Podcasts about North Carolina General Assembly

This episode is presented by Create A Video – The North Carolina General Assembly is looking to pass stricter rules against homeowners' associations. Plus, Cale Petitt makes the case that institutional investors are not the villains of America's housing market. Subscribe to the podcast at: https://ThePetePod.com/ All the links to Pete's Prep are free: https://patreon.com/petekalinershow Media Bias Check: If you choose to subscribe, get 15% off here! Advertising and Booking inquiries: Pete@ThePeteKalinerShow.com Get exclusive content here!: https://thepetekalinershow.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brett covers the Concealed Carry Biill and the Immigration Bill passed by the North Carolina General Assembly. AP Dillon, reporter for "The North State Journal", joins Brett to discuss the protests in Raleigh. Brett talks about Maggie and thanks everyone who reached out to him about her passing. Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen. To be the first to hear about Breaking Brett Jensen's exclusives and more follow him on X @Brett_Jensen!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Each year, the most important piece of legislation approved by the North Carolina General Assembly is the state budget bill – a massive document running to hundreds of pages that details billions of dollars in appropriations and scores of substantive law changes. It's the kind of legislation that ought to feature days – if […]

Public libraries often serve as a first stop for people seeking legal information, but assisting patrons with legal reference questions presents unique challenges. How can librarians provide useful guidance without crossing into legal advice? What resources are available to support pro se litigants? In this episode, we're joined by Anthony Aycock, Legislative Librarian at the North Carolina General Assembly, to explore these challenges and solutions. Anthony is the author of the article "Navigating Legal Reference: How Public Libraries Can Empower Pro Se Litigants," which appeared in the March/April 2025 issue of Public Libraries magazine.

This past week was crossover week at the North Carolina General Assembly – a chaotic period in which lawmakers considered and voted on scores of bills in just a few days – often with precious little informed discussion. It's a tough time for legislators who take their jobs seriously and try to understand every proposal […]

This is crossover week, the busy time at the North Carolina General Assembly that leads up to the May 8 crossover deadline. That's a self-imposed cutoff date for legislation to pass at least one chamber. Host Dawn Vaughan talks to politics editor Jordan Schrader and politics reporter Kyle Ingram and break down what that means for North Carolina laws. Host: ⁠⁠Dawn Vaughan⁠⁠ Guest: Kyle Ingram, Jordan Schrader Executive Producer: ⁠⁠Laura Brache⁠⁠ Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Under the Dome newsletter dives deep into all things #ncpol and legislative happenings. It's sent to your inbox Monday to Friday and Sunday. Sign up ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Please consider supporting local journalism with a ⁠⁠subscription to The N&O⁠⁠. If you're already a subscriber, thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is presented by Create A Video – The North Carolina General Assembly is running all sorts of bills that aim to make changes to the K-12 school calendars, licensure requirements for teachers, class size limits, and allowing teachers to conceal carry guns on private school campuses. Subscribe to the podcast at: https://ThePetePod.com/ All the links to Pete's Prep are free: https://patreon.com/petekalinershow Media Bias Check: If you choose to subscribe, get 15% off here! Advertising and Booking inquiries: Pete@ThePeteKalinerShow.comGet exclusive content here!: https://thepetekalinershow.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is presented by Create A Video – The North Carolina General Assembly has more than one hundred bills filed with a a goal of increasing the housing supply in our rapidly-growing state. Also, why do men wear muscle T-shirts under their dress shirts? Subscribe to the podcast at: https://ThePetePod.com/ All the links to Pete's Prep are free: https://patreon.com/petekalinershow Media Bias Check: If you choose to subscribe, get 15% off here! Advertising and Booking inquiries: Pete@ThePeteKalinerShow.com Get exclusive content here!: https://thepetekalinershow.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The North Carolina General Assembly is back in session after a weeklong break, with a packed schedule of bills moving through various committees. While legislators were away last week, a lawsuit resulting from a bill they passed in December was in court. Host Dawn Vaughan talks to politics team colleagues Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram discuss a ruling in that lawsuit over governor and auditor appointments to the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Host: ⁠Dawn Vaughan⁠ Guest: Avi Bajpai, Kyle Ingram Executive Producer: ⁠Laura Brache⁠ Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Under the Dome newsletter dives deep into all things #ncpol and legislative happenings. It's sent to your inbox Monday to Friday and Sunday. Sign up ⁠here⁠. Please consider supporting local journalism with a ⁠subscription to The N&O⁠. If you're already a subscriber, thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  Members of the North Carolina General Assembly took a post-Easter break last week as they prepared for what promises to be the busiest period of the 2025 session in May and June, but prior to that, Republican leaders in the state Senate unveiled and quickly approved their version of a new two-year state budget. […]

The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and the Watauga County Economic Development Commission see access to quality and affordable childcare as one of the top economic development priorities in our region.Western Youth Network is in the public phase of fundraising for a project that would provide a significant boost to afterschool and out-of-school care for children across Watauga County. On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Jennifer Warren, Executive Director of WYN, to hear more about their Building Brighter Futures Campaign, and the needs this project addresses for children, parents, and local businesses.We'll also provide an update on key early childhood legislation as we move closer to a new state budget in North Carolina. Mind Your Business is a weekly production of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.Catch the show each Thursday morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.Support the show

  After several weeks of conducting business at a steady, manageable pace, the North Carolina General Assembly suddenly shifted into high gear. This past week, legislative committees rapidly considered and okayed scores of brand new, never before-heard bills on an array of topics, while at the same time Senate Republicans were unveiling and advancing their […]

  It's been more than six months now since Hurricane Helene devastated much of western North Carolina, and while there's been a great deal of heroic recovery and rebuilding effort at all levels of government since then, recent actions in Washington are raising red flags in many corners. At the North Carolina General Assembly, for […]

Republicans who control the North Carolina General Assembly say they’ve been encouraged by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein’s willingness to work together on Helene relief and other topics. It’s a contrast from his predecessor, they say. WRAL State Government Reporter Paul Specht explains.  

  It's been nearly a decade and a half now since Republicans legislators took control of the North Carolina General Assembly and commenced an aggressive campaign to consolidate their complete control of state government, while at the same time, rolling back much of the progress that had been achieved in previous years to expand civil […]

We take a closer look at what's been going on in the General Assembly since it returned to session and which proposed bills have a chance to advance.

The North Carolina General Assembly is back at it—pushing bills that range from dangerous to downright ridiculous. Kate Barr (AKA NC's Favorite Loser) helps Quinn and Daniel break down the legislation you need to know about: The Bad—A blatant attempt to limit early voting (HB 66), making it harder for North Carolinians to cast their ballots. The Ugly—A power grab that strips the Attorney General of the ability to challenge unconstitutional executive orders (SB 58). The Wacky—A bill that lets 18-year-olds carry concealed weapons without permits and allows lawmakers to pack heat inside the legislature (SB 50). But it's not all bad news. HB 115 offers a rare win by making child care centers exempt from property taxes, helping working families and providers alike. Like, subscribe, and share to stay informed on the fights shaping North Carolina's future!

