The Pew Charitable Trusts - State and Consumer Initiatives from North Carolina

Foreign Law Bans: Political Statement or Unconstitutional?

State lawmakers are focused on keeping U.S. courts away from the influence of foreign law. But does banning all foreign law go too far?

As North Carolina Weighs Fracking, Questions Loom on Wastewater

Once a well is fracked, where does the waste go? Coastal communities in North Carolina are worried they’ll become dumping grounds.

North Carolina Provisional Ballots

North Carolina provides access on its board of elections website to some of the most detailed elections data in the country. This includes information about provisional ballots cast, such as not only the number but also why they were issued—hard-to-find data in most states.

NFL Plays Offense to Get Public Money for Stadiums

Why are so many teams asking taxpayers to build new pro football stadiums this year?

Lawmakers Chew on Weighty Issues: ‘Whose shad fry is the best?’

Photo Slideshow: Lawmakers call time out to weigh delicious legislation.

Interview: A Southern Medicaid Director’s Perspective on Health Care Reform

North Carolina’s Medicaid chief has been around the program long enough to know that expanding the program isn’t the only way to deliver health care to the uninsured.

Which State Will Be Next to Allow Fracking?

Hydraulic fracturing continues as a hot-button issue across statehouses, as lawmakers consider how much scrutiny to apply to oil and gas drillers looking to tap shale deposits stretching beneath 31 states. New York, Illinois, California and North Carolina are home to some high-profile debates.

North Carolina State of the State Address 2013

RALEIGH, North Carolina Feb. 18 Following is the prepared text of Gov. Pat McCrory's (R) 2013 State of the State Address:

Republicans Reassess Social Issue Strategy

Political pressure and last year’s elections have led Republican lawmakers to rethink their approach to controversial social questions.

Virginia Weighs an End to Its 31-Year-Old Uranium Mining Ban

In Virginia, home to one of the world’s largest deposits of uranium, state lawmakers must decide whether to overturn the state’s 31-year-old ban on mining.

Issue to Watch: Collective Bargaining

While this year’s legislative battles in the states over collective bargaining rights are likely to be more restrained than previous years, the legislation put forward would still have a significant impact on employer-labor relationships, if passed.

Issue to Watch: Renewable Energy

Here is a look at states considering major action on renewable energy policy.

GOP Lawmakers Look to Abolish Income Taxes

Republican lawmakers in several states are taking aim at something no state has done in more than three decades: eliminate income taxes.

Public Safety in North Carolina

Public safety in North Carolina.

Falling Short on Dental Sealants: North Carolina

How well is North Carolina protecting kids from tooth decay?

Report: Death Penalty Becoming “Irrelevant”

This year marked more decline in the usage of the death penalty, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

The Impact of the Fiscal Cliff: North Carolina

Federal and state finances are closely intertwined, and the fiscal cliff’s tax and spending provisions will have consequences for states.

Republicans Win Big in North Carolina Governor’s Race But Struggle Elsewhere

Despite heavy spending by outside groups in nearly a dozen races for governor, the partisan mix of Democrats and Republicans leading states appeared to change only slightly as a result of Tuesday’s elections.

In Iowa and Florida, Judges Survive Expensive Ouster Attempts

Three justices in Florida and one in Iowa held off conservative efforts to remove them from office. In Michigan and North Carolina, conservatives retained power on the Supreme Court following expensive campaigns.

112-year-old Voters in North Carolina?

Early voting began in North Carolina in October, and soon after almost 900 voters aged 112 reportedly cast ballots.

Early Voting in Battleground States

Earlier today, we provided an update on the millions of voters across the country who cast their ballots before Election Day. A look at data from certain battleground states finds significant use of early voting both by mail and in person.

Should State Education Chiefs Be Elected?

Thirteen states choose their top education official in a partisan campaign. Some people think that makes little sense, but it’s very hard to change.

Still Risky: Checking Accounts in North Carolina

Checking accounts, the most widely used financial product in America, contain hidden risks that can harm consumers. Six of the 12 largest banks nationwide offer checking accounts in North Carolina and hold 76 percent of all deposits in the state. Here’s what consumers in North Carolina may be paying.

Democrats Play Defense in Governors’ Races

The race for New Hampshire governor has the hallmarks of the biggest gubernatorial races this fall: heavy involvement from outside groups, a national contest stealing the spotlight and messages that echo themes from this year’s presidential campaigns.

North Carolina Democrats Face Uphill Climb in Governor’s Race

Neither state party is very popular in the Tar Heel State these days, but Republicans seem to have the advantage.

