RALPH HISE WANTS TO BAN TRANSGENDER TREATMENT FOR 21 AND UNDER: The legislation follows a nationwide trend of GOP-controlled state legislatures looking to limit treatments for transgender adolescents. Unlike other states, however, North Carolina would classify adults between the ages of 18 and 21 as minors under the “Youth Health Protection Act.” Medical professionals who facilitate a transgender person's desire to present themselves or appear in a way that is inconsistent with their biological sex could have their license revoked and face civil fines of up to $1,000 per occurrence. The measure bars doctors from providing gender confirming hormone treatment, puberty blockers or surgery. Senate Bill 514 would also compel state employees to immediately notify parents in writing if their child displays “gender nonconformity” or expresses a desire to be treated in a way that is incompatible with the gender they were assigned at birth. LGBTQ advocates fear the bill would out people under 21 who tell state workers that they may be transgender.
https://www.wral.com/n-c-bill-would-ban-treatment-for-trans-people-under-21/19611758/

BIDEN'S OFFSHORE WIND PLAN A BOOST FOR NC: President Joseph Biden announced a plan to generate 30-gigawatts of east coast offshore wind power by the end of the decade. That would be enough to power more than 10 million homes. He will speed up permitting, provide low-interest loans, fund improvements to ports and pump more money into research and development resulting in the creation of “thousands of jobs.” This announcement comes a month after the state Department of Commerce released details of a study that showed the state was in a strong position to capture a good bit of the more than $100 billion that is expected to be invested in developing offshore wind over the next 15 years. Not only is there the potential from developing prime wind energy resources off the state’s coast, but North Carolina hosts researchers, manufacturers, equipment installers and others poised to address supply chain to developers throughout the east coast.
https://www.wral.com/editorial-biden-s-offshore-wind-plan-a-boost-for-nc/19603085/

GOP BILL WOULD BAN WOMEN FROM TERMINATING PREGNANCY OVER DOWN SYNDROME: “It’s time to face the issue head-on and ensure that every little North Carolinian is protected from discrimination before and after birth,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Pat McElraft, R-Carteret. Rep. Dean Arp, R-Union, said he sees the issue as one of discrimination — foreshadowing what’s likely to be an emotional and bitter floor debate. “Abortion bans based on the reason behind a person’s decision have never been about promoting equality or ending discrimination,” said Tara Romano, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina. “Instead, these types of arbitrary bans are part of a larger campaign to stigmatize abortion care, and make it more difficult for people to access the care they need.”
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article250364361.html

RALEIGH CITY COUNCIL STILL AT WAR WITH DISBANDED CACS: At a March 2021 meeting, Johnson denounced the “slimy way (the council) plotted” against the CACs. “You’re all complicit in this denial of basic democracy to the people of Raleigh,” he said. “No wonder so many big money builders and developers and their gray-money PACs supported you. They’re certainly getting their money’s worth from you while the people of Raleigh are short-changed by your entitled arrogance.” While personal, Baldwin said the public comments are not interfering with city business. “We know what we need to do, and we are moving forward,” she said. “We know what we were elected to do.” Still, the COVID-19 pandemic has put people especially on edge, Baldwin said. “When we are hearing from some CACs you realize you are getting the perspective of white adult homeowners and not necessarily the perspective of others in the community,” Fearn said.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article250286480.html

1.6 MILLION HAVE BEEN FULLY VACCINATED IN NORTH CAROLINA: At least 905,528 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 12,028 have died since last March, according to state health officials. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services did not update its COVID-19 dashboard Saturday or Sunday. The department reported 2,154 new coronavirus cases on Friday, up from 2,112 reported the day before. At least 933 people in North Carolina were reported hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Friday, down from 952 reported on Thursday. As of Wednesday, the latest day for which data are available, 4.3% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. More than 1.6 million people in the state have been fully vaccinated as of Friday. That’s about one in five adults.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article250276585.html