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North Carolina Court: Constitutional Changes Misleading, Blocked
A divided judicial panel says two proposed North Carolina constitutional amendments that would diminish the powers of the governor are misleading and shouldn't appear on ballots in November.
The three-judge panel split 2-1 on Tuesday in ruling that the language adopted by the Republican-led General Assembly doesn't fairly and impartially describe the decisions facing voters.
The ruling blocks two challenged amendments of the six that lawmakers approved in June.
One would let legislators have more control over filling judicial vacancies now nearly always decided solely by governors. The second constitutional change would make clear lawmakers control appointments for boards and commissions that decide rules for everything from natural gas fracking and how community colleges should run.
Group Pledges $5 Million To Support 'Crime Victims' Rights' Amendment
Backers of a proposed crime victims' amendment to North Carolina's constitution are preparing to spend $5 million leading up to the referendum this November.
The leader of efforts to approve a North Carolina version of a victims' rights amendment, similar to what's known as "Marsy's Law" in other states, identified the amount in an interview.
The group announced it started airing its first commercials on the radio Tuesday promoting a "yes" vote.
North Carolina voters approved a crime victims' amendment two decades ago, but the update would expand those rights and make clear victims can seek redress in court.
Attorney General Stein Calls Out Trump EPA For Censoring Scientific Data
North Carolina's Attorney General has joined a coalition accusing the Trump Administration of “censoring science.”
Attorney General Josh Stein is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to withdraw what he calls a “harmful and deeply flawed” proposal that would ban certain scientific studies from being used in the agency's decision-making process.
Stein, a Democrat, joined a 23-member coalition of states, counties and cities in a letter sent to acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.
The original proposal was submitted by former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. The rule would exclude any scientific study whose underlying data isn't entirely available to the public, even if it's peer-reviewed.
The 33-page letter sent to Wheeler threatens a possible lawsuit if the proposal becomes a mandate.
Fate Of 3 More Confederate Monuments In NC To Be Discussed
Less than two days after protesters at the University of North Carolina's flagship campus toppled a statue of a Confederate soldier, a committee plans to announce its recommendation for three other 20th-century monuments on the state Capitol grounds.
A study committee of the state Historical Commission is expected to recommend Wednesday whether the three Confederate statues in Raleigh should be relocated. Gov. Roy Cooper asked last year that they be moved to a Civil War battlefield.
The full commission is then expected to vote on the committee's recommendation. The committee could vote to move the monuments, leave them in place or re-interpret them.
Cooper To Appeal For Federal Disaster Aid
North Carolina's governor says he'll keep seeking federal aid for more than a dozen western counties damaged by flooding, landslides and mudslides in the spring.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday his office will appeal the Federal Emergency Management Agency's decision to deny his request for a major disaster declaration for 13 counties.
Cooper said in a release that five people died because of the storms, with home and business damage and washed out roads and bridges. The U.S. Department of Agriculture already declared four western counties affected by the rains disaster areas to help farmers.
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