For the week of March 3, 2025, host Dawn Vaughan talks to politics team colleagues Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram about the latest news from the North Carolina General Assembly and what to expect this week. The House Oversight Committee has started a series of hearings about state agencies, particularly the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles and agencies using any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs or practices. House Oversight is taking a detailed look at efficiency in agencies, something that has been tied in these discussions to the Trump administration's new Department of Government Efficiency. Stay tuned to the end for Headliner of the Week. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Avi Bajpai, Kyle Ingram Executive Producer: Laura Brache Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Under the Dome newsletter dives deep into all things #ncpol and legislative happenings. It's sent to your inbox Tuesday to Friday and Sunday. Sign up here. Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you're already a subscriber, thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is presented by Create A Video – The North Carolina General Assembly has more than 300 bills filed so far in the long session underway. AP Dillon from North State Journal joins me to highlight some of the proposals. Subscribe to the podcast at: https://ThePetePod.com/ All the links to Pete's Prep are free: https://patreon.com/petekalinershow Media Bias Check: If you choose to subscribe, get 15% off here! Advertising and Booking inquiries: Pete@ThePeteKalinerShow.comGet exclusive content here!: https://thepetekalinershow.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, we're taking a look at Eggs & Issues 2025 where the Public School Forum presented our Top Education Issues which represent the Forum's legislative priorities for the 2025-26 biennium. We will also hear from educators who took part in a discussion of the challenges and strategies presented in this year's Top Issues.On this episode we're joined by members of the North Carolina General Assembly to discuss the upcoming legislative long session and which education issues we can expect to hear more about in the coming months. Guests: Dr. Lauren Fox, Public School Forum Sr. Director of Policy & Research Natalia Mejia, NCCAT 2023 Empower NC Beginning Teacher of the Year, CC Griffin STEM Middle School, Cabarrus County Schools Dr. C'Monee' Wilkins, Principal, Clarke Elementary School, Vance County Public Schools Dr. Don Phipps, Superintendent, Caldwell County Schools

  Gun violence is an epidemic in our society that kills almost 50,000 Americans every year, including close to 2,000 in North Carolina alone. Last year, the U.S. experienced more than 500 mass shootings. No other modern nation comes even close to these frightening rates. And yet, amazingly, over at the North Carolina General Assembly, […]

This episode is presented by Create A Video – Nick Craig joins me to discuss the two North Carolina General Assembly hearings on recovery efforts in Eastern and Western parts of the state. Lawmakers are not happy. Subscribe to the podcast at: https://ThePetePod.com/ All the links to Pete's Prep are free: https://patreon.com/petekalinershow Media Bias Check: If you choose to subscribe, get 15% off here! Advertising and Booking inquiries: Pete@ThePeteKalinerShow.comGet exclusive content here!: https://thepetekalinershow.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode we're joined by members of the North Carolina General Assembly to discuss the upcoming legislative long session and which education issues we can expect to hear more about in the coming months. Guests: Representative Lindsay Prather, Buncombe County Senator Jay Chaudhuri, Wake County

  As the North Carolina General Assembly prepares to begin its 2025 session in earnest this week, Senate Democrats have a new leader. After several years at the helm, veteran Raleigh lawmaker and former state House Speaker Dan Blue recently turned over the reins to another member of the Wake County delegation — State Senator […]

We continue to fill your pre-holiday stockings with year-in-review content -- a perfect listen while you are wrapping gifts or cleaning before the in-laws arrive!This week's Mind Your Business puts the focus on the year that was for Watauga County. Newly sworn Chairman of the Watauga County Board of Commissioners, Braxton Eggers, is this week's guest. As expected, we will discuss the county's role in hurricane relief and we'll also update the list of projects that were in queue prior to the storm. Chairman Eggers will also address economic development priorities, school construction, and other projects that could come to the top of discussions in 2025.Mind Your Business is a weekly production of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The program is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.Support the show

Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly voted to reduce powers for Democrats who won key races in the Tar Heel state this November. WRAL-TV's Laura Leslie explains what this vote means. Then, this weekend the Geminids meteor shower will be visible, but could be harder to see because of what's known as the Cold Moon, the last full moon of the year. Sky and Telescope's Kelly Beatty joins us. And, we hear recommendations for gifts to spend your hard-earned money on this year from The Cut's Bianca Nieves.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

On the local news roundup, ahead of losing their supermajority, Republican members of the North Carolina General Assembly passed more legislation, the skies are changing in Charlotte as flight paths to and from the airport are set to expand and the first snow hit the Queen City in about three years.

The question continues to get asked - "What are the current needs in Western North Carolina?"We have dedicated this week's episode of Mind Your Business to answering that question, with discussion straight from the community leaders that are working in the ever-evolving trenches of Hurricane Helene recovery.This week's panel of guests include:Casey Gilbert, Vice President of Public Policy, Asheville Chamber of CommerceKim Effler, President/CEO, McDowell Chamber of CommerceRobin Morgan, Executive Director, Avery County Chamber of CommerceKitty Honeycutt, Executive Director, Ashe County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center.Panel moderated by David Jackson, President/CEO, Boone Area Chamber of CommerceOur panel will discuss current conditions in each community, silver linings that have developed since the storm, and how can people provide impactful help at this time.Each community is working on local fundrasing initiatives for individual and business support:Asheville Chamber of Commerce: - Mountain Strong Fund for Small Business Recovery McDowell County Chamber of Commerce - Hurricane Helene Business ReliefAvery County Chamber of Commerce - Avery County Business Recovery FundAshe County Chamber of Commerce - Ashe County Advantage ProjectBoone Area Chamber of Commerce - Hurricane Helene Business Resiliency Disaster GrantsMind Your Business is a weekly production of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The show is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.Support the show

Ches McDowell leads the Checkmate Government Relations team and focuses primarily on the North Carolina General Assembly and the North Carolina Congressional Delegation. He has delivered victories for clients in health care, financial services, entertainment, technology, outdoor sports, aviation,municipal government, nonprofits, state-wide associations, elections, energy, pharmaceuticals, real estate development, gaming, and professional sports. He has been selected as one of the top 10 lobbyists in North Carolina by the North State Journal – every year they have done the poll – and has received honorable mentions for representing a diverse portfolio. Ches was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® in 2023 and 2024 for Government Relations Practice. He was selected by Triad Business Journal as one of its “40 Leaders Under 40” in 2021. Ches was recognized as a “Young Gun” in 2019 by Business North Carolina magazine. Ches' career began while he was earning an undergraduate degree at North Carolina State. He became one of the only college students to work full time at the legislature, where he managed various projects for State Senate Leader Phil Berger.  Ches also remains committed to civic engagement and serves his community and state in multiple capacities, including as a Trustee at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a member of the Board of Visitors of Campbell Law School. In addition, he serves on the National Board of Directors for Cross Trail Outfitters, on the Host Committee for the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation's annual Wine, Wheels, and Wildlife fundraiser, and as Deputy Province Commander of the Kappa Alpha Order's Smith Province.

The good news is that we won't be reading all the Post and Times articles telling us it's time to reach out to MAGA, across the aisle to Gops, pardon Trump to unite the country, etc. Otherwise, you know, it sucks. Our bubble was fun and all while it lasted, but theirs turned out to be a bit more accurate. Probably because theirs now speaks in many national, regional, and local Spanish dialects, and we use Google Translate. It was Hispanic vs. Women's outreach, and the women won when it was something that didn't involve men, like pregnancy. David Waldman showed up to work today, and Greg Dworkin had a Raft O' Stories™, which we sunk in the harbor after we keelhauled the pollsters and fed them to sharks.  Oh, a few items washed up on shore... Russian fake bomb threats, FBI impersonators, billionaire ratfuckers, bad cops, Supreme Court Justices with multiple allegiances… little things that used to feel kind of relevant but are simply microscopic compared to what's next. Wait, don't leave sad! There must be some good news around here… Ann Johnson Stewart won a special election which gave DFL control of the Minnesota Senate! And uhm, Democrats broke the Republican supermajority in the North Carolina General Assembly! Hooray!

