Republicans move major issues in legislature’s opening day
May. 17, 2012
A short session and a long to-do list pushed state lawmakers to act quickly upon their return to Raleigh on Wednesday, moving forward with a divisive gambling compact with the Cherokee Indians and a measure to scrape together money to pay the state’s Medicaid bills. To read this story, click here.
The General Assembly reconvened to consider overriding a veto by the governor. During the reconvened session, legislators amended their adjournment resolution so they could take up matters not identified in a previous adjournment resolution.
Now that Amendment One has passed, we're taking a closer look at what it means for all North Carolinians. We talked with people in the legal field who say the true impact of this amendment depends on how it's interpreted in the courts. But North Carolina law had already banned same-sex marriage, so some experts say it's nothing more than maintaining the status quo.
There are slightly more than 6.2 million registered voters in the state; 507,655 have already voted. Now it’s everyone else’s chance. Here’s what you need to know:
Dozens of Wake County property owners were in court Monday supporting a civil lawsuit against the North Carolina Department of Transportation over stalled plans to extend the N.C. Highway 540 loop around Wake County.
Recent news reports about teachers or other government agents interfering with the rights of parents to pack school lunches for their preschool and school aged children have prompted outrage across North Carolina and, indeed, the nation. That outrage has naturally led to debate about the role of schools and the responsibility of parents in the upbringing of children. Often overlooked in the debate has been the constitutional right of parents to, well, parent their children. This memorandum discusses the origins and scope of the frequently overlooked fundamental right of parents to control the rearing of their children and concludes with an admonition to government to respect that constitutional right before litigation becomes necessary to enforce it.