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BLOGS

Kay Hagan is among a group of U.S. Senators who want a nationwide ban on texting while driving. The bill in question would use the ol’ do this or we cut off your highway funds approach. North Carolina already pass such a bill (Click here for info on H-9.) and Gov. Bev Perdue has signed it.
Louis Jacobson wrote this month about the “six most dysfunctional state governments.” North Carolina didn’t even make the list. Now that the governor has blown up budget negotiations and we’re headed for a third CR, do you think we at least make the top 10 now?
Set phasers to stunning. The conservative leaning Civitas Instituted used its “bad bill of the day” column to highlight H 1623: NCA&T McNair Center Funds. Filed by Rep. Earl Jones, a Greensboro Democrat, it is an innocuous sounding bill. However it would use state funds to “develop a master plan for the construction of a state-of-the-art technology research and development building complex known as The Star Fleet Academy Complex.” Yes, as in Kirk, Spock and crew. As far as I can tell, no money is currently dedicated for the project in any draft of the budget.