The North Carolina General Assembly returned to Raleigh last week to approve a Republican plan to dramatically expand the state's controversial private school voucher program. The plan advanced despite strong opposition from the Governor, Democratic lawmakers and an array of advocates for public schools. So what exactly will the plan do? How much will it […]

Rev. William Barber and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove discuss the political, moral, and spiritual dimensions of poverty. Together, they co-authored White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy, and they're collaborators at the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School.About Rev. William BarberBishop William J. Barber II, DMin, is a Professor in the Practice of Public Theology and Public Policy and Founding Director of the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School. He serves as President and Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, Co-Chair of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival, Bishop with The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, and has been Pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Goldsboro, NC, for the past 29 years.He is the author of four books: We Are Called To Be A Movement; Revive Us Again: Vision and Action in Moral Organizing; The Third Reconstruction: Moral Mondays, Fusion Politics, and The Rise of a New Justice Movement; and Forward Together: A Moral Message For The Nation.Bishop Barber served as president of the North Carolina NAACP from 2006-2017 and on the National NAACP Board of Directors from 2008-2020. He is the architect of the Forward Together Moral Movement that gained national acclaim in 2013 with its Moral Monday protests at the North Carolina General Assembly. In 2015, he established Repairers of the Breach to train communities in moral movement building through the Moral Political Organizing Leadership Institute and Summit Trainings (MPOLIS). In 2018, he co-anchored the relaunch of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival— reviving the SCLC's Poor People's Campaign, which was originally organized by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., welfare rights leaders, workers' rights advocates, religious leaders, and people of all races to fight poverty in the U.S.A highly sought-after speaker, Bishop Barber has given keynote addresses at hundreds of national and state conferences, including the 2016 Democratic National Convention, the 59th Inaugural Prayer Service for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Vatican's conference on Pope Francis's encyclical “Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home.He is a 2018 MacArthur Foundation Genius Award recipient and a 2015 recipient of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award and the Puffin Award.Bishop Barber earned a Bachelor's Degree from North Carolina Central University, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Drew University with a concentration in Public Policy and Pastoral Care. He has had ten honorary doctorates conferred upon him.About Jonathan Wilson-HartgroveJonathan Wilson-Hartgrove is an author, preacher, and community-builder who has worked with faith-rooted movements for social change for more than two decades. He is the founder of School for Conversion, a popular education center in Durham, North Carolina, and co-founder of the Rutba House, a house of hospitality in Durham's Walltown neighborhood.Mr. Wilson-Hartgrove is the author of more than a dozen books, including the daily prayer guide, Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, New Monasticism, The Wisdom of Stability, Reconstructing the Gospel, and Revolution of Values. He is a regular preacher and teacher in churches across the US and Canada and a member of the Red Letter Christian Communicators network.Show NotesCenter for Public Theology and Public Policy's ten-session online course: https://www.theologyandpolicy.yale.edu/inaugural-conferenceGet your copy of White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324094876Production NotesThis podcast featured Rev. William Barber and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, with Ryan McAnnally-LinzEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Kacie BarrettA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

The North Carolina General Assembly has mostly wrapped up the business its leaders intend to deal with in 2024, but that doesn't mean there weren't some important matters that got left on the table. Take the vexing issue of maternal health. For decades North Carolina has experienced big and persistent problems in this area – […]

While it can certainly have many appealing aspects, serving in the North Carolina General Assembly can also be a very difficult assignment. The pay is less than minimum wage and has been frozen for decades. The length of sessions has gotten much longer and more unpredictable. And, of course, in recent years, the political rancor […]

The North Carolina General Assembly wrapped up its 2024 “short session” recently and once again, it was a tough session for many basic aspects of democratic government. Whether they were unveiling secretly written proposals to overhaul state campaign finance laws, placing new unfunded obligations on election administrators, or cementing in place law changes that will […] The post Common Cause of NC's Bob Phillips on the recessed legislative session, the state of election laws appeared first on NC Newsline.

The North Carolina General Assembly left Raleigh last week without passing an amended budget with additional raises or bonuses for state employees or retirees. In this episode, SEANC Comms Director Jonathan Owens, Executive Director Ardis Watkins, and Communications Specialist Sam Cline discuss the ramifications of this and the likelihood that increases will pass in the fall. We also cover the recent changes to the State Health Plan Board of Trustees and the implications of having fewer rank-and-file representatives on it. This leads us into a broader conversation about the rising costs of healthcare and Governor Roy Cooper's new initiative to tackle medical debt in North Carolina. We round out the episode with a discussion on the recent presidential debate and how it is perceived by different generations. Finally, we discuss our favorite vacation spots in North Carolina in celebration of Independence Day.

BONUS CONTENT ALERT!! The North Carolina General Assembly is in recess and we have a few short updates about what has transpired in Raleigh over the past few weeks and months.The main focus of this bonus installment of Mind Your Business centers around Early Childhood Education, and action taken by the NC House and Senate to extend compensation grants, or stabilization grants, to the end of the calendar year. This action saved a MAJOR disruption in early childhood services across the State, while also buying time for more conversation as the budget process continues. Halee Hartley, Owner of Kid Cove here in Watauga County, is part of a team of early childhood advocates that has spent a good deal of time in Raleigh working on this important issue. She updates us on what happened, what it means, and how we can be involved in what comes next as early childhood education remains top of mind with NC legislators.Mind Your Business is a weekly (and sometimes daily) production of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Our show is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.Bills discussed on the show:NC Senate Joint Resolution 916(adjournment) NC Senate Bill 912 (Watauga County Board of Education Districts)NC Senate Bill 357 (adjustments to current appropriations -- compensation grants)Support the Show.

If there's been a most controversial bill to wend its way through the North Carolina General Assembly this spring, right now it has to be House Bill 237 – a proposal that would change state laws governing the wearing masks in public, the rights of public protesters and the complex rules that govern contributions to […] The post Melissa Price Kromm of NC for the People Action on campaign finance, masks, and election funding appeared first on NC Newsline.

