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Morning News Briefs: Wednesday, February 15th, 2017

North Carolina Legislative Building in Raleigh. Credit: Jayron 32 for English Wikipedia

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Cooper Offers Up HB2 Repeal Proposal

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is proposing what he calls a compromise to repeal the controversial House Bill 2.

His proposal does away with the law, which among other things, limits LGBT rights and determines what bathroom a transgender person must use.

He says the new bill would increase penalties for crimes in public bathrooms.

Republican leaders are responding to Cooper's proposed legislation. A spokeswoman for Senate leader Phil Berger said Tuesday that it does nothing to address privacy concerns of women and young girls who don't want to share restrooms and locker rooms with men.

And a gay rights group says the proposal contains unnecessary additions and blames Republicans for failing to repeal House Bill 2.

Judges: N.C. Senate Can Keep Confirmation Authority For Cabinet Posts

The Republican-controlled North Carolina legislature can keep for now its authority to confirm Cabinet secretaries of the new Democratic governor, a state judicial panel has ruled.

Three trial court judges rejected the request of Gov. Roy Cooper to extend a temporary block on the confirmation law the judges had issued last week.The law subjects Cooper's department heads to the "advice and consent" of a majority of senators.

Cooper sued last month, saying confirmation doesn't apply to his picks.

Improved Saving Routine Considered By North Carolina House

A deliberate effort to set money aside so North Carolina is prepared for natural disasters, revenue shortfalls and other state government emergencies is heading to the House floor.

The chamber scheduled debate Wednesday on legislation fashioned by a study committee that directs budget-writers to put money equal to 15 percent of predicted revenue growth into the state's saving reserve annually. The reserve fund target will be set by state economists.

Rally Held Outside Of Sen. Burr's Office In Support Of ACA

Protestors held a Valentine's Day rally outside of Senator Richard Burr's Winston-Salem office in support of Obamacare.

Activists called for lawmakers to “have a heart” by expanding Medicaid and strengthening the Affordable Care Act.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports thousands of individually signed valentines were delivered to the offices of Burr and U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, North Carolina's two Republican senators.

The Winston-Salem rally was part of a chain of events held across the state.

Speakers called on Burr to host a town hall meeting to address health care reform.

NAACP Wants Confederate Flag Ban In Orange County Schools

An Orange County chapter of the NAACP is asking the school board to enact a ban on the Confederate flag.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reports Northern Orange County NAACP President Patricia Clayton sent a letter to Superintendent Todd Wirt asking for a ban on school grounds, citing other districts that prohibit it on school property, clothing and other materials.

Clayton said that having to demonstrate that the flag disrupts the learning environment is symptomatic of racial and cultural bias in the district.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

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