North Carolina
Is N.C. expanding Medicaid? What you need to know about where it stands
The clock is ticking for North Carolina legislators hoping to wrap up the session earlier than the July 4 lengthy weekend.
It’s been a busy brief session on the Normal Meeting, with debates on hemp and medical marijuana, a brand new state funds and sports activities playing.
One of many largest surprises of the session was a Republican proposal to increase Medicaid in North Carolina, which the GOP-led legislature has resisted for greater than a decade.
The invoice rapidly handed the state Senate with bipartisan assist however met resistance within the Home. Republican leaders within the Home got here up with their very own plan that places off any up-or-down vote on Medicaid growth to the tip of the 12 months.
The Home invoice handed there. Nevertheless it nonetheless wants approval from the Senate earlier than it will possibly go to Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk. it will likely be as much as the governor to determine to signal it, situation a veto or just let it turn out to be legislation.
I’m inspired that each the Home and Senate agree that North Carolina must increase Medicaid. It’s crucial that an settlement is reached to get this carried out now. – RC
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) June 28, 2022
The Medicaid debate has turn out to be fairly murky since Phil Berger, the chief of the Senate, first proposed it 5 weeks in the past. Right here’s the breakdown and the place issues stand now:
What’s Medicaid growth?
Congress voted to permit states to increase Medicaid to cowl extra individuals within the Inexpensive Care Act, also called Obamacare, through the Obama administration.
Medicaid growth would give well being care protection to anybody making lower than 138% of the federal poverty stage. That works out to $18,754 for a person or $38,295 for a household of 4.
If North Carolina expands the well being care program, it might give protection to as much as 600,000 individuals within the state. About half of these are coated already by means of COVID-19 emergency funding.
North Carolina is certainly one of a dozen states that has not expanded Medicaid. Congress final 12 months permitted new funding for incentives to get the final holdouts to increase the protection, together with $1.5 billion for North Carolina.
How a lot wouldn’t it value?
When Berger proposed his Medicaid growth invoice, he stated including lots of of 1000’s to the well being care rolls can be funds impartial. The Senate invoice would pay for the growth with charges on hospitals that may, in flip, be paid by the federal authorities.
The federal authorities covers 90% of the prices for expanded Medicaid protection. Berger stated that after a decade and quite a few authorized challenges to this system, he didn’t suppose that 90% would go away.
What did the Home go?
The Home rejected the Senate’s invoice that may have prolonged Medicaid. An enormous sticking level was work necessities for individuals getting well being care protection. The Senate invoice included a piece requirement, however there’s an ongoing courtroom case over whether or not or not the state can require Medicaid recipients to work.
“They’re shopping for a automotive with out take a look at driving it,” Home Speaker Tim Moore, a Republican, stated final week. “This factor’s been an excessive amount of of a political soccer from day one.”
As a substitute of passing the Senate invoice to increase Medicaid after which determining if it may embrace the work requirement, the Home got here up with a unique thought.
The Home invoice permits state Well being Secretary Kody Kinsley to barter with the federal authorities about points like requiring Medicaid recipients to have a job or be in a piece coaching program. The Division of Well being and Human Companies would determine a workable take care of the feds and produce that again to the Normal Meeting.
Moore stated as soon as the negotiations are full, the Normal Meeting would vote in December on whether or not or to not increase Medicaid in North Carolina.
What’s taking place within the Senate?
The Senate already handed its personal invoice, however that died within the Home. If the Senate agrees to the Home thought of getting negotiations earlier than a December vote, state Senators must go the Home invoice.
That invoice is at present sitting within the Senate Guidelines Committee, the final cease earlier than going to the Senate ground. If the Normal Meeting sticks to its self-imposed timeline, the state Senate solely has till the weekend to go the invoice.
It isn’t clear if or when the complete Senate may take up the brand new Medicaid invoice.
If the Senate agrees to the Home compromise on Medicaid growth, it’ll go to the governor’s desk. Then it’s as much as Cooper, who has lengthy been one of many strongest advocates for Medicaid growth in North Carolina.
“I’m inspired that each the Home and Senate agree that North Carolina must increase Medicaid. It’s crucial that an settlement is reached to get this carried out now,” the governor tweeted earlier this week.
North Carolina’s solar energy landscape is at a crossroads as the state works to meet its ambitious climate goals.
