Last week, North Carolina legislators took a step to advance Senate Bill 90Social Services Reform. This legislation directs the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct various studies to improve social services, foster care, and child welfare services. It also seeks to improve intercounty collaboration between DSS’s and supports the implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act. Lastly, the bill would require all school social workers to be notified of attendance requirements set forth in law. The bill was amended to include language from Senate Bill 89 which follows recommendations from theSocial Services Regional Supervision and Collaboration Working Group to create regional supervision models for social services. There will be seven regions under the legislation with physical offices established by March 2023. Full implementation of a regional model, with offices, will be in place by March 1, 2024. The bill provides $914,790 in recurring funds for the 2021-2022 fiscal year to support 11 new staff positions. The bill was referred to the Appropriations Committee since funding will be required to implement the legislation.
HB 311Safer Roads and Communities Act of 2021: This legislation would allow the DMV to issue restricted drivers licenses to immigrants with limited or no status.
HB 316Support Maternal Health/Extend Medicaid Coverage: This legislation would allow for Medicaid coverage for pregnant women for twelve months post-partum, instead of the current coverage of sixty days postpartum.
HB 337Const. Amendment/Repeal Literacy Test: This legislation would create an amendment to our Constitution to repeal the requirement that every person registering to vote has to be able to read and write any section of the Constitution in the English language. This is an old Jim Crow law that was never removed from the Constitution. Voters would cast a vote for or against the repeal language on November 8, 2022.
SB 301Expand Expunction Eligibility: This legislation would allow for expunction of up to two nonviolent felonies after a certain amount of time. It would also expand the definition of nonviolent felonies and allows a public defender or private council to file a petition for expunction on behalf of a person eligible to expunge certain offenses when committed under the age of 18.