Parental consent for treatment of STDs in NC bill

(Journal Now) A bill advancing in the North Carolina House would require minors seeking treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and other problems to first obtain parental consent.

The House Health and Human Services Committee approved a Republican bill Tuesday that requires minors to get notarized consent from a parent or guardian to be treated for a venereal disease, pregnancy, substance abuse or mental illness. The bill would apply to prescriptions for birth control.

The bill includes exceptions where federal health care funding prohibits such restrictions, for judicial waivers of consent and in cases of emergency. Written consent wouldn’t be needed if the parent or guardian accompanied the minor during the medical visit and gave permission.

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NC House bill would end LEED certifications for state government buildings

((Raleigh News & Observer) A proposal to promote the use of North Carolina-grown timber in state government buildings could prevent state offices from receiving the prestigious LEED green building certification.

The legislation, which has the backing of the Weyerhaeuser Corp. and the N.C. Forestry Association, easily passed the House Agriculture Committee on Tuesday by a vote of 26-8. It was the first vote on the bill since it was introduced a month ago.

The state’s timber industry can’t bid on many state construction projects because tree farms in the state typically don’t meet the LEED sustainable forestry standard, said Weyerhaeuser spokeswoman Nancy Thompson. As a result, building projects in North Carolina seeking the nation’s premier green building seal end up sourcing their lumber from other states or even from other countries, supporters said.

“LEED creates incentives to import foreign wood and also ignores quality wood grown within our own borders,” said the bill’s sponsor, Michele Presnell, a Republican who represents Haywood, Madison and Yancey counties on the western edge of the state.

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Asheville will sue over water merger bill

(Asheville Citizen-Times) City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to sue North Carolina to block a looming forced merger of its water system with the Metropolitan Sewerage District.

Council technically voted to pass “a resolution authorizing legal action to challenge House Bill 488” and to authorize City Attorney Bob Oast to challenge the bill’s validity should it become law, have it declared invalid and seek an injunction to keep it from going into effect.

The resolution also authorizes the city attorney to seek compensation for the forced transfer, if it becomes law.

“I think we feel pretty strong (about the legal case),” Mayor Terry Bellamy said after the vote. Other municipalities likely will file legal briefs on Asheville’s behalf, she said.

“On this issue, we will not be standing alone,” Bellamy said.

The city’s lawsuit will get support from the precedent-setting case of Asbury v. Town of Albemarle, a 1913 state Supreme Court decision inferring there are constitutional limits on the General Assembly’s power over municipal properties.

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Buncombe works to lure mystery company

(Asheville Citizen-Times) Buncombe County government is working to secure expansion of a manufacturing plant identified in official records only as “Project X.”

The effort would involve the county spending $15.7 million on land and buildings and paying $2.7 million in incentives to the unnamed company, according to legal advertisements paid for by the county. The building to house Project X would be 125,000 square feet.

The company in return would install machinery and equipment worth $126 million and create 52 jobs at a minimum, the ads say.

In a closed session Feb. 5, commissioners discussed a potential incentive “for an existing company that would make a $300 million investment and bring 270 jobs,” meeting minutes say. Officials would not say whether that company is the same one involved in Project X.

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Senate plan would expand sales tax, lower North Carolina rates

(Journal Now) Senate Republicans rolled out Monday evening the frame of their tax overhaul plan for North Carolina that they say will cut income tax rates while expanding the scope of the sales tax.
Senate leader Phil Berger, a Rockingham County attorney, announced the release of a video and website in which he lays out some of the highlights of the plan. The video was designed as a preview as Berger and leaders of the chamber’s tax committee scheduled a news conference today to talk more about the details.

The unveiling of the chamber’s plan is a key moment in this year’s session because House and Senate Republican leaders and new GOP Gov. Pat McCrory have made tax reform a leading priority. Berger labeled the “North Carolina Tax Fairness Act of 2013” as the “largest tax cut in state history” at more than $1 billion. But expanding the sales tax will mean many residents would have to pay more in sales taxes.

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