2024 NASW-NC Legislative Session Update: Governor's veto; Ballots mailed, & more!

In this week's update:

• Governor Cooper Vetoes HB 10
• Absentee Ballots finally mailed out
• Upcoming NC Debate Schedule
• Judge upholds UNC digital student ID for voting
• The Long March For Unity & Justice
• All Ages, All Stages NC: Join us on September 27th!
• Attend NASW-NC Webinar "How the Election will Impact Social Work in NC"
• Register for 2024 NASW-NC Virtual Fall Conference

Governor Vetoes HB 10

Today, Governor Roy Cooper vetoed HB10, the Republican scheme to take taxpayer money out of public schools and redirect it to private schools. The Governor was joined by education and business leaders from both sides of the aisle to highlight the disastrous impact this would have on public schools, particularly those in rural areas.

Governor Cooper issued the following statement on his veto of House Bill 10 Require ICE Cooperation & Budget Adjustments:

“This bill takes public taxpayer dollars from the public schools and gives it to private school vouchers that will be used by wealthy families. Studies show that private school vouchers do not improve student performance, but we won’t know with North Carolina’s voucher scheme because it has the least accountability in the country. All public schools will be hurt by the legislature wasting its planned $4 billion of the public’s money over the next decade with rural public schools being hurt the worst. This money should be used to improve our public schools by raising teacher pay and investing in public school students. Therefore, I veto the bill.”

During the press conference, Governor Cooper emphasized the need for investments in public education. Instead of funneling hundreds of millions more in taxpayer dollars toward vouchers for unaccountable private schools that would overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest demographic in the state, the legislature should invest in public education so our state’s public schools, educators and students have the resources they need to thrive.

“Private school vouchers are the biggest threat to public schools in decades because they don’t improve student performance and they drain taxpayer money from badly needed investments like better teacher pay,” said Governor Cooper. “North Carolina public schools continue to thrive and improve despite chronic underfunding by the legislature. We must stop the expansion of private school vouchers and prioritize investing in our public schools.”

Expanding private school vouchers would disproportionately impact rural North Carolina counties, where access to private education is limited and public schools serve as the backbone of communities. More than one-quarter (28) of North Carolina’s counties – all rural counties – have no or just one private school participating in the voucher program. By diverting public funds to wealthier urban areas, private school vouchers are deepening the resource gap and undermining the educational opportunities for rural students.

Private schools that receive vouchers are not regulated and are not accountable to taxpayers despite receiving taxpayer money. Vouchers cover tuition for schools that don’t have to report how students are performing, don’t have to serve all students regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status or religious beliefs or don’t have to hire licensed teachers.

Public schools that serve more than 84% of students are continuously asked to do more with less. North Carolina ranks near the bottom of all states in K-12 funding, spending nearly $5,000 less per student than the national average. Our state is falling behind nationally in teacher pay, dropping in the most recent rankings to 38th.

Based on an updated analysis by the Office of State Budget and Management, if the General Assembly fully expands the taxpayer-funded private school voucher program, private schools could siphon nearly $100 million in state funding from public schools just in the first full year of the program. In addition, the expansion of the voucher program will cost the state $277 million in new spending just in the first year.

Governor Cooper declared 2024 as the Year of Public Schools and has been visiting public schools and early childhood education programs across the state calling for investments in K-12 education, early childhood education and teacher pay.

Read more about the truth of North Carolina's voucher program here.

(source: governor.nc.gov)

Absentee Ballots finally mailed out 

On Friday, September 20, 2024, the NC State Board of Elections started mailing out absentee ballots to members of the military and U.S. citizens who are out of the country and requested a ballot.  This is after the ballots were delayed two weeks to remove the name of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who dropped out of the presidential race and sued to have his name removed from the ballot.  Kennedy only won his lawsuit in NC when the NC Supreme Court ordered the ballot be reprinted without his name, at a significant cost to taxpayers. 

September 20th was a critical date as Federal Law states all military and overseas ballots must be mailed at least 45 days before the general election.  This was 46 days before the election. On Tuesday, September 24, county boards will start mailing out ballots to other North Carolina citizens who requested an absentee ballot.

