Over the last 12-plus years of Republican rule at the General Assembly, North Carolina’s state fiscal system has been almost completely overhauled. Thanks to a combination of big, repeated, and regressive tax and spending cuts, public investments in core public services and structures like education have fallen dramatically while the taxes paid by wealthy individuals […]

The post NC Budget & Tax Center executive director Alexandra Sirota on the legislature’s budget battles appeared first on NC Newsline.

North Carolina’s new and restrictive abortion law took effect July first and it bans almost all abortions after 12 weeks gestation and imposes enormous new burdens on women and healthcare providers from the moment of conception. In an effort to further understand the impact the new law has had since it was implemented, NC Newsline […]

The post Pro Choice North Carolina director Tara Romano on the rollout of NC’s restrictive new abortion law appeared first on NC Newsline.

There’s a widespread perception in many circles these days that Washington has become a city completely paralyzed by political gridlock. As NC Newsline was reminded, however, in a recent conversation with North Carolina Sixth District Congresswoman, Kathy Manning, in many areas, this is actually not the case. Indeed, as Manning reported, she’s succeeded in recent […]

The post Congresswoman Kathy Manning on NC’s business climate and reproductive healthcare appeared first on NC Newsline.

If there’s been a dominant story during the 2023 state legislative session it’s been Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes and the revived ability that Republican lawmakers enjoy to override them — after having obtained supermajorities in both legislative houses as a result of the party switch of a longtime Democratic lawmaker, Rep. Tricia Cotham of Mecklenburg […]

The post Senator Mike Woodard on the delayed NC budget, pending veto overrides, and election law changes appeared first on NC Newsline.

Wetlands. To some they may seem like unsightly swamps but as we’ve come to understand in recent decades, wetlands are an absolutely essential part of global ecosystems and something that we plow over and develop at our own peril. Worrisomely, a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling promises to invite the destruction of vast swaths of […]

The post Reporter Jacob Fischler on how D.C. decisionmakers are responding to some environmental rulings appeared first on NC Newsline.

Between a recent Supreme Court ruling that undermined the federal Clean Water Act and some hugely destructive language included in the new state Farm Act recently approved by the General Assembly, roughly 2.5 million acres of our state’s wetlands – that’s the shrinking, endangered, and vitally important regions that insulate and protect areas inhabited by […]

The post Rep. Pricey Harrison on some worrisome new proposals that will impact our elections and environment appeared first on NC Newsline.

The list of shortcomings and failures associated with North Carolina’s decade-long experiment with private school vouchers (aka “Opportunity Scholarships”) is a long and sobering one. Not only is there no evidence that vouchers have improved student achievement, but the record shows that many voucher schools discriminate based on religion and sexual orientation while several employ […]

The post Policy analyst Kris Nordstrom on the latest disturbing findings about NC’s school voucher program appeared first on NC Newsline.

It’s been a year of sustained controversy at the North Carolina General Assembly. Having reestablished narrow supermajorities in both houses, Republicans have revived a bevy of bills previously vetoed by Gov. Roy Cooper on an array of divisive subjects – from abortion rights and LGBTQ equality to public education and the rules that govern voting […]

The post Sen. Julie Mayfield discusses voting rights, abortion access and healthcare for transgender youth appeared first on NC Newsline.

Every year, researchers at the national nonprofit research organization, the Commonwealth Fund, produce a report that uses the most recent data to assess how well the healthcare system is working in every U.S. State. The report – which is called the “Scorecard on State Health System Performance” – looks at an array of interrelated issues […]

The post Sara Collins of the Commonwealth Fund details the 2023 Scorecard on State Health System Performance appeared first on NC Newsline.

Wake County State Senator Jay Chaudhuri discusses  voting rights, public education, and LGBTQ equality as we get an update on progress being made during the 2023 legislative session. Chaudhuri also weighs in on the scandal that has rocked the NC House in recent days.

The post Sen. Jay Chaudhuri discusses proposed voting restrictions and the troubling expansion of vouchers appeared first on NC Newsline.