Gov. Roy Cooper on Wednesday vetoed three Republican-backed bills that Democratic lawmakers and progressive activists contend are harmful to transgender youth.
Despite Cooper’s vetoes, the three bills are expected to become law. Republicans control the House and the Senate and can override the governor’s vetoes.
NC Newsline, Chantal Brown, 7/7/2023
In the wake of a national epidemic of school shootings, Gov. Cooper gave final approval today to House Bill 605 — a measure that will require “threat assessment teams” in public school units. School districts and charter schools will have to implement the program starting in the 2024-2025 school year.
The law will also require all public schools (and encourage private schools) to participate in school safety exercises and programs. Local school boards of education would have to install peer-to-peer support programs.
Representative John A. Torbett, one of the primary sponsors of the bill, provided an example of when a threat assessment team should reach out to a student during a committee meeting in June.
“Little Johnny is an A/B student, then all of a sudden the teacher notices that little Johnny becomes a C/D student, even fluctuating towards an F student. Chances are that something’s going on with little Johnny, but that teacher doesn’t say anything. Then the baseball coaches, that little Johnny plays with, notice that he’s not coming to practice, [and] he’s not playing up to his potential. He knows that something’s going on with little Johnny,” Rep. Torbett stated.
NC Newsline, Keylan Lyons, 7/7/2023
Gov. Roy Cooper signed two bills into law Friday that could make it harder for people wrongly convicted of crimes to clear their name and allow people to be jailed for up to two days without having been convicted of anything.
Legislators passed House Bill 790 over concerns that it would make it more difficult to help innocent people convicted of crimes. The law makes changes to the three-judge panel that assesses innocence claims involving prosecutorial misconduct, requiring a more stringent standard of evidence that critics of the bill warned would “extraordinarily lengthen” the pre-hearing process, as well as the length of the hearing itself.
Supporters claimed the change was necessary because prosecutors wanted it and because it acts as a safeguard on the three-judge panel’s panel to set aside a jury’s conviction or a judge’s sentence.
Much of the bill deals with the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission, which helps people wrongly convicted of crimes to clear their name. Its webpage states that 15 people — out of 3,373 claims — have been exonerated through the commission’s work.
There were more than 30,761 people in state prisons as of July 7.
NC Newsline, Greg Childress, 7/7/2023
Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed House Bill 618, a proposal that would strip the State Board of Education (SBE) of most charter school oversight responsibility. The governor called the bill a “power grab” by the Republican-controlled General Assembly.
“This bill is a legislative power grab that turns that responsibility over to a commission of political friends and extremists appointed by Republican legislators, making it more likely that faulty or failing charter schools will be allowed to operate and shortchange their students,” Cooper said in a statement. “Oversight of charter schools should be conducted by education experts not partisan politicians.”
HB 618 will likely become law because the GOP has majorities in both chambers and can mount a successful override of the governor’s vetoes.
The legislation creates a new Charter School Review Board with the power to grant, amend, terminate and renew school charters. The review board would replace the Charter School Advisory Board, which makes recommendation to the state board for new charters, terminations and renewals.
NC Newsline, Chantal Brown, 7/7/2023
Gov. Roy Cooper signed a bill into law Friday that allows couples to foster a child or siblings even if their household exceeds the maximum number of kids.
Legislators passed House Bill 815 in an effort to get more children into otherwise qualifying foster homes.
According to national foster care data, North Carolina has lost over 2,000 licensed foster homes since 2020. A foster home may house more than five children, the current maximum, if they obtain written permission, according to the new law. This applies if the maximum is the only thing that would exclude the home from bringing in new children.
The written documentation must be submitted to the licensing authority saying that the siblings can be placed in the household in spite of the five-child limit. It must also address the foster parents’ skills, stamina, and ability to care for the children.
NC Newsline, Rob Schofield, 7/6/2023
Gov. Cooper rightfully decries GOP delays on Medicaid expansion
by Rob Schofield, NC Newsline
July 6, 2023
AUDIO COMMENTARY (Starts when clicked)
Thanks for reading and contributing to this weekly effort, see you next Sunday.