NC Senate approves bill making it a crime to wear a mask in public
The North Carolina Senate approved an amended version of House Bill 237 on Wednesday evening that would prohibit the wearing of masks in public.
The controversial bill, which would also increase criminal penalties for those who commit crimes while wearing a mask in public, comes in the wake of protests that have erupted on college campuses across the country in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Sen. Buck Newton (R-Greene, Wayne and Wilson), who sponsored the Senate “committee substitute” for the bill, said it aims to reinstate a law that existed before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Senate rejected three amendments to the bill proposed by Wake County Democratic Senators Sydney Batch, Lisa Grafstein and Jay Chaudhuri.
Amendments offered by Batch and Grafstein would have reinstated a health reason exemption and allowed mask-wearing unless the wearer was using the mask for criminal purposes.
Batch said as someone who was immunocompromised during medical treatment, she opposes any provision that makes mask-wearing more difficult for people with health concerns. “We are now trying to turn back time and ignore science and allow individuals who want to protect themselves or to protect their loved ones from wearing a mask,” said Batch.
“We talk a lot about freedoms in this chamber, I hear it all the time. I should have the freedom, my children should have the freedom and my husband should have the freedom to wear a mask in order to protect and save my life without fear of being arrested and charged with a class one misdemeanor, which is exactly what this bill would do.”
Advocates and organizations including Disability Rights NC, Emancipate NC, and the ACLU of North Carolina spoke out against the bill at a Tuesday committee hearing, criticizing both the mask ban and provisions that target protesters.
“This bill is part of a broader attack on democracy we are seeing at the state legislature, while lawmakers who support these attacks on the right to protest are also leading efforts to make it harder to vote and to participate in the legislative process,” said Elizabeth Barber, the policy director of the ACLU of North Carolina.
In a statement released Tuesday, the North Carolina NAACP decried the measure as “a dangerous bill that threatens the fundamental right to protest in North Carolina.”
“This legislation seeks to impose severe penalties on protesters, particularly targeting those who block traffic or wear masks,” the statement read. “By criminalizing these protest tactics, the bill aims to silence marginalized communities and stifle legitimate expressions of dissent.”
The bill now returns to the House for concurrence in Senate changes.
(source: NCNewsline) The Center for Nonprofits warns that if the bill passes, nonprofits that host programs or services in public spaces like schools, government-owned buildings, public parks or sidewalks may want to discourage mask-wearing to ensure compliance with the law. NASW-NC Opposes this bill.
Read more: NC anti-mask bill could violate federal law, disability rights and free speech advocates say
Bills to Watch:
SB 718, Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact
Click Here to Access NASW-NC Social Work Compact bill webpage!
NASW-NC had in-person meetings with NCGA legislators & staff again this week during short session around working to pass SB 718!
UPDATE: Ohio is now the 14th state to pass the Social Work Interstate Licensing Compact Bill into law on May 10, 2024!
The Social Work Interstate Licensing Compact Bill has been signed into law in the nine states required for the Compact Commission to be established!
The first bill to pass the legislation was Missouri on July 7, 2023. The other bills where it is law are South Dakota, Washington State, Utah, Kentucky, Virginia, Kansas Nebraska, Vermont, Iowa, Maine, Georgia and Alabama. Thank you to the NASW chapters who took the lead in each of the states that have both ratified and introduced the compact in each of these states.
Additional states will be able to join the Compact Commission as soon as the legislation is passed in their state. The legislation has been introduced in 19 other states, including here in North Carolina. Senate Bill 718-Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact was introduced during the NC General Assembly Long Session in 2023 and is currently in the Rules Committee. NASW-NC has been working all year to ensure the Social Work Licensure Bill is passed during the short session which begins on April 24, 2024. Please be on the lookout for Advocacy Alerts & updates from us on how you can help us reach out to your legislators at the right time to help get it passed.
You can learn more about the Compact Bill by reading the NASW Press Release.
HB 834, Juvenile Justice Modifications. A bill that makes several modifications to current laws regarding juvenile justice. It would modify the state’s definition of a delinquent juvenile to exclude 16- and 17-year-olds who commit Class A-E felonies. This means these cases will now start in Superior Court.
