Today's NC Political News briefs
House calendar, economic development lawsuits, health care workforce and election systems
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina political developments this week include possible House action on vetoed bills, a state lawsuit over the VinFast manufacturing site, a western North Carolina manufacturing expansion, a legal challenge involving health care workforce loans and continued calls to replace the state’s aging election management system.
House calendar lists vetoed DEI, guns and immigration bills
The North Carolina House is scheduled to return Thursday with five vetoed bills listed on its calendar, including measures dealing with diversity, equity and inclusion programs, concealed carry and immigration enforcement.
The House calendar for Thursday lists House Bill 171, Senate Bill 50, Senate Bill 153, Senate Bill 227 and Senate Bill 558 under “unfinished business” and “reconsideration of vetoed bills.” The House is scheduled to convene at 9:30 a.m.
The bills include proposals related to DEI in state agencies, DEI in public schools and higher education, permitless carry and immigration enforcement. A veto override in North Carolina requires support from