ANDRE BELIVEAU OF THE COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION JOINS DAWN LIVE! Senior Manager of Energy Policy at the Commonwealth Foundation. - ANDRE JOINS TO BREAKDOWN THE EPA RULE THAT WILL HURT PA RESIDENTS, AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF FEDERAL OVERREACH...  EPA's Latest Carbon Emissions Rule Is a Raw Deal for PennsylvaniansNew federal regulation would devastate Pennsylvania's energy industry, increase electric bills, and undermine energy reliability. Harrisburg, Pa., April 26, 2024 — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unilaterally issued a final rule establishing draconian carbon dioxide emission standards, targeting coal and new natural gas power plants. The rule, submitted this week to the Federal Register, would require 90 percent carbon capture for power-generating facilities—a change that will drastically raise Pennsylvanians' electricity costs and destroy the state's natural gas industry. Commonwealth Foundation Senior Manager of Energy Policy André Béliveau issued the following statement in response: “The EPA's final rule is another excessive radical scheme to emerge from the current administration with sweeping federal overreach." Yet another consequence of policies imposed by unelected bureaucrats, the rule aims to effectively shut down the fossil fuel industry. “Pennsylvanians deserve access to affordable and reliable energy, but the EPA's decision threatens their ability to keep the lights on and properly heat their homes. Alongside Governor Shapiro's harmful Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER) and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), this EPA rule will wreak havoc on the state's economy. “The Keystone State is the nation's second-largest natural gas producer and the largest energy exporter. As such, Pennsylvania is uniquely vulnerable to bad energy policies intended to undermine our abundant natural gas resources. Whether those policies come from Harrisburg or Washington, DC, the impact is the same: our families and businesses pay the price. “Natural gas accounts for nearly 60 percent of Pennsylvania's electricity generation—and despite what progressives would have you believe, natural gas has reduced our state's overall emissions." Data from the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) shows that, from 2022 to 2023, Pennsylvania successfully reduced CO2 emissions by 10.8 percent year-over-year—the largest decrease since the 1990s. All the while producing even more reliable power. How? Transitioning from coal to natural gas for power. The EPA's rule threatens to upend this positive trend and artificially shift the market toward more unreliable sources. “Policymakers should remove regulatory barriers preventing our energy industry from continuing to provide reliable, increasingly clean power. It shouldn't hamstring our state with onerous, job-killing regulations. Additionally, our congressional delegation should advance the REINS Act, a policy supported by 79 percent of Pennsylvania voters that would boost accountability and transparency in the Federal regulatory process. “Pennsylvania must be free to develop the optimal mix of energy sources at the lowest possible cost while ensuring reliability and investing in innovation. That is the path to prosperity.” André Béliveau is the Senior Manager of Energy Policy at the Commonwealth Foundation. André has extensive public policy experience. His work includes energy policy, elections law, redistricting, separation of powers, Second Amendment policy, regulatory reform, economic policy, and various elements of social policy. He is a member of the American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network and an alumnus of the State Policy Network Generation Liberty Fellowship and the E.A. Morris Fellowship for Emerging Leaders. He holds an MA in Government with an honors thesis from Johns Hopkins University and a BA cum laude in History from Marist College. His academic expertise spans various topics, including American political development, American conservatism, political thought and history, governance, social and cultural studies, and intellectual history. Prior to joining the Commonwealth Foundation, André worked for the National Taxpayers Union Foundation as its policy and outreach manager, as a policy advisor in the North Carolina General Assembly, and for the John Locke Foundation as the strategic projects and government affairs manager—where he concurrently serves as a visiting fellow. Outside his professional life, André enjoys competition shooting, traveling, hiking, camping, antiquing, playing the bagpipes, and cheering on the Carolina Hurricanes. A native of upstate New York, he resides in Washington, DC. Tune in weekdays 10 AM - 12 PM EST on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT; or on the Audacy app!

Andre Beliveau Senior Manager of Energy Policy at the Commonwealth Foundation & Columnist at the National Review joins Dawn to break down his latest on PA & Shapiro...  Pennsylvania Governor Flirts with Reckless ‘Green' Initiatives - via National Review... André has extensive public policy experience. His work includes energy policy, elections law, redistricting, separation of powers, Second Amendment policy, regulatory reform, economic policy, and various elements of social policy. He is a member of the American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network and an alumnus of the State Policy Network Generation Liberty Fellowship and the E.A. Morris Fellowship for Emerging Leaders. He holds an MA in Government with an honors thesis from Johns Hopkins University and a BA cum laude in History from Marist College. His academic expertise spans various topics, including American political development, American conservatism, political thought and history, governance, social and cultural studies, and intellectual history. Prior to joining the Commonwealth Foundation, André worked for the National Taxpayers Union Foundation as its policy and outreach manager, as a policy advisor in the North Carolina General Assembly, and for the John Locke Foundation as the strategic projects and government affairs manager—where he concurrently serves as a visiting fellow. Outside his professional life, André enjoys competition shooting, traveling, hiking, camping, antiquing, playing the bagpipes, and cheering on the Carolina Hurricanes. A native of upstate New York, he resides in Washington, DC. Tune in 10 AM - 12 PM EST weekdays on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT; or on the Audacy app!

André Béliveau, Commonwealth Foundation's senior manager of energy policy JOINS DAWN LIVE! ANDRE BREAKSDOWN THE LATEST COMMONWEALTH SURVEY WITH PA RESIDENTS.. A significant majority of Pennsylvania voters (80 percent) say their household energy bills have increased over the past two years, including 34 percent who say their bills have increased “a lot,” according to a new Commonwealth Foundation poll released yesterday. The statewide survey investigated voters' attitudes toward various state and federal energy issues, finding that most Pennsylvanians (67 percent) say ensuring affordable energy is a higher priority than combatting climate change (33 percent). Key findings from the poll include: ·       Rising Energy Costs Are Top Voter Concern: Eight in 10 voters say their household energy bills have increased over the past two years, and more than two-thirds (70 percent) say they're concerned about affording their family's energy needs. Rising energy costs (63 percent) top the list as the most prominent environmental issue in Pennsylvania. ·       Energy Affordability a Critical Policy Priority: Energy affordability remains a top priority ahead of the November elections, with 81 percent saying it is an important factor in deciding which candidates to support and 34 percent saying it is very important. Sixty percent are concerned “about the reliability of the Pennsylvania electricity grid and the possibility of blackouts.” ·       Pennsylvanians Want Candidates Focused on Lower Costs: A 59 percent majority want candidates committed to lowering energy costs and using natural resources, compared to 41 percent who prioritize environmental protection. ·       RGGI Opposition Grows after Cost Details: Only 22 percent initially supported the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) carbon tax. After learning that RGGI would raise electricity bills by 30 percent, a majority (63 percent) of those who initially supported or were undecided about RGGI said they would be less likely to support the initiative. ·       No Appetite for Climate Change Costs: Two-thirds (67 percent) of Pennsylvanians are unwilling to pay to combat climate change. “Pennsylvania voters have made it clear they prioritize energy affordability and reliability over climate alarmism,” said André Béliveau, Commonwealth Foundation's senior manager of energy policy. “Likewise, Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support economic freedom and oppose excessive government regulations and red tape.” Andre Beliveau has extensive public policy experience.  Prior to joining the Commonwealth Foundation, André worked for the National Taxpayers Union Foundation as its policy and outreach manager, as a policy advisor in the North Carolina General Assembly, and for the John Locke Foundation as the strategic projects and government affairs manager.  He holds an MA in Government with an honors thesis from Johns Hopkins University and a BA cum laude in History from Marist College.

On this show, we discuss legislative proposals that are scheduled to be considered by the North Carolina General Assembly during its upcoming short legislative session with Adam Svolto, the Director of Policy & Engagement at the North Carolina Justice Center

In mid-October, The News & Observer requested communications from all 170 members of the North Carolina General Assembly, after GOP state lawmakers moved to shield all former and current legislators from having to comply with the state's public records law. Reporting this story involved several steps: filing initial requests, following up with lawmakers, reviewing and processing their records, and publication. Here's a breakdown of what went into this story. Stick around after the break for our picks for Headliner of the Week. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Avi Bajpai Executive Producer: Laura Brache Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Under the Dome newsletter dives deep into all things #ncpol and legislative happenings. It's sent to your inbox Tuesday to Friday and Sunday. Sign up here. Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you're already a subscriber, thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As you've probably heard by now, the North Carolina General Assembly has finally voted to expand the state's Medicaid program – thereby making affordable health insurance available to more than a half-million uninsured people. It was a long overdue action that will save numerous lives and struggling hospitals and create thousands of jobs in our […] The post Sen. Natalie Murdock on the good, the bad, and the very ugly in North Carolina's new state budget appeared first on NC Newsline.