Best of #StateReads: N. C. Regulators Miss Catching Cheating Businesses

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

With ‘Facts’ Website, California Looks to Thwart Opposition to Climate Change

California Governor Jerry Brown has unveiled a new website seeking to quiet climate change skeptics. The move comes as conservative legislators in some states are pushing back against efforts to address the impacts of a climate shift.

Continuing U.S. Trend, North Carolina Helps Military Spouses With Licensing

Governor Bev Perdue signed into law Tuesday (July 24) legislation aimed at helping military spouses land jobs after they arrive at North Carolina military bases, continuing a trend in statehouses to reduce barriers of entry into the workforce for military spouses across the U.S. Under the law, military spouses tr

Infographic: S&P State Credit Ratings, 2001–2012

Private, independent credit rating agencies evaluate states’ financial health. States with the lowest grades typically have trouble keeping their spending in line with their tax revenues.

Legislators Limit North Carolina’s Death Penalty Fairness Law

North Carolina’s “Racial Justice Act” was aimed at establishing fairness in capital cases. Critics complained that it obstructed justice rather than enhancing it.

North Carolina Limits Cities’ Ability to Grow

North Carolina cities, which have enjoyed broad annexation powers for more than five decades, will have a harder time absorbing surrounding areas thanks to a new state law the legislature approved in May. Before the new law took effect, North Carolina cities were allowed to amass unincorporated territory even over

The Cost of Voting Technology

Cost information on election administration is challenging to find. However, over the past decade election officials, academics, and advocates have made efforts to quantify the costs of one significant part of elections—voting technology.

Teach for America Alums Take Aim at State Office

Some alumni from the teaching program are making runs for state office. Many are facing opposition from teachers’ unions.

Widening Gap Update: North Carolina

North Carolina consistently paid its full annual pension contribution from 2005 to 2010. While the pension system was 96 percent funded in fiscal year 2010—among the best in the country—it still faced a $3 billion funding gap. Most experts agree that a fiscally sustainable system should be at least 80 percent funded. The state also had a $33 billion bill for retiree health care costs, only 3 percent of which was funded, well below the 8 percent national average in 2010.

North Carolina Agency Is Local Government Lifeline

Local governments are doing better in North Carolina than in other fiscally challenged parts of the country. They have a little-known instrument of state government to thank for that.

Best of #StateReads: When a State Runs Out of Psychiatric Beds

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Time Served in North Carolina

The average offender in North Carolina released in 2009 served 2.7 years in custody, 86% more than the average offender released in 1990.

While Congress Stalls, States Worry About Highway Funds

A three-year standoff in Congress makes planning transportation projects harder for states.

Report: N.C. Fracking Debate Draws Campaign Contributions

A North Carolina good government group says that energy interests are unduly influencing the state’s debate over hydraulic fracturing.

Primaries Set Gov Races in Wisc., N.C.

Voters Tuesday (May 8) formally picked candidates for governors' races in four states while North Carolina voters approved a ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage in the state.

Other Issues Entangle N.C. Gay Marriage Vote

Opponents are hoping that a proposed constitutional amendment will be defeated today because it could affect unmarried heterosexual couples, domestic violence cases and other seemingly unrelated legal matters. Polls show that most North Carolinians oppose gay marriage.

Infographic: A Turning Point for Gay Marriage?

Gay marriage supporters have won big victories in state courts and state capitals in recent years. Now, they’re hoping to extend that success to the ballot box.

Best of #StateReads: Michigan Emergency City Managers Wield Great Power

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

N.C. Governor Race Overshadowed

With all the talk about the recall election of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, another governor’s race that will get decided this month has been largely overlooked.

Pew, Google Launch New Tool For North Carolina Military and Overseas Voters

North Carolina military and overseas voters have a new online tool to help them participate in the May 8 primary election, thanks to the Pew Center on the States and Google, through the Voting Information Project.

Best of #StateReads: Changed Minds on the Death Penalty

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Pregnancy Medical Homes Gain Momentum in North Carolina

Linking high-risk mothers with caregivers earlier in pregnancy may be a way to save both lives and money.

With Perdue Out, Democrats Wonder if They're Better Off

TODAY'S TAKE: North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue, a Democrat, announced she won't run for re-election this year. Some say that decision might actually make Democrats more likely to hold onto the office.

North Carolina to Revisit Death Penalty Issue

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: A two-year old law allows defendants sentenced to death in North Carolina to appeal their sentences on grounds of racial bias. The legislature wants to repeal the law; the governor wants to keep it.

Study: Medical Homes Saved North Carolina Nearly $1 Billion

HEALTH BEAT: The use of medical homes- a method of coordinating medical services that relies on primary care physicians to manage patients' care - is gaining momentum across the country. The national health law encourages it. But until recently, few studies have documented how much it can reduce costs.