Raise the Age Concerns : The Raise the Age law pulled 16- and 17-year-olds accused of misdemeanors and low-level felonies like larcenies, break-ins and other nonviolent crimes, from the adult system into the juvenile justice system.
Under the law, criminal cases for 16- and 17-year-olds begin in juvenile court, with a requirement that higher-level felonies be transferred to adult court following a hearing or indictment.
“We are kind of reversing the order of operation we have now,” said Sen. Lisa Grafstein, a Raleigh Democrat, during a committee hearing Tuesday at the General Assembly. “This seems to be a fairly significant rollback of ‘Raise the Age,’ which I think we made a broad commitment to. I just wanted to highlight this because it’s concerning,” Grafstein said.
Kerwin Pittman with social justice advocacy group Emancipate NC echoed Grafstein’s concerns on the rollback of Raise the Age. ”This isn’t just a procedural change,” he said. This will put “juveniles essentially in a position where they will no longer be able to regain a sense or restorative justice for them because it’s gonna take them to an adult setting,” Pittman said.
Tara Muller with Disability Rights North Carolina said this bill will affect children with disabilities who make up the vast majority of the youth in the criminal justice system.
(source: NewsObserver) NASW-NC Opposes this bill.
SB 909, Protect Women's Healthcare. A bill that would allow the voters in the 2024 General Election to decide by vote to add a new section to the North Carolina Constitution prohibiting the State of NC from restricting a woman's right to decide to have an abortion or from restricting access to contraception, fertility treatment, continuing one's own pregnancy, or miscarriage care. NASW-NC Supports this bill.
One-Year Anniversary of SB 20, NC's Monster Abortion Ban
Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of the passage of Senate Bill 20, legislation that banned abortions in North Carolina after 12 weeks. A press conference was held outside the NC General Assembly by leading abortion rights advocates and Democratic members of the North Carolina House and Senate, who voiced concerns about the possibility of further restrictions on abortion if Republicans maintain their supermajority in the legislature in 2025. NASW-NC Attended this Press Conference.
Rep. Julie von Haefen said when Senate Bill 20 came before her chamber for a vote, she worried that it would have a dangerous ripple effect throughout North Carolina’s health care system.
“Patients have received substandard care for miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and other treatments because of the uncertainty created by restrictive laws like this,” she said.
Von Haefen said a pregnant patient in Roxboro was turned away at Person Memorial Hospital’s emergency room after reporting stomach pain.
“The staff failed to tell her how risky it could be for her to depart without being stabilized, according to investigators,” said Rep. von Haefen, reading from a news article about the incident.
The woman gave birth while traveling to another hospital 45 minutes away and her baby did not survive, according to reporting by the Associated Press.
Von Haefen said hospital staff and medical providers are confused about the current state of North Carolina’s law.
Senator Lisa Grafstein said the 12-week abortion ban passed in 2023 is far from the end of the story. Contraception and IVF are also under attack.
“195 Republicans in Congress voted against protecting access to contraception. In North Carolina, I introduced the bill last year as did Representative von Haefen to protect access to contraception. And we could not get a single Republican to sign on to that bill,” said Grafstein.
Democrats have also filed a bill to protect IVF and provide that a fertilized egg is not a human being. No Republicans have signed on.
On Wednesday, Senator Rachel Hunt, who is running for lieutenant governor, filed a bill that would place the right to access abortion, contraception and fertility treatment on the ballot in November with a constitutional amendment.
That measure has also attracted no Republican support.
Senator Natalie Murdock said health outcomes are only getting worse due to North Carolina’s 12-week abortion ban.
“We know Black women in the United States are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications compared to white women,” said Murdock. “And Black women’s concerns and pain are far more likely to be dismissed and ignored.”
Murdock said the combination of a Donald Trump presidency and Mark Robinson as North Carolina’s next governor would ensure a complete and total abortion ban in North Carolina and nationwide.
