Latest Phil Berger News
NC approves Medicaid expansion, reversing long opposition
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A Medicaid expansion deal in North Carolina received final legislative approval on Thursday, capping a decade of debate over whether the closely politically divided state should accept the federal government's coverage for hundreds of thousands of low-income adults. ...
N. Carolina justices could revive voter ID previously tossed
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A photo voter identification mandate first sought over a decade ago by North Carolina Republicans could be revived after the state Supreme Court reheard on Wednesday a case that led a different combination of justices a few months ago to strike down a voter ID law. ...
N. Carolina governor's big budget increase scoffed at by GOP
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina's Democratic governor released his state government spending plan on Wednesday that would increase spending by 20% over the next two years, double the increase favored by Republican majorities in the House and Senate. Gov. Roy Cooper says the...
Judge lets N. Carolina lawmakers defend abortion pill laws
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican legislative leaders can defend in federal court the state restrictions on dispensing abortion pills that are being challenged by a physician, a judge has ruled. U.S. District Judge William Osteen granted the request by House Speaker Tim...
N. Carolina justices quickly revisit redistricting, voter ID
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Supreme Court is revisiting this week whether a previous combination of justices got it wrong three months ago when declaring that the legislature produced illegal district lines tainted by excess partisanship and a photo voter identification law infected...
Cooper details mental health plan; GOP sets budget limits
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper unveiled on Wednesday a $1 billion plan to address the state's mental health and substance abuse needs, which have spiked amid increasing overdose deaths and spiraling rates of suicide among young people. The Democratic governor's...
North Carolina Medicaid expansion consensus moves forward
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The details of a consensus North Carolina Medicaid expansion deal reached last week by top Republican lawmakers cleared a Senate committee Tuesday. The released legislation explains how the state would cover potentially 600,000 low-income adults who otherwise...
N. Carolina legislators reach Medicaid expansion deal
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina legislative leaders announced Thursday an agreement to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of additional low-income adults through the Affordable Care Act. The deal, which likely won't be voted on until later this month at the earliest,...
N. Carolina Lt. Gov. Robinson to give GOP response to Cooper
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson will give the Republican response to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's State of the State address next week, Robinson announced on Thursday. The choice of Robinson is unusual, since legislators from the major party opposite the...
N.C. senators vote for medical pot at appropriate time
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Some North Carolina legislators voted twice this week at an appropriate time — 4:20 p.m. — for legislation that would legalize marijuana for medical use in the state. The state Senate voted 36-10 on Wednesday for the measure for the second day in a row....
