By a 36-10 vote, the N.C. Senate has passed the Racial Justice Act (SB 461). The landmark bill would prevent the execution of defendants who can prove race was an underlying factor in the decision to seek, or impose, the death penalty at the time of their trial. (For background on the bill, see “De […]
Matt Saldaña
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N.C. Senate passes Racial Justice Act
By a 36-10 vote, the N.C. Senate has passed the Racial Justice Act (SB 461). The landmark bill would prevent the execution of defendants who can prove race was was an underlying factor in the decision to seek, or impose, the death penalty at the time of their trial. (For background on the bill, see […]
Posted inUncategorized
De facto death penalty moratorium may end
Following a 4-3 decision by the N.C. Supreme Court, North Carolina is one step closer to ending a de facto moratorium on the death penalty, and supporters of capital punishment are clamoring for the proverbial guillotine to drop. But before the state can execute its 163 inmates on death row, it must first confront several […]
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Jordan Lake Rules pass House easily
By a margin of 106-8, the N.C. House of Representatives passed HB 239 (‘Restore Water Quality in Jordan Reservoir”), which will now head for a vote in the Senate. The expected wrangling over pollution controls didn’t happen on the House floor today, so look for an intensified lobbying effort to water down regulations on the […]
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Racial Justice Act clears legislative hurdle
See updates below. The North Carolina Racial Justice Act (HB 472/SB 461), which would prevent the execution of defendants who were sentenced to death on the basis of race, cleared the House Judiciary I committee today, and is headed for a house floor vote. Meanwhile, a Senate version of the bill will be voted on […]
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Jordan Lake Rules headed to the House floor
Following approval by the House Judiciary I Committee, HB 239 (‘Restore Water Quality in Jordan Reservoir”)–which modifies portions of the N.C. Environmental Management Commission’s strategy to clean up Jordan Lake–is on its way to the House floor. But the bill’s sponsors, who attended Monday’s meeting, warned that further battles remain. “I suspect there’ll be changes […]
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Jordan Lake protections: from ‘watered down’ to squeaky clean?
Just in time for next Monday’s appearance before the House Judiciary I Committee, the Bill Formerly Known as “Disapprove Jordan Lake Rules” (HB 239) has been freshly minted “Restore Water Quality in Jordan Reservoir.” The original version of the bill would have done just the opposite, by rejecting the N.C. Environmental Management Commission’s strategy to […]
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Modified version of Jordan Lake compromise clears enviro committee
A bill that would delay state-mandated efforts to clean up Jordan Lake until 2017 but preserve much of their pollution-reduction goals cleared the House Environment and Natural Resources committee today. ‘People upstream don’t want to do a thing. People downstream want a rule exactly the way it was,” said bill sponsor Pryor Gibson (D-Anson), after […]
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Jordan Lake protections watered down
A bill that would delay state-mandated efforts to clean up Jordan Lake until 2017 but preserve much of their pollution-reduction goals cleared the House Environment and Natural Resources committee this week. “People upstream don’t want to do a thing. People downstream want a rule exactly the way it was,” said bill sponsor Pryor Gibson, D-Anson, […]
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Jordan Lake compromise scheduled for Tuesday vote
After seeking to block a state-mandated effort to clean up Jordan Lake, a group of legislators have proposed a compromise bill that would severely limit pollution-reduction goals for the impaired drinking-water source. Introduced last week in the House Environment and Natural Resources committee, and set for a vote during Tuesday’s committee hearing at noon, the […]
