North Carolina is still in the long legislative session that started in January 2021. This is one of North Carolina’s longest legislative sessions to date, as most long sessions wrap up in the summer of the year they started. As a result, NASW-NC is unaware of when this long session will end and when the start of the 2022 short legislative session (which typically starts in May of even numbered years) will be.
NASW-NC is working on several advocacy related initiatives this year, including more support for school social workers, advocacy for Medicaid Expansion, continued telehealth flexibilities, and more.
North Carolina Legislators to study Medicaid Expansion
As a result of the 2021 state budget, legislators established a new committee, the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Access to Healthcare and Medicaid Expansion. This committee has three meetings scheduled: Friday, February 18 at 10:00 am; Tuesday, March 1 at 10:00 am; and Tuesday, March 15 at 2:00 pm. All meetings will be streamed online www.ncleg.gov. This is the first time the North Carolina General Assembly has studied the impact of Medicaid Expansion in North Carolina. NASW-NC will be advocating to members of the committee to expand Medicaid.
Redistricting
Throughout the fall of 2021, NASW-NC provided updates on our state’s redistricting process as legislators drew new maps for the North Carolina House, Senate, and Congressional seats. This included drawing a brand-new Congressional District as North Carolina gained an additional seat due to our population increase. The maps were challenged by several organizations over the partisan and racial gerrymandering done during the map drawing process.
In December 2021, due to the timeframe for the redistricting trial to be held in January, a ruling was made to postpone the state’s March 8, 2022, primary Election Day to May 17, 2022.
Arguments were heard during the first week of January 2022 and three superior court judges upheld the congressional and state legislative maps created by legislators at the North Carolina General Assembly. Voting rights groups quickly appealed this decision. As a result, legislators introduced and passed House Bill 605 2022 Primary Date which would have delayed the 2022 Primary Elections until June 7, 2022. However, on Friday, January 28, 2022, Governor Cooper vetoed this legislation stating the legislation was another “attempt by Republican legislators to control the election timeline and undermine the voting process”.
Late Friday, the North Carolina Supreme Court struck down the gerrymandered maps and ordered new maps to be redrawn by February 18. From there, maps will be approved no later than February 23. NASW-NC will provide more details as maps are drawn again!
Kick off Social Work Month Advocacy Event
Join the NASW-NC Legislative Committee on Tuesday, March 1 from 11:00 am until 12:00 pm. Register here. This presentation will feature members of the NASW-NC Legislative Committee presenting on how social workers can be advocates at the local, state, and federal levels. Advocacy and policy are in our NASW Code of Ethics!
