A Senate judiciary committee voted Thursday to ban synthetic drugs that mimic the effects of marijuana. “With synthetic cannabis, the physiological and psychological effects can be much more severe,” Greensboro police Capt. Richard Whisenant told the committee shortly before the vote. Possession of the drugs would become a misdemeanor under the bill, which is backed by commanders […]
If Gov. Beverly Perdue does propose regulating and taxing video gambling in her proposed budget, it appears she’ll have some work to do in convincing the state’s sheriffs and police chiefs that it is a good idea. The governor this week said legalizing the games is on the table as a way to generate more revenue […]
Update from National League of Cities:
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has formally announced a series of field hearings on transportation authorization that will begin February 14 in West Virginia. The purpose of the hearings is to gather input for the next effort to reauthorize federal transportation programs, which expired on September 2009. The current […]
It is only the second week of session but major bills were moving including action on balancing the State budget, allowing North Carolina to opt out of the federal health care law and eliminating the charter school cap. I cannot stress enough […]
Bills filed in the N.C. House and Senate would place a moratorium on involuntary annexations in North Carolina until July 1, 2012.
If passed, a ban might further delay the city of Wilmington’s annexation of 950 acres, more than 3,300 residents and numerous businesses in the Monkey Junction area.But it could mean more than a delay […]
RALEIGH, N.C. A panel led by State Treasurer Janet Cowell says North Carolina government has no extra room to authorize new debt if it wants to keep its top credit rating because of a poor revenue situation.
Cowell’s office released on Tuesday the annual Debt Affordability Study. The committee said the state has exhausted its ability […]
Republicans pushed through the state Senate’s budget committee a bill that seeks cost savings to help close next year’s shortfall both by spending cuts and taking cash from places like tobacco trust and economic incentives funds. The bill would direct Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue to find at least $400 million in budget savings this year, […]
When Gov. Beverly Perdue offers her proposed budget later this month, it could include provisions regulating and taxing the video gambling industry, according to a spokeswoman for the governor. The state has been trying for five years to stamp out video poker and its kin, such as the video sweepstakes machines. But various court rulings […]
Republican budget leaders have given their underlings an aggressive schedule to get a budget to Gov. Beverly Perdue a month before the new fiscal year begins. Budget subcommittee co-chairs received a draft calendar laying out the process for approving a state spending plan by June 1. The proposal has the House approving its version by […]
County leaders have set up a road block against another effort by the General Assembly to reduce the state’s budget deficit by shifting responsibility for secondary road maintenance away from the state to the counties.
“It would absolutely break the backs of counties,” George Graham, chairman of the Lenoir County Board of Commissioners, said of that […]
