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Early Voting Bill Would Change North Carolina Schedule, Time
Republican lawmakers are looking again at changing the rules on early voting, a popular voting method subjected to legal action when previously altered.
A House committee voted Thursday to change the 17-day early-voting schedule and require more consistent voting times during that period.
The proposal would end the early-voting period statewide on the Friday evening before a primary or election day. Currently counties must offer voting until the Saturday afternoon before the election.
Counties also would have to open all of their early voting sites from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and be required to keep uniform hours if sites are open on weekends.
Bill Addressing Mass Violence Threats Gets Legislative OK
North Carolina legislation now heading to Gov. Roy Cooper would give harsher punishments for threatening mass violence at a school or place of worship, but also give extra help to accused young people.
The House and Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday for a measure making such threats a felony. They are currently misdemeanors.
First-time offenders under age 20 could reach an agreement whereby a judge would dismiss a charge in exchange for community service, probation and mental evaluation and possible treatment. The case ultimately could be removed from their records.
Latest North Carolina Opioid Abuse Legislation Going To Cooper
The North Carolina General Assembly has sent to Gov. Roy Cooper's desk the latest legislation addressing opioid abuse by creating new crimes against medical workers and granting certain police investigators easier access to prescription records.
The Senate quickly voted 41-3 on Thursday for the measure authored by the House, which held extensive debate on the measure Wednesday. House members were divided on a provision that would allow an investigator to get records from the state's controlled substance database without a warrant or court order.
The measure also makes it a felony for medical professionals to embezzle or divert pain medicines designated for a patient for their personal use or sale.
Bill Blocking Future Hog Farm Nuisance Suits Finalized
North Carolina legislators have finalized tougher restrictions upon neighbors of hog farms seeking to sue for damages because of the stench and other nuisances coming from industrial-scale livestock operations.
The state Senate agreed Thursday night to accept House changes to legislation spurred on by the agribusiness industry following the results of the first of nearly two dozen lawsuits filed against pork producers.
Language within the bill would all but block other neighbors from suing the operations in the future. Farmers have filled Legislative Building galleries this week supporting the changes.
North Carolina Crime Lab Employee Accidentally Shoots Self
Authorities say an employee at North Carolina's state crime lab accidentally shot herself while testing a weapon.
North Carolina Department of Justice spokeswoman Laura Brewer says the employee was released from the hospital after a few hours of treatment.
Brewer said in an email the worker was doing forensic testing Thursday at the State Crime Lab when the gun accidentally fired and she was wounded.
Brewer didn't release the employee's name or details of her injury.
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