The General Assembly is scheduled to return to Raleigh next week, and I plan to attend even though we have been told that no floor votes are scheduled. Committee meetings may be scheduled and I want to be available for any of my committees that are asked to meet. I also want to be prepared to represent your interests if a vote is scheduled quickly, as happened during a recent session.
The last few weeks have been tumultuous, as a number of candidates announced their intentions for the upcoming election cycle. I want to wish my retiring colleagues well in the future and I am certain all of them will continue to contribute to our state.
While I know the filing period can cause distraction, please know that I remain committed to working on the serious policy issues that face us. There has been some good news in recent weeks, as the unemployment rate nationally and locally continues to slowly improve. North Carolina unemployment remains higher than the national rate, however, largely because of the huge layoffs in education jobs this year.
The lawsuit challenging the maps that lay out the Congressional, state House and state Senate districts continues and I will share some information with you about that effort in this newsletter.
There is also an ongoing court hearing in the first test of the state’s Racial Justice Act, an effort to ensure that racial prejudice does not play a role in the administration of the death penalty. The case in Cumberland County will help determine what happens in other appeals filed under the act. No one will ever be released from prison under this law.
Redistricting
A three-judge panel ruled this week that two lawsuits challenging redistricting plans drawn by the majority party can proceed. The lawsuits filed by citizens, elected officials and civil rights and election watchdog groups allege the maps are unconstitutional because of racial gerrymandering and boundaries that break up too many communities. No hearing date has been set for the case. The judges ruled two weeks ago that North Carolina’s primary will be held on May 8 as scheduled, despite the lawsuits.
Voting
Members of elections boards in 87 counties have asked the legislature to appropriate more money to the state election board so that it can receive millions of dollars in federal money to prepare for this year’s election. The local board members said in a letter to legislative leaders that increasing the state budget by $660,000 would allow the state to get $4 million in aid through the federal Help America Vote Act. The money would help pay for early voting sites and voting machine maintenance. Officials say they need the money because they are expecting high turnout for this year’s presidential election and will also incur costs as a result of redistricting.
Education
William Harrison, the chairman of the State Board of Education, is asking his board members to share more information about the value of public education and challenge legislators who have attacked the institution. Dr. Harrison delivered an online message about the subject recently, saying, “When you talk to local teachers, principals and superintendents, you will most likely hear about students sharing textbooks, fewer course offerings, longer bus routes, a lack of funds for professional development and the list goes on… It is a shame that some have chosen to claim that they have supported public education while they ignore the many struggles our schools are facing today.”
Thank you for your interest in state government. In the meantime, please contact me if I can be of help.
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Michael H. Wray
NC House District 27