Reports highlight top lobbying spends of 2024
Duke Energy, the NC Chamber and Blue Cross topped the
Health Care
Hall on WakeMed/Atrium merger
House Speaker Destin Hall isn’t inclined to join the parade of elected officials criticizing the proposed WakeMed/Atrium hospital-system merger. “Both of them certainly know what
Berger: Answers needed on WakeMed cost impact
WakeMed and Atrium Health need to come to the table “prepared to answer” concerns about whether their proposed merger will fuel or moderate healthcare cost increases, Senate leader Phil Berger...
House Dems agreed with Burgin on merger oversight
House Democrats have lined up behind a merger-oversight bill for hospitals that’s substantively identical to the one Sen. Jim Burgin, R-Harnett, introduced on April 30. “We want a process to...
Budget & Taxes
Boliek frets about Charlotte airport, stadium, water-project borrowing
State Auditor Dave Boliek thinks Charlotte’s government is borrowing entirely too much money. The latest such request, reviewed and approved by the Local Government Commission
Barnes: Rocky Mount “not a good steward”
Nash County’s only state senator says she filed a bill that would forbid Rocky Mount from using electric-utility revenue to shore up its general fund because the city “has proven...
Zenger on Meta
Meta’s lobbyists “introduced us” to the idea of adding app stores to the list of online platforms that will have age restrictions if House Bill 301 passes, lead sponsor Rep....
Education
N.C. A&T trustee resigns
Mark Copeland, vice chair of the N.C. A&T State University board of trustees, resigned from that post last week. Copeland’s resignation on April 24 came
Stein floats idea for funding job training
Within Gov. Josh Stein’s budget request for fiscal 2026-27 is a proposal to set up a new program called the “Strategic Workforce Training” fund to underwrite job training and similar...
Boliek asks SBI to probe N.C. A&T student-fee diversions
State Auditor Dave Boliek has asked the SBI to probe what he calls “gross misconduct” at N.C. A&T State University involving its use of about $5.1 million in student-fee money....
Elections
Cohn’s hat in the ring for Everitt Senate seat
State Rep. Bryan Cohn, D-Granville, says he’s signaled to the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate that he’s willing to step in as a
Majeed goes unaffiliated
Another Mecklenburg County legislator who lost in March’s Democratic Party primaries has turned in his membership card. District 99 Rep. Nasif Majeed announced via social media that he’s changing his...
Legislators to probe COVID-related prison releases
Just in time for this fall’s Cooper-Whatley U.S. Senate race, General Assembly leaders announced Monday they’re forming a panel to investigate COVID-related early prison releases. Sen. Buck Newton, R-Wilson, and...