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House Considers Cooper's Veto Of Election Bill
Legislation making it easier for third-party and unaffiliated candidates to get on North Carolina ballots but also reworking judicial elections for 2018 could soon become law despite Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's objections.
The House scheduled a Tuesday morning session to consider an override of Cooper's veto of the bill approved two weeks ago. The Senate voted to override Monday evening.
Cooper vetoed the bill because he was unhappy with a portion that would cancel primary elections for local and statewide court seats next year and delay candidate filing for those jobs until June.
Tired Of Waiting, Cooper Wants Appointees To Three Boards OK'd
Gov. Roy Cooper says it's "disrespectful" to North Carolina residents and "inexcusable" that the legislature hasn't yet confirmed 10 of his nominees to three state boards and wants them to vote this week.
Cooper wrote Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore on Monday to complain about inaction on his nominees from April, May and June to the Utilities Commission, State Board of Education and state employee and teacher pension system board. He says the delay for Utilities Commission positions is particularly troublesome because they are full-time jobs.
Senate Rules Committee Chairman Bill Rabon said earlier this month the education and utilities posts wouldn't be filled before January, when the legislature was expected back.
FBI Offers Reward For Attack On North Carolina GOP Office
The FBI is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for arson and graffiti at a North Carolina Republican Party office last year.
At the time, authorities said the Orange County GOP office was set on fire with a flammable device. Someone also spray-painted an anti-Republican slogan on the building which referred to "Nazi Republicans." No one was inside the building at the time of the fire on Oct. 16, 2016.
A news release from the FBI said a $10,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to solving the crime.
Insurance Giant Warns Of Fallout From Trump's Executive Action
A major North Carolina health insurer says President Donald Trump's cuts to Obamacare subsidies will not affect its outlook on the Affordable Care Act. But the company says there could be plenty of fallout.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina said Friday it was disappointed to learn of Trump's executive order wiping out the subsidies.
That money helps low-income people buy into ACA insurance plans at a discount. According to the Winston-Salem Journal, North Carolina had the fourth-highest enrollment last year.
Blue Cross says the president's action could make it harder for insurers to participate in Obamacare in 2019.
The insurance company's statement came as North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein announced he was joining a lawsuit challenging the order.
Moving University Administration From Chapel Hill Reviewed
A panel has reviewed relocating the University of North Carolina administration.
The News & Observer reports that a university Board of Governors task force began looking at a proposal to move the multi-campus public system headquarters out of Chapel Hill.
System president Margaret Spellings says there could be stressful effects of such a large undertaking and asked what advantages relocating would have. Places discussed were Raleigh, Research Triangle Park and Durham.
Several panel members were skeptical about using resources on a "branding" problem — confusion between the system and Chapel Hill campus or concern about both being in the same town.
The panel will update the full Board on the topic in November.