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Left: The electric chair in the death chamber at Virginia State Penitentiary in 1991. Right: The computer that controlled the electric chair. The prison was closed and demolished in the early '90s.

Bill would would reintroduce the electric chair and firing squads as part of the death penalty

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North Carolina hasn't had any executions since 2006 due to legal challenges, and lethal injection is the only legal method here.

The bill would let officers issue a $100 fine if they see a driver holding a pet or distracted by children.

Proposal could lead to fine for drivers seen holding pet or distracted by children

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The bill would let officers issue a 100-dollar fine if they see a driver holding a pet or distracted by children. It was met with bipartisan support Wednesday in the House Transportation Committee.

A gender-neutral sign is posted outside a bathrooms at a restaurant in Durham, N.C. Many North Carolina businesses put gender-neutral signs on toilets after the "bathroom bill" was passed.

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The 2016 bill banned transgender people from using public bathrooms that match their gender identity. It was repealed after major companies and events boycotted North Carolina.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein delivers the State of the State address at the Legislative Building, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Raleigh N.C.

In first State of the State, Stein mentions Helene recovery funding, salary increases for teachers, and tax cuts for families

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He appealed for passage of the recovery bill. Stein said, “We need that money now. Heck, we needed it yesterday.”

The pandemic shuttered day-care centers, after-school programs and camps this year, creating problems for some parents who put aside wages, pre-tax, to pay for those expenses.

Task force assembled to address "child care crisis" in North Carolina

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Governor Josh Stein said the number one problem in early childhood education is that there simply aren't enough providers to serve all the families seeking care.

New legislation in the state Senate would give disabled veterans a break on property taxes

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Disabled veterans are currently exempt from paying taxes on a small portion of their property value. A bill called the "Heroes Homestead Act" would raise that amount to about $76,000.

State health plan board considering a raise premiums and co-pays to close a budget shortfall

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Doctor Kerry Willis said he would support some premium increases, but cautioned against higher out-of-pocket expenses, especially for the lowest-paid workers.

State House bill would require public schools to create policies that limit cell phone use in class

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A similar bill proposed in the Senate would put more requirements on school boards, including that they establish consequences for violations.

Previous Democratic requests for Republicans to permit debate and votes on gun-control measures and others to keep weapons out of the hands of people at extreme risk of becoming violent have been unsuccessful.

North Carolina legislature opens 2025 session, new speaker of the House chosen

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Republican Representative Destin Hall of Caldwell County was formally elected as the new speaker of the House. He replaces Tim Moore, who's now serving in Congress.

NC public schools hit with major data breach of teachers' and students’ personal information

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A hacker attacked the PowerSchool information system that schools use to track student enrollment, grades and attendance. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is still analyzing the extent of the impact to North Carolina schools.