Under House Bill 951, passed in 2021, North Carolina is required to cut carbon emissions in the energy sector by 70% from 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. However, meeting these targets is proving difficult as energy demand surges.
Jeff Hughes, a commissioner with the North Carolina Utilities Commission, says that it’s challenging to maintain grid reliability while pursuing aggressive decarbonization goals.
“If we have two gigawatts of load coming in the next three or four years, it’s going to be very difficult to model our way, to solarize our way out of it,” Hughes said, pointing to the growing demand from industries like AI-driven data centers.
Duke Energy, the state’s largest utility, has said fossil fuels are essential to ensuring reliable power amid increasing demand. Critics argue that the company’s reliance on natural gas and coal could derail progress toward cutting emissions.
North Carolina has long been a leader in solar energy, initially driven by smaller, five-megawatt projects. Today, the focus has shifted to larger installations, which are more efficient but face growing local opposition.
Carson Hart, CEO of Carolina Solar Energy, said scaling up has been key to increasing clean energy capacity. “Moving to these bigger projects has been really beneficial for getting more megawatts in the ground and meeting the state’s climate goals,” Hart said. But she noted that large projects often draw pushback from residents concerned about aesthetics and land use.
Rural areas are at the heart of the state’s solar boom, hosting about 80% of large-scale projects. Reginald Bynum Jr., director of community outreach at the Center for Energy Education, said rural North Carolina plays a critical role in meeting the state’s clean energy goals.
“My job is to make sure rural communities don’t miss the movement,” Bynum said. “These projects bring jobs, economic growth, and opportunities to areas that desperately need them.”
The economic impact of solar energy is substantial. In counties with significant solar development, property tax revenues have increased by as much as 1,600%, according to the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association. These funds have supported schools, infrastructure, and emergency services in areas facing population declines and economic challenges.
The state’s clean energy sector also supports more than 110,000 full-time jobs, according to a report from e2, with many more expected as solar development continues.
Hughes said the state’s carbon plan, which is updated every two years, will play a key role in charting a path forward.
“There’s a lot of check and adjust that will occur over the next few years,” he said.
As North Carolina advances its solar energy ambitions, balancing the needs of developers, communities, and environmental goals will be essential to achieving a sustainable and reliable energy future.
North Carolina
3 men charged in connection with woman’s death at Cook Out restaurant in North Carolina
Two men have been charged with murder in the death of 29-year-old Davicia Jean Ann Lee at a Cook Out restaurant in Durham, North Carolina, last month. A third is facing a weapons charge.
Two men have been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a woman at the fast-food restaurant Cook Out in North Carolina.
Twenty-three-year-old Alexander Kenyon Carlton Jr. and 19-year-old Calvin Jerade Spence Jr. have been charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 29-year-old Davicia Jean Ann Lee late last month in Durham, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release on Friday.
A third man, 18-year-old Jamari Treyvon McKnight, is charged with one count of going armed to the terror of the people, which basically means terrorizing someone with a weapon like a gun.
USA TODAY could not immediately find attorneys representing the three men.
The shooting occurred just after 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the Cook Out on South Miami Boulevard, according to the sheriff’s office. When deputies arrived at the scene, they found Lee dead.
The sheriff’s office called the shooting “an isolated incident” that happened after shots broke out following a fight, WNCN-TV reported.
Arrests made in fatal shooting of Davicia Jean Ann Lee
Detectives arrested Spence and Carlton on Thursday and took them to the Durham County Detention Center without bond on charges of carrying a concealed gun, felony conspiracy, going armed to the terror of the people and first-degree murder, the sheriff’s office said.
McKnight was also taken into custody and arrested Thursday night on misdemeanor going armed to the terror of the people, according to the sheriff’s office. The Morrisville police arrested him and he is currently being held in the Wake County Detention Center until his first court appearance, the agency added.
The investigation into Lee’s homicide is ongoing, while all findings are now in the process of being turned over to the Durham County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, according to the sheriff’s office.
The USC Trojans are in pursuit of flipping two class of 2025 recruits, Nela Tupou and Alex Payne. Can the Trojans flip one or both of these players before national signing day?
Nela Tupou Player Profile
Nela Tupou is a 6-4, 220 pound tight end/defensive end out of Folsom, California. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the 43rd-best ATH in the class of 2025 per 247Sports.