On Friday, September 22nd, the North Carolina General Assembly have final approval to NC House Bill 529, the Current Operations Act of 2023. More commonly referred to as the 2023-25 NC State budget, this document includes a number of well publicized spending priorities, like raises for State employees and educators, early childhood development, and affordable housing. The passing of the budget also triggered Medicaid Expansion for North Carolina, which will go into effect December 1st, and stands to benefit patients and heath care providers across the State.Statewide priorities are only part of the story, and on this week's Mind Your Business, NC House District 93 Representative Ray Pickett provides an update on specific budget inclusions that will have a direct impact on Watauga County. He also discusses NC General Assembly priorities, such as enrollment growth for Appalachian State University, future budget wishes, and plenty more.Mind your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible each week by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and sponsored in part by UNC Health Appalachian. Support the show

The North Carolina General Assembly adopted its budget that includes an expansion of the Opportunity Scholarships to make them accessible for every student in the state. Tyler Voigt from Americans for Prosperity NC joins me to discuss.  Get exclusive content here!: https://thepetekalinershow.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, July 7th, 2023. Samaritan Ministries How are you paying for your health care, and how’s it working out? If it’s working perfectly, great! If not, then listen closely, because I have a solution for you. A Biblical solution. Samaritan Ministries is a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills. Here’s how it works. When a medical need arises, you choose the provider that’s right for you, and have a say in the treatment you receive, even if it’s a non-conventional approach. Your medical bills are shared with fellow members, and your need is covered in prayer. It’s affordable, and you can join anytime, even today. Learn more at samaritan ministries dot org slash cross politic. We start today off with world news as Ukraine and Russia are playing a game of he did it - he did it. https://www.foxnews.com/world/ukraine-russia-accuse-each-other-planning-imminent-attack-europes-largest-nuclear-plant Ukraine, Russia accuse each other of planning imminent attack against Europe's largest nuclear plant Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of planning an imminent attack against one of the world's largest nuclear plants. In a video address Tuesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alleged that information from Ukrainian intelligence officials shows the "Russian military has placed objects resembling explosives on the roof of several power units" of the Za-po-ree-zia Nuclear Power Plant – located in southeastern Ukraine and occupied by Russian troops. The "foreign objects" were placed on the roof of the plant's third and fourth power units, according to a statement from the General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces. "Their detonation should not damage power units but may create a picture of shelling from Ukraine," the statement said. In Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov raised the specter of a potentially "catastrophic" provocation by the Ukrainian army at the nuclear plant, which is Europe’s largest but has its six reactors shut down. It still needs power and qualified staff to operate crucial cooling systems and other safety features. Over the last year, the U.N.'s atomic watchdog repeatedly expressed alarm over the possibility of a radiation catastrophe like the one at Chernobyl, where a reactor exploded in 1986. While Russia and Ukraine regularly traded blame over shelling near the plant that caused power outages, Ukraine has alleged more recently that Moscow might try to cause a deliberate leak in an attempt to derail Kyiv’s ongoing counteroffensive in the surrounding Za-po-ree-zia region. Moscow, meanwhile, had accused the Ukrainians of "deliberate sabotage" of the Ka-hove-ka hydroelectric power plant, claiming Kyiv was "pursuing the goal of depriving Crimea of water." The International Atomic Energy Agency has officials stationed at the Russian-held plant, which is still run by its Ukrainian staff. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said his agency's most recent inspection of the plant found no mining activities, "but we remain extremely alert." We now go to California. https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-bills-keep-pride-marching-long-past-june California Bills Keep Pride Marching Long Past June The infernal provocation that is Pride Month might be over, but the marches continue through the legislature in California. They are here, they are queer, and they are coming for your children — legally. Multiple bills at various stages in the California legislative process proclaim who ultimately has authority of your kids, and it’s not you. Some have understandably garnered much media attention, but SB 407 is working its way through the Assembly without much fanfare or discussion. SB 407 would require all potential foster families to demonstrate their capacity and willingness to facilitate pharmaceutical and surgical interventions for “gender-expansive” children. Even if the child seems to give no indication of such inclinations at the time, the resource family must be assessed with the understanding that need for such care could arise at any stage of development. Sen. Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco) in introducing the bill, claimed it would protect children from being placed in “hostile foster homes.” Hostile homes are the homes of any foster families who are unwilling to commit to actively supporting gender transition interventions for minors. SB 407 effectively institutionalizes a prohibition against orthodox Christians as well as other religious believers. It effectively prohibits foster parents who think it unwise to allow the mutilation of perfectly healthy body parts on minors. Current and historic data give us insight into the demographics of those most prone to foster non-related babies and minors. Barna Group’s research shows that Christians engage in adoption, foster care, and other ways of aiding vulnerable children more than the average. “Practicing Christians (5%) are more than twice as likely to adopt than the general population (2%). Catholics are three times as likely. And evangelicals are five times as likely to adopt as the average adult.” Practicing Christians are also nearly three times more likely to have seriously considered foster care, and 65% of non-kin foster parents attend religious services weekly — compared to 39%for the general population. In any just world such families willing to stretch themselves to help kids would be sought after, not precluded from the foster system. However, the only families fit to foster, according to the supporters of this bill, are those who give full assent to the most radical tenets of gender theory. What is obvious to most everyone (except the bill’s authors) is that such ideological assent signals a willingness to reject sexual boundaries. It is that rejection that makes sexual chaos far more likely in the home, not less. Is that the goal? If minors can consent to invasive transitioning interventions, what can they not consent to? There is also the reality that SB407 is hardly the only bill in California attacking parental rights. SB 107, passed and was signed into law in September of last year, allowing minors to be brought to the Golden State against the will of a parent if it is for the sake of seeking gender transitioning. In-state parents are not really calling any shots either, according to AB 957 which puts parental custody in jeopardy absent the guardian’s support of their child’s “gender identity.” Absent full support, which is not defined in the bill, a parent can be charged by a court with child abuse. The age at which the child’s desires to begin transitioning must be accommodated is not mentioned, but the bill’s author, Assemblywoman Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) used an example of a seven-year old in arguing the merits of this bill. Now this is the author of the article talking here: At a recent speaking event I attended for the Awake Americans launch, some protestors carried a sign that read, “We don’t co-parent with hate groups.” Bemused, a few of us commented that obviously we don’t want them to co-parent with us either, so…no problem. But their meaning was more sinister. It was not that they would not co-parent our kids with us, it was that we are unfit to co-parent our own kids with them. They see our kids as theirs to parent and ours to lose. Biden said as much out loud recently, “There’s no such things as someone else’s child. Our nation’s children are all our children.” There’s no such thing as someone else’s child. In no situation do normal people act as though that were true. I do not decide when to speak to other people’s children about sex, nor take them home with me at will. I don’t even know their food allergies much less make pivotal decisions for them. Someone could dismiss Biden’s words as an empty platitude or incoherent ramblings except that they reflect a real perspective that is incrementally creeping into policy. https://www.dailywire.com/news/governor-vetoes-bipartisan-bill-protecting-womens-sports Governor Vetoes Bipartisan Bill Protecting Women’s Sports North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper vetoed a bipartisan bill that would protect women’s sports on Wednesday. HB 574, which is titled the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” and passed with bipartisan supermajorities, would prohibit men from playing in women’s sports in middle schools, high schools, and universities. “We don’t need politicians inflaming their political culture wars by making broad, uninformed decisions about an extremely small number of vulnerable children that are already handled by a robust system that relies on parents, schools and sports organizations,” the Democratic governor stated. “Republican governors in other states have vetoed similar bills because they hurt their states’ reputation and economy and because they are neither fair nor needed.” The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act was passed with the support of two Democrats in the state legislature — Rep. Michael Wray in the House, and Sen. Val Applewhite in the Senate. If Cooper’s veto is overridden, the bill would apply to all public schools and any private school that competes against public schools. Applewhite said that her vote was “a tough decision to make” and was based on conversations with coaches and other constituents in her district. One umpire told the Democrat that changes in strength levels between boys and girls can start as soon as seven years old. According to the Fayetteville Observer, Applewhite received “bad threats” after her vote. When approached by The News & Observer, Wray declined to comment on why he supported the bill. Cooper also vetoed SB 49, named the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” and HB 808, which would ban sex change treatments for minors. Unlike the women’s sports bill, these two bills passed with no Democratic support. Cooper’s vetoes of HB 574 and HB 808 are likely to be overridden by the North Carolina General Assembly, since the GOP holds supermajorities in both houses, thanks in part to Rep. Tricia Cotham, who switched parties from Democrat to Republican in April and voted for all three bills. However, the path forward for the Parents’ Bill of Rights is less certain, since one Republican, Rep. Hugh Blackwell, voted against the bill, leaving Republicans one vote short of overriding the governor’s veto on that bill. Cooper is not the only Democratic governor to veto bipartisan bills surrounding protecting womens’ sports, banning sex change treatments for minors, and strengthening parental rights in education. Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana vetoed three similar bills Friday, all of which saw multiple Democrats join Republicans to support them in the state legislature. In a press conference, Edwards compared the bills’ supporters to segregationists during the Civil Rights Movement. We now go to Phoenix… https://thepostmillennial.com/phoenix-city-council-votes-to-send-unclaimed-firearms-to-national-police-of-ukraine?utm_campaign=64487 Phoenix City Council votes to send 'unclaimed' firearms to National Police of Ukraine The Phoenix City Council passed a vote last week that allows up to 600 unclaimed guns from Phoenix to be donated to the National Police of Ukraine. The plan is going through a contract with a company, DT Gruelle, that is specially approved for overseas arms trading. Around $200,000 worth of firearms will be handed over to the company for shipment, according to the Arizona Daily Independent. Under Arizona City law, unclaimed arms need to be resold within one year after they have been obtained by the city. The arms are disposed of or sold "to any business that is authorized to receive and dispose of the article under federal and state law." In the June 28 City Council report, the city "selected approximately 500-600 unclaimed firearms to transfer through Gruelle, a private company which provides export and import services." The plan passed with unanimous support. The report stated that "firearms are unclaimed when there has been no owner contact after a thirty day notice, in which case the City can dispose of them." The Phoenix Police Department states that the firearms are "lost, unclaimed, or found in possession of the Phoenix Police Department." KJZZ said of unclaimed firearms, "essentially they end up in the police department’s lost and found" "Only 9mm, 45mm, 39mm and 12 gauge firearms will be sent," according to the notes. The council promoted the "two year" contract with the private company and, according to the meeting notes, no taxpayer money will be "expended by the City." However, questions about the transfer of arms have been raised. The law in Arizona states that firearms that are authorized to be sold by the city need to be sold "to the public" by the business. The company's website says, "We have a breadth of experience due to 40 years of continuous support to the United States and over 150 other countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine." "We comply with all required procedures which permeate through our ongoing operations," it goes on. The company has a history of working in Ukraine. In April of 2022 last year, a report showed that a township in Pennsylvania worked with DT Gruelle to raise funds for the Ukrainian war effort, according to the Tribune-Democrat. Now this! Is it time to boycott Ben & Jerry’s? https://www.newsweek.com/ben-jerry-boycott-calls-july-4th-message-1810991 Ben & Jerry's Faces Boycott Calls Over 4th of July Message Ben & Jerry's is facing a boycott after calling on the United States to "commit to returning" stolen Indigenous land in its 4th of July message. On Independence Day, the iconic American ice cream brand sparked outrage on social media by publishing a Twitter post with an image reading: "The United States was founded on stolen Indigenous land. This Fourth of July, let's commit to returning it." In the caption, the company added: "It's high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it." Ben & Jerry's message generated a flood of negative responses on social media, with some calling it the company's "Bud Light moment," referring to controversy and subsequent boycott after the beer brand partnered with a transgender activist in April. Other Twitter users called on the company to be the first to give up its profits and properties, including factories, buildings and stores. Others said that the company should be returning its factory land to the Abenaki people. "Ok you start. Relinquish your headquarters," one Twitter user wrote. "This should be easy then," wrote another. "Shut down and donate all of your land, facilities, and assets to indigenous people." Others accused the company of virtue-signaling—the practice of expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character, social conscience and awareness of a certain issue, just for the sake of appearing good in people's eyes. Scrutiny has continued to escalate over the company's support of the LGBTQ+ community and the Black Lives Matter movement, among other polarizing issues.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, July 7th, 2023. Samaritan Ministries How are you paying for your health care, and how’s it working out? If it’s working perfectly, great! If not, then listen closely, because I have a solution for you. A Biblical solution. Samaritan Ministries is a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills. Here’s how it works. When a medical need arises, you choose the provider that’s right for you, and have a say in the treatment you receive, even if it’s a non-conventional approach. Your medical bills are shared with fellow members, and your need is covered in prayer. It’s affordable, and you can join anytime, even today. Learn more at samaritan ministries dot org slash cross politic. We start today off with world news as Ukraine and Russia are playing a game of he did it - he did it. https://www.foxnews.com/world/ukraine-russia-accuse-each-other-planning-imminent-attack-europes-largest-nuclear-plant Ukraine, Russia accuse each other of planning imminent attack against Europe's largest nuclear plant Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of planning an imminent attack against one of the world's largest nuclear plants. In a video address Tuesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alleged that information from Ukrainian intelligence officials shows the "Russian military has placed objects resembling explosives on the roof of several power units" of the Za-po-ree-zia Nuclear Power Plant – located in southeastern Ukraine and occupied by Russian troops. The "foreign objects" were placed on the roof of the plant's third and fourth power units, according to a statement from the General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces. "Their detonation should not damage power units but may create a picture of shelling from Ukraine," the statement said. In Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov raised the specter of a potentially "catastrophic" provocation by the Ukrainian army at the nuclear plant, which is Europe’s largest but has its six reactors shut down. It still needs power and qualified staff to operate crucial cooling systems and other safety features. Over the last year, the U.N.'s atomic watchdog repeatedly expressed alarm over the possibility of a radiation catastrophe like the one at Chernobyl, where a reactor exploded in 1986. While Russia and Ukraine regularly traded blame over shelling near the plant that caused power outages, Ukraine has alleged more recently that Moscow might try to cause a deliberate leak in an attempt to derail Kyiv’s ongoing counteroffensive in the surrounding Za-po-ree-zia region. Moscow, meanwhile, had accused the Ukrainians of "deliberate sabotage" of the Ka-hove-ka hydroelectric power plant, claiming Kyiv was "pursuing the goal of depriving Crimea of water." The International Atomic Energy Agency has officials stationed at the Russian-held plant, which is still run by its Ukrainian staff. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said his agency's most recent inspection of the plant found no mining activities, "but we remain extremely alert." We now go to California. https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-bills-keep-pride-marching-long-past-june California Bills Keep Pride Marching Long Past June The infernal provocation that is Pride Month might be over, but the marches continue through the legislature in California. They are here, they are queer, and they are coming for your children — legally. Multiple bills at various stages in the California legislative process proclaim who ultimately has authority of your kids, and it’s not you. Some have understandably garnered much media attention, but SB 407 is working its way through the Assembly without much fanfare or discussion. SB 407 would require all potential foster families to demonstrate their capacity and willingness to facilitate pharmaceutical and surgical interventions for “gender-expansive” children. Even if the child seems to give no indication of such inclinations at the time, the resource family must be assessed with the understanding that need for such care could arise at any stage of development. Sen. Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco) in introducing the bill, claimed it would protect children from being placed in “hostile foster homes.” Hostile homes are the homes of any foster families who are unwilling to commit to actively supporting gender transition interventions for minors. SB 407 effectively institutionalizes a prohibition against orthodox Christians as well as other religious believers. It effectively prohibits foster parents who think it unwise to allow the mutilation of perfectly healthy body parts on minors. Current and historic data give us insight into the demographics of those most prone to foster non-related babies and minors. Barna Group’s research shows that Christians engage in adoption, foster care, and other ways of aiding vulnerable children more than the average. “Practicing Christians (5%) are more than twice as likely to adopt than the general population (2%). Catholics are three times as likely. And evangelicals are five times as likely to adopt as the average adult.” Practicing Christians are also nearly three times more likely to have seriously considered foster care, and 65% of non-kin foster parents attend religious services weekly — compared to 39%for the general population. In any just world such families willing to stretch themselves to help kids would be sought after, not precluded from the foster system. However, the only families fit to foster, according to the supporters of this bill, are those who give full assent to the most radical tenets of gender theory. What is obvious to most everyone (except the bill’s authors) is that such ideological assent signals a willingness to reject sexual boundaries. It is that rejection that makes sexual chaos far more likely in the home, not less. Is that the goal? If minors can consent to invasive transitioning interventions, what can they not consent to? There is also the reality that SB407 is hardly the only bill in California attacking parental rights. SB 107, passed and was signed into law in September of last year, allowing minors to be brought to the Golden State against the will of a parent if it is for the sake of seeking gender transitioning. In-state parents are not really calling any shots either, according to AB 957 which puts parental custody in jeopardy absent the guardian’s support of their child’s “gender identity.” Absent full support, which is not defined in the bill, a parent can be charged by a court with child abuse. The age at which the child’s desires to begin transitioning must be accommodated is not mentioned, but the bill’s author, Assemblywoman Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) used an example of a seven-year old in arguing the merits of this bill. Now this is the author of the article talking here: At a recent speaking event I attended for the Awake Americans launch, some protestors carried a sign that read, “We don’t co-parent with hate groups.” Bemused, a few of us commented that obviously we don’t want them to co-parent with us either, so…no problem. But their meaning was more sinister. It was not that they would not co-parent our kids with us, it was that we are unfit to co-parent our own kids with them. They see our kids as theirs to parent and ours to lose. Biden said as much out loud recently, “There’s no such things as someone else’s child. Our nation’s children are all our children.” There’s no such thing as someone else’s child. In no situation do normal people act as though that were true. I do not decide when to speak to other people’s children about sex, nor take them home with me at will. I don’t even know their food allergies much less make pivotal decisions for them. Someone could dismiss Biden’s words as an empty platitude or incoherent ramblings except that they reflect a real perspective that is incrementally creeping into policy. https://www.dailywire.com/news/governor-vetoes-bipartisan-bill-protecting-womens-sports Governor Vetoes Bipartisan Bill Protecting Women’s Sports North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper vetoed a bipartisan bill that would protect women’s sports on Wednesday. HB 574, which is titled the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” and passed with bipartisan supermajorities, would prohibit men from playing in women’s sports in middle schools, high schools, and universities. “We don’t need politicians inflaming their political culture wars by making broad, uninformed decisions about an extremely small number of vulnerable children that are already handled by a robust system that relies on parents, schools and sports organizations,” the Democratic governor stated. “Republican governors in other states have vetoed similar bills because they hurt their states’ reputation and economy and because they are neither fair nor needed.” The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act was passed with the support of two Democrats in the state legislature — Rep. Michael Wray in the House, and Sen. Val Applewhite in the Senate. If Cooper’s veto is overridden, the bill would apply to all public schools and any private school that competes against public schools. Applewhite said that her vote was “a tough decision to make” and was based on conversations with coaches and other constituents in her district. One umpire told the Democrat that changes in strength levels between boys and girls can start as soon as seven years old. According to the Fayetteville Observer, Applewhite received “bad threats” after her vote. When approached by The News & Observer, Wray declined to comment on why he supported the bill. Cooper also vetoed SB 49, named the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” and HB 808, which would ban sex change treatments for minors. Unlike the women’s sports bill, these two bills passed with no Democratic support. Cooper’s vetoes of HB 574 and HB 808 are likely to be overridden by the North Carolina General Assembly, since the GOP holds supermajorities in both houses, thanks in part to Rep. Tricia Cotham, who switched parties from Democrat to Republican in April and voted for all three bills. However, the path forward for the Parents’ Bill of Rights is less certain, since one Republican, Rep. Hugh Blackwell, voted against the bill, leaving Republicans one vote short of overriding the governor’s veto on that bill. Cooper is not the only Democratic governor to veto bipartisan bills surrounding protecting womens’ sports, banning sex change treatments for minors, and strengthening parental rights in education. Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana vetoed three similar bills Friday, all of which saw multiple Democrats join Republicans to support them in the state legislature. In a press conference, Edwards compared the bills’ supporters to segregationists during the Civil Rights Movement. We now go to Phoenix… https://thepostmillennial.com/phoenix-city-council-votes-to-send-unclaimed-firearms-to-national-police-of-ukraine?utm_campaign=64487 Phoenix City Council votes to send 'unclaimed' firearms to National Police of Ukraine The Phoenix City Council passed a vote last week that allows up to 600 unclaimed guns from Phoenix to be donated to the National Police of Ukraine. The plan is going through a contract with a company, DT Gruelle, that is specially approved for overseas arms trading. Around $200,000 worth of firearms will be handed over to the company for shipment, according to the Arizona Daily Independent. Under Arizona City law, unclaimed arms need to be resold within one year after they have been obtained by the city. The arms are disposed of or sold "to any business that is authorized to receive and dispose of the article under federal and state law." In the June 28 City Council report, the city "selected approximately 500-600 unclaimed firearms to transfer through Gruelle, a private company which provides export and import services." The plan passed with unanimous support. The report stated that "firearms are unclaimed when there has been no owner contact after a thirty day notice, in which case the City can dispose of them." The Phoenix Police Department states that the firearms are "lost, unclaimed, or found in possession of the Phoenix Police Department." KJZZ said of unclaimed firearms, "essentially they end up in the police department’s lost and found" "Only 9mm, 45mm, 39mm and 12 gauge firearms will be sent," according to the notes. The council promoted the "two year" contract with the private company and, according to the meeting notes, no taxpayer money will be "expended by the City." However, questions about the transfer of arms have been raised. The law in Arizona states that firearms that are authorized to be sold by the city need to be sold "to the public" by the business. The company's website says, "We have a breadth of experience due to 40 years of continuous support to the United States and over 150 other countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine." "We comply with all required procedures which permeate through our ongoing operations," it goes on. The company has a history of working in Ukraine. In April of 2022 last year, a report showed that a township in Pennsylvania worked with DT Gruelle to raise funds for the Ukrainian war effort, according to the Tribune-Democrat. Now this! Is it time to boycott Ben & Jerry’s? https://www.newsweek.com/ben-jerry-boycott-calls-july-4th-message-1810991 Ben & Jerry's Faces Boycott Calls Over 4th of July Message Ben & Jerry's is facing a boycott after calling on the United States to "commit to returning" stolen Indigenous land in its 4th of July message. On Independence Day, the iconic American ice cream brand sparked outrage on social media by publishing a Twitter post with an image reading: "The United States was founded on stolen Indigenous land. This Fourth of July, let's commit to returning it." In the caption, the company added: "It's high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it." Ben & Jerry's message generated a flood of negative responses on social media, with some calling it the company's "Bud Light moment," referring to controversy and subsequent boycott after the beer brand partnered with a transgender activist in April. Other Twitter users called on the company to be the first to give up its profits and properties, including factories, buildings and stores. Others said that the company should be returning its factory land to the Abenaki people. "Ok you start. Relinquish your headquarters," one Twitter user wrote. "This should be easy then," wrote another. "Shut down and donate all of your land, facilities, and assets to indigenous people." Others accused the company of virtue-signaling—the practice of expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character, social conscience and awareness of a certain issue, just for the sake of appearing good in people's eyes. Scrutiny has continued to escalate over the company's support of the LGBTQ+ community and the Black Lives Matter movement, among other polarizing issues.

