Medicaid Expansion Bill Filed
Lumberton’s resident member of the state House of Representatives has filed legislation that would expand Medicaid coverage in North Carolina. Rep. Charles Graham is the primary sponsor of House Bill 470. The legislation would expand coverage eligibility to people with a modified adjusted gross income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level, in addition to several other targeted beneficial populations. View article here.

McCrory Enters Senate Race
Former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory says he’ll run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina in hopes of succeeding the retiring Sen. Richard Burr. The one-term governor revealed his plans Wednesday on his Charlotte-area radio show. McCrory is currently the most well-known candidate to have entered the contest. Former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker is already in the race for the GOP nomination. View article here. 

Time for a Change?
The N.C. legislature is contemplating the answer to a very important question – is it time to end the changing of our clocks every spring and fall? Maybe, if more lawmakers — and Congress — sign on for it. N.C. House Bill 307/Senate Bill 39 would adopt Daylight Saving Time year-round if authorized by Congress. HB309 passed the House Federal Relations and American Indian Affairs Committee in Tuesday with no dissent. Bill sponsor Rep. Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, noted the bill had previously received bipartisan support in the House and has been popular with both parties. Like other state legislatures that have passed similar bills, the N.C. bill would simply enact a permanent fixed time. Rep. Jon Hardister, R-Guilford, said the only valid pushback on the bill he’s gotten is about children getting ready for school in the morning when it’s still dark. He said there’s more daylight at the end of the day, then, and the “real issue here is quality of life.” “The time is now for us to take this step,” Hardister said. View article here.