Lt. Governor Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor, has previously said he would like to see a heartbeat bill proposed in the legislature and would support a six-week abortion ban as the state’s next goal.
“The 2024 elections truly are shaping up as a contest between a small number of extremists who want to control our bodies, and the freedoms that we’ve all come to take for granted in our country but are now under attack,” Sen. Grafstein said.
(source: NCNewsline)
People Statewide Will Soon Have Access to Contraceptive Services at Pharmacies
In honor of Women’s Health Week, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is celebrating the expansion of contraceptive services in independent and chain pharmacies across the state. Soon people statewide will be able to receive contraceptive services at pharmacies without a prescription from another medical provider, including counseling and education from a pharmacist about options for contraception and other preventive services, dispensing of contraception and connection to ongoing care if needed.
Expanding access to reproductive health care improves health outcomes for mothers, babies and families in North Carolina," said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. "Thanks to the many pharmacies across the state that stepped up to ensure the people in their communities have access to contraception, pre-natal vitamins and other health care resources they need to thrive."
Retail and independent pharmacies in North Carolina are now providing contraceptive services in 84 counties across the state. To fill coverage gaps, Ingles Markets Pharmacies will begin contraceptive services at pharmacies in select counties in the western part of the state by the end of May 2024, and Walgreens will begin providing services in select counties in the central and eastern part of the state by the end of June 2024. This expanded access is particularly beneficial in rural areas that have fewer providers and are considered maternal health and contraceptive deserts. North Carolina residents can view the participating pharmacies closest to them using this map.
(source: NCDHHS)
Upcoming NASW-NC Conferences:
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Register today for the 2024 NASW-NC Clinical Supervision Certificate Training, to be held virtually June 10-12, 2024! NASW members save 50% off registration!
Earn your NASW-NC Clinical Supervision Certificate and gain 18 Continuing Education Contact Hours! Topics include supervisory styles and techniques, skills to supervise clinical social workers at various stages of clinical development, managing challenging supervisors and situations, evaluating clinician competency, cultural competency, ethics, legal and regulatory issues, and much more!
More info and register here: https://lnkd.in/eE2BRh6f
From our partners at The North Carolina Justice Center: DEADLINE IS MAY 23 at 5PM!
The UNC Board of Governors has proposed a policy that would roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across the UNC system, and we need your help.
The NC Justice Center urges all UNC system institutions to maintain policies and practices that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Ensuring young people, especially those from marginalized communities—such as Black and Brown students, disabled students, and LGBTQ+ students—have access to safe and supportive educational environments is paramount to building a more just and equitable society. All North Carolina students deserve to walk across the stage at their commencement ceremony, having been equipped with the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
The deadline for submitting public comments to the UNC Board of Governors is May 23 at 5PM. We encourage everyone to voice their support for marginalized students by opposing the proposed changes to the current DEI policies.
May is #OlderAmericansMonth
Every May, the Administration for Community Living leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month (OAM), a time to recognize older Americans' contributions, highlight aging trends, and reaffirm commitments to serving the older adults in our communities. The 2024 theme is Powered by Connection, which recognizes the profound impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on our health and well-being. Inspire older adults to share what connection means to them on social media using the hashtag #PoweredByConnection. Learn more at acl.gov/oam.
Read the White House Proclomation on Older American's Month Here.
Upcoming Advocacy Opportunities:
Community Spotlight Event: ENC’s Advocacy Day 2024
Equality NC is committed to advocating for policy changes, social reforms, and cultural shifts that dismantle systemic barriers and empower LGBTQ+ individuals to live authentically and without fear of discrimination or violence. One important way we do this is through our annual Advocacy Day. Join us in Raleigh on May 30th, 2024, to meet with your representatives and discuss the importance of policies that uplift and protect the LGBTQ+ community. Register by May 16th to ensure we can schedule a meeting with your representative!
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. If you are a social worker and not a member, we ask that you join NASW today. Our voice is louder with your membership.
Learn more about NASW-NC membership here.
Want this information sent directly to your inbox? Sign up for weekly NASW-NC legislative updates: https://votervoice.net/NASWNC/home
