Several GOP lawmakers in North Carolina have introduced a bill aimed at discouraging cities from cutting funding for law enforcement.
Senate Bill 100 targets local governments that cut spending for police or sheriff's departments.
Also known as The Police Funding Protection Act, the bill would reduce state funding to cities that choose to reduce budgets for law enforcement agencies by more than 1%.
Activist groups have called for local police funding reductions, saying more money should be spent on social services that address the root causes of crime.
State Senator Chuck Edwards introduced the legislation at a news conference broadcast on Facebook, where he was joined by bill co-sponsor Sen. Danny Britt.
Edwards said he was dismayed by recent budget cuts in the Asheville Police Department, which led to a subsequent reduction in staffing.
Edwards added that recent calls to “defund the police” are leading to violent behavior by what he refers to as “radical extremists.”
The N.C. Police Benevolent Association released a statement in support of the legislation.
A second bill introduced at the news conference would require sheriffs to cooperate with Immigration and Customs enforcement when there is an existing detainer request.