Tupou committed to the Utah Utes in February of 2024, but he just recently visited USC last weekend for the Trojans’ 28-20 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
On3 is now predicting that Tupou will likely flip this commitment from Utah to USC.
Alex Payne Player Profile
Alex Payne is a 6-5, 265 pound offensive tackle out of Gainesville, Florida. He is rated as four-star recruit and ranked as the 16th-best offensive tackle in the class of 2025.
Payne committed to the North Carolina Tar Heels in January of 2024, but he as well as Tupou, visited USC last weekend.
In 247Sports recruiting analyst Tom Loy’s updated crystal ball prediction, he had Payne flipping his commitment from North Carolina to USC. Loy has a good track record of predicting where recruits will end up as his all-time hit rate for predicting recruits’ final destinations is 81.64 percent.
USC Bolstering Up Offensive Line to Go Along With Weapons
One of the glaring holes for the USC Trojans this season has been the offensive line. For USC to bounce back next season, they will have to get much better in the trenches. This has been exposed in their first season in the Big Ten. Landing Tupou, who can both be a factor in the run blocking scheme as a blocker, and Payne, one of the top tackle prospects in the country, would go a long way for next season and the future of the program.
Barring a flurry of transfer portal decisions, the Trojans will have an abundance of skill position talent coming back next season.
Freshman running back Quinten Joyner has been the second best back this season behind senior running back Woody marks.
Four of the Trojans five leading receivers are sophomores. Makai Lemon, Zachariah Branch, Ja’Kobi Lane, and Duce Robinson all have shown flashes of potentially being a number one wide receiver next season.
Add in the Trojans starting sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava and they have one of the youngest teams in the Big Ten. If USC continues to address the offensive line in the last days of the 2025 recruiting cycle and in the transfer portal this offseason, the Trojans could be a dangerous team next season.
MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Five-Star QB Husan Longstreet Talks Recruitment, Flip to USC Trojans
MORE: Minnesota Vikings’ Jordan Addison Injury Update After Increased Role Vs. Tennessee Titans
MORE: Did NIL Factor Into Julian Lewis Decommit From USC Trojans? Colorado Buffaloes Loom
MORE: USC Trojans Schedule Release: Notre Dame Kickoff Time, TV Broadcast
MORE: USC Trojans Quarterback Miller Moss’ Potential NIL Value as Transfer
MORE: USC Trojans’ Bear Alexander Visiting Georgia Bulldogs: Transfer Portal?
MORE: Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams Reveals Advice from USC Trojans Coach Lincoln Riley
MORE: USC Trojans’ Lincoln Riley on De-Commitments: ‘Great Ones Always See The Opportunity’
MORE: Why 4-Star Hayden Lowe Flipped From USC Trojans To Miami Hurricanes, Mario Cristobal
MORE: USC Trojans Women’s Basketball Star JuJu Watkins Makes Name, Image, Likeness History
Staff predictions: Our picks for No. 7 Alabama at Oklahoma
GAME DAY CENTRAL – Washington State vs Oregon State
How Philadelphia took care of its own through history
An appreciation of Joe Biden; RI’s underpaid doctors | Letters
Staff Picks: Week 13
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Who is Pam Bondi, Trump's new pick for attorney general?
At least 11 killed and dozens injured in Israeli strikes on Beirut
Trump announces picks for FDA, CDC; Novartis seeks bolt-on deals, raises guidance; RFK Jr., Elon Musk may find banning ads difficult; and more
From CDC to labor secretary: See Trump's top picks for Cabinet roles
WHO says mpox remains public health emergency of international concern
-
Business1 week ago
Column: OpenAI just scored a huge victory in a copyright case … or did it?
-
Health1 week agoBird flu leaves teen in critical condition after country's first reported case
-
Business6 days agoColumn: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
-
Science3 days agoTrump nominates Dr. Oz to head Medicare and Medicaid and help take on 'illness industrial complex'
-
Politics5 days agoTrump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25739950/247386_Elon_Musk_Open_AI_CVirginia.jpg "Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI")
Technology5 days agoInside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI
-
Lifestyle6 days agoSome in the U.S. farm industry are alarmed by Trump's embrace of RFK Jr. and tariffs
-
World5 days agoProtesters in Slovakia rally against Robert Fico’s populist government