So, let's talk about North Carolina. What a weird outlier of the direction of other states getting active on their healthcare spend. I'm talking about Texas, Indiana, Wisconsin ... I'm naming so-called red states because the legislature in North Carolina is a Republican majority. Gotta say, normally I'm down for a little weird. I find it mostly charming. But with the information I have at present about what's going on in North Carolina, I don't love this for you. And when I say “you,” I pretty much mean any family who happens to live in North Carolina or any businesses in North Carolina trying to afford their employee health benefits right now. This whole shebang and the reason I'm covering this on Relentless Health Value is that it is also extremely relevant to anybody else in this country as a case study or a cautionary tale, depending on your point of view. So look, there's two pieces of legislation running through North Carolina's Senate and House right now, but both of these pieces of legislation—one that Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) is angling for and the other one that UNC, a big hospital chain in North Carolina is all hachi machi to get passed—both of these have precedents. Both of these things were done elsewhere, and the results were not great, to put it mildly. BCBS wants to be able to open up a holding company that is able to take BCBS policyholder payments and invest them in for-profit ventures—BCBS being a nonprofit and all. Here's a quote Chris Deacon mentioned on LinkedIn from an article on this topic: “A 2019 examination of the aftermath of 11 conversions of BCBS affiliates showed that fully insured premiums increased roughly 13 percent … suggesting a post-conversion exercise of market power. Significantly, rivals of these large converting insurers also raised their prices following the conversions.” And here's a link to a Health Solutions podcast with Cristy Gupton, Chris Deacon, and North Carolina Commissioner Mike Causey. So, that's one of the pieces of legislation on the docket. Then, on the hospital side of the equation, we also have a proposed bill that could give UNC Health Care a green light to expand and buy more physician practices and hospitals without as much oversight. Proponents of the bill say that this will better enable UNC to take over struggling rural hospitals in danger of closing. Considering that UNC has already taken over rural hospitals in danger of closing, not exactly sure how or why basically removing federal and state antitrust scrutiny is helpful here. I went around looking for evidence that if you reduce antitrust scrutiny and enable more unfettered consolidation and expansion that population health outcomes improve. I could not find any. I did find lots of great talking points, but all of them seemed a little light on the evidence. There is, however, an insane amount of evidence at this point that shows unfettered hospital chain consolidation harms local communities from a financial standpoint without improving the quality or outcomes of patient populations, especially when hospital chains, in conjunction with third-party payers, are not willing to share their pricing, even with their largest customer. But I'm getting ahead of myself, because this is exactly what I'm talking about in this 2019 interview with Dale Folwell, the state treasurer of North Carolina. And it is a doozie of a frustrating story, just to cut to the chase. Look, you might be able to hear I definitely have an opinion formed on this topic, and I don't want to sway yours until you look into all of this yourself. But I loved what Jeff Leston wrote the other day. He wrote, “The North Carolina Legislature proves that they report to the healthcare industry in the State, not the people who actually elected them.” Okay … teeing up the interview today, this whole thing started when the North Carolina State Employees Health Plan (SEHP) crafted a proposal to pay network hospitals based on a transparent pricing schedule. Considering that SEHP purchases benefits for 720,000 people in North Carolina at a cost to taxpayers of billions of dollars, this seems reasonable. When you're the fiduciary of thousands of dollars, let alone add six more zeros, it would seem to be nonnegotiable to actually see the numbers and not write a check to a black box. Nonetheless, a few of North Carolina's largest hospital chains disagreed. They wanted to bill whatever they wanted to bill shrouded in a cloak of secrecy. In this healthcare podcast, as I mentioned earlier, I am speaking with North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell. This is a rebroadcast from an interview in 2019 but still, somewhat sadly, completely relevant.   You can learn more at nctreasurer.com. You can also connect with Treasurer Folwell on Twitter at @DaleFolwell or on Facebook at Dale Folwell.     Dale R. Folwell, CPA, was sworn in as State Treasurer of North Carolina in January 2017. As the keeper of the public purse, Treasurer Folwell is responsible for a $100 billion state pension fund that provides retirement benefits for more than 900,000 teachers, law enforcement officers, and other public workers. Under Treasurer Folwell's leadership, the pension plan was rated among the top five highest funded in the country and won accolades for proactive management and funding discipline. In 2018, the state's coveted AAA bond rating was reaffirmed by every major rating agency, making North Carolina one of only 13 states in the country to hold that distinction. Treasurer Folwell also oversees the State Health Plan, which provides medical and pharmaceutical benefits to more than 720,000 current and retired public employees and is the largest purchaser of healthcare in North Carolina. Folwell was first elected to public office as a member of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education. He brought his problem-solving skills to the North Carolina General Assembly in 2004, where he served four terms in the House of Representatives, including one term as Speaker Pro Tempore. Treasurer Folwell began his career as a blue-collar worker and became a Certified Public Accountant and investment advisor after earning bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting from UNC-Greensboro.   05:59 The North Carolina state spend on healthcare. 07:21 “In medical terms, why has this become acute?” 08:00 One week of work for starting North Carolina troopers and teachers out of every four is going to family healthcare costs. 09:14 The problem of health insurance vs healthcare. 09:59 “If they can do this to the largest customers in this state … imagine what they can do to them.” 10:20 “This is about the industry whose whole business model is based on secrecy.” 11:47 “We've already focused on the why, and now we're [focusing] on the how.” 12:46 “We're trying to attack a problem.” 15:46 What the Clear Pricing Project aims to do. 18:08 “We're not trying to be disruptive; we're trying to fix a problem.” 19:55 Why the Clear Pricing Project went the self-insured route and how that's worked for them. 24:14 Who's behind the institutions fighting transparent pricing in North Carolina. 25:15 Instances where the Clear Pricing Project could actually stand to help rural hospitals make more money. 27:29 Dale's advice for other states trying to do this. 28:49 Dale's message to healthcare providers out there who want to see this change to price transparency.   You can learn more at nctreasurer.com. You can also connect with Treasurer Folwell on Twitter at @DaleFolwell or on Facebook at Dale Folwell.   @DaleFolwell discusses #financialtoxicity in #healthcare on our #healthcarepodcast. #podcast #digitalhealth #hcmkg #healthcarepricing #pricetransparency #healthcarefinance   Recent past interviews: Click a guest's name for their latest RHV episode! Eric Gallagher, Dr Suhas Gondi, Dr Rachel Reid, Dr Amy Scanlan, Peter J. Neumann, Stacey Richter (EP400), Dawn Cornelis (Encore! EP285), Stacey Richter (EP399), Dr Jacob Asher, Paul Holmes  

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