Morning News Briefs: Tuesday, May 21st, 2019

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Report: North Carolina Hurricane Funds Delayed

A North Carolina government watchdog agency says administrative mistakes and a lack of expertise caused delays in the state's distribution of certain federal long-term recovery funds following Hurricane Matthew.

The report released Monday by the non-partisan Program Evaluation Division also found $3.7 million in unnecessary state spending.

The state received a federal block grant of $199 million in December 2016, which was later increased to $237 million. But as of December 2018 — over two years after Matthew made landfall — only 1 percent of it had been spent.

The report says North Carolina was inexperienced with this type of grant.

North Carolina Senate Debates Bill To Fix Voter ID Denials

Voter ID legislation now goes before North Carolina's Senate after the House eased rules around authenticating student and employee identification cards for use in next year's elections.

The House bill is set for Senate elections committee debate on Tuesday. The photo ID cards provided by many University of North Carolina system campuses have failed to meet security standards set in a new law, and without some changes, hundreds of state and local institutions can't apply again to the State Board of Elections to have their IDs qualify for election use until 2021.

The House bill provides another chance to qualify this fall. The House also would give county elections boards more flexibility operating early in-person voting places in municipal elections.

Craft Beer Legislation Completes Round, Heads To Governor

Small breweries in North Carolina could soon be toasting a new law that would give growing beer-makers in the state more time to sell their products on their own without third-party distributors.

By a 38-3 vote, the Senate gave final legislative approval Monday night to a measure that represents a compromise between alcohol wholesalers and craft brewers hammered out over years of negotiation and litigation. The bill already cleared the House and now goes to Gov. Roy Cooper — a craft brewing booster — for his signature.

Opponents Mobilize Against Easing Duke Energy Rate Increases

Opponents want North Carolina lawmakers to reject Duke Energy Corp.'s push to line up profitable infrastructure projects years into the future and bypass lengthy regulatory battles.

Energy Justice NC, NC WARN and other environmental advocates are organizing citizens on Tuesday who want to lobby legislators and voice opposition to Senate Bill 559.

The change would allow Duke Energy or Virginia-based Dominion Energy to set a key component of electricity rates for up to five years without the companies having to justify their reasons in multiple, trial-like hearings.

Trump DOJ Wants Role In Lawsuit Over Pay At 2 NC Med Schools

A federal lawsuit in North Carolina accusing neighboring research universities of conspiring to depress wages for medical professionals is nearing a settlement, and the Trump Administration wants to enforce the deal.

The U.S. Justice Department said in a court filing Monday that it should join the pending settlement because it enforces federal antitrust laws barring anti-competitive "no-poach" agreements. Former Duke University physician Dr. Danielle Seaman's lawsuit claims the universities illegally agreed against hiring medical professors away from each other.

Duke and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill denied that top administrators promised not to hire away staff for similar roles.

South Carolina: Tax Break For Carolina Panthers Near Passage

South Carolina legislators are expected to clear the final hurdle to giving the Carolina Panthers up to $120 million in tax breaks to move their practice fields and team headquarters out of North Carolina.

The Senate voted 23-16 on Monday to approve a compromise smoothing over small differences in the bill. A few hours later, the House passed the bill 88-18. Gov. Henry McMaster is expected to quickly sign it into law.