NASW-NC Encourages you to VOTE IN-PERSON during early voting October 17-November 2.  We recognize everyone does not have that option.  If you are voting by absentee ballot, please mail it back as soon as possible & consider mailing it back with a tracking item; such as certified mail; delivery notification, etc... Your Ballot Will Not Be Counted If Not Received By BY 7:30PM on November 5th!!!!

2024 General Election Dates and Deadlines

Here are key dates and deadlines for the 2024 general election in North Carolina:

• Sept. 20: Ballots distributed to military and overseas citizen voters who have requested them.
• Sept. 24: Absentee ballots distributed to all other voters who have requested them.
• Oct. 11: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.).*
• Oct. 17: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available.
• Oct. 29: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).*
• Nov. 2: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
• Nov. 5: General Election Day.
• Nov. 5: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).*

*Voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters .

(Source: NCSBE.gov)

Upcoming NC Debate Schedule 

A series of debates between Council of State candidates will take place over the next two months leading up to the election.

Read more about it here: NCIOPL Announces 2024 Hometown Debate Series

The debate slate is as follows:

• Sept. 24, the state superintendent of public instruction debate at East Carolina University in Greenville will feature Democratic nominee Mo Green and Republican nominee Michele Morrow.
• Oct. 1, the labor commissioner debate at Johnston County Community College will feature Democratic nominee Braxton Winston and Republican nominee Luke Farley.
• Oct. 8, the state treasurer debate at Greensboro College will feature Democratic nominee Wesley Harris and Republican nominee Brad Briner.

Each hourlong debate will take place Tuesday at 7 p.m. It will air on Spectrum the following Sunday.

(source: ProStateAffairs.com)

Judge upholds UNC digital student ID for voting

A North Carolina trial judge refused on Thursday a Republican Party request that he block students and employees at the state’s flagship public university from being able to show a digital identification to comply with a largely new photo ID law. 

Wake County Superior Court Judge Keith Gregory denied a temporary restraining order sought by the Republican National Committee and state GOP, according to an online court record posted after a hearing. The ruling can be appealed.

The groups sued last week to halt the use of the mobile UNC One Card at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a qualifying ID, saying state law only allows the State Board of Elections to approve physical cards.

The mobile UNC One Card was approved Aug. 20 by the board’s Democratic majority, marking the first such ID posted from someone’s smartphone that the board has OK’d.

The Democratic National Committee and a UNC-Chapel Hill student group joined the board in court to oppose the restraining order. They said the board rightly determined that the digital ID met the security and photo requirements set in state law in which to qualify.

In legal briefs, they also said there was nothing in the law that prevented the approval of a nonphysical card. The DNC attorneys wrote that preventing its use could confuse or even disenfranchise up to 40,000 people who work or attend the school.

The mobile UNC One Card is now the default ID card issued on campus, although students and permanent employees can still obtain a physical card instead for a small fee. The school announced this week that it would create physical cards at no charge for students and staff who received a digital ID but want the physical card for voting.

Voters already can choose to provide photo IDs from several broad categories, including their driver’s license, passport and military IDs The board also has approved over 130 types of traditional student and employee IDs that it says qualifies voting purposes in 2024, including UNC-Chapel Hill’s physical ID card. Only UNC-Chapel Hill mobile ID credentials on Apple phones were approved by the board.

Republicans said in the lawsuit they were worried that the mobile ID’s approval “could allow hundreds or thousands of ineligible voters” to vote. They argued an electronic card was easier to alter and harder for a precinct worker to examine.

North Carolina is a presidential battleground state where statewide races are usually very close. The ruling comes as potentially millions planning to vote in the fall elections haven’t had to show an ID under the state’s 2018 voter ID law. Legal challenges meant the mandate didn’t get carried out the first time until the low-turnout municipal elections in 2023.

While early in-person voting begins Oct. 17, the first absentee ballots requested are expected to be transmitted starting Friday to military and overseas voters, with ballots mailed to in-state registrants early next week. Absentee voters also must provide a copy of a qualifying ID with their completed ballot or fill out a form explaining why they don’t have one.

(source: apnews.com)

The Long March For Unity & Justice

Join Beloved Community Center (BCC) on THE LONG MARCH FOR UNITY & JUSTICE, a statewide movement powered by WE THE PEOPLE. From September 20-29, we will traverse North Carolina, from Cullowhee to Wilmington, aiming to amplify the voices of all North Carolinians through community organizing, voting initiatives, grassroots education, and art.

Our mission spans environmental justice, women’s rights, reproductive justice, youth and students’ rights, racial and social justice, faith and religious inclusivity, gender and LGBTQ equality, worker and labor rights, immigrant justice, and disability justice. Join us as we strive for a future where unity and justice are tangible realities for all, creating lasting change for North Carolina and beyond.

Please see the attached and following link to learn more about the March and find out what's being planned in your part of the state!https://belovedcommunitycenter.org/news/the-long-march/

All Ages, All Stages NC: Join us on September 27th!

• Join the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) on Friday, September 27th from 10AM-11AM for the formal unveiling of the All Ages, All Stages NC Plan. This event will highlight the collaborative efforts behind its development and outline actionable steps for implementation. North Carolina will officially join eight other states with a Multisector Plan for Aging (MPA), moving from planning to implementation.
• It is open and FREE to all. You do not have to pre-register or RSVP in advance.
• Dix Campus Map: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/dixcampusmap-4-17-19-web/download
• Parking is available in front of or behind the Adams Building, as well as across the street NC Medicaid’s parking lot.

Join the Newsletter
Encourage friends, colleagues, and community members to join our mailing list to stay informed and engaged in the All Ages, All Stages NC initiative by clicking on the Share Your Thoughts on Aging in NC link button HERE.

Attend NASW-NC Webinar "How the Election will Impact Social Work in NC"

As the 2024 Election approaches, NASW-NC staff and volunteers will be hosting the webinar "How the Election Will Impact Social Work in North Carolina" on several dates. This webinar will give an overview of how the election will impact social work and social workers in North Carolina (including in the 2025 North Carolina Legislative Session), and explain the importance of upholding the Social Work Code of Ethics, section 6.04 (Social and Political Action) by getting out the vote!

1 hour of CE is offered for this event. NASW-NC members and all social work students can attend for free. The cost for folks who are not yet members of NASW-NC is $15. Please note that the content of this presentation will be the same each time it is given.

Register for the webinar that best fits into your schedule today!

Wednesday, October 2, 2024 webinar - hosted by the Asheville LPU - 12pm -1pm

Register for 2024 NASW-NC Virtual Fall Conference:

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER! 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW CONFERENCE SCHEDULE! 

Registration is now OPEN for the 2024 NASW-NC Virtual Fall Conference!

Registration Fees:

 Members $125 

NASW members from other states can contact education.naswnc@socialworkers.org  for assistance in registering.

Not yet a member? $250

The Fall Conference is a meeting for the entire profession. Everyone from the social work student to the LCSW in private practice can benefit from the presentation offerings.

Some of this year’s topics include:

• Ethical Responsibilities in Assessment and Referral in Care for Teens
• Treating Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior Disorders
• Utilizing Tenets of Emotional Intelligence to Liberate Burnt-Out Providers
• Fired Up! The Role of Anger in Trauma Recovery
• Leveraging Your Leadership Style in Supervision
• Moving Towards Values with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• Exploring the Connection between the Arts and Social Justice Work
• Maintaining a Healthy Relationship: Couples Work for the Helper
• And Much More!

You Get ALL the CE!

Because we are in a virtual setting, you benefit by getting MORE CE! 13 hours of CE will be LIVE! All sessions will be recorded and available to view for 3 weeks after the conference for you to receive an additional 18 hours of Recorded CE - a total of 31 hours of CE 

Click here to join NASW and save on CE costs and more!

Thank you to the members of NASW-NC for supporting the advocacy work we do. We would not be able to advocate for the social work profession or social justice issues in North Carolina without a robust and engaged NASW membership. 

Learn more about NASW-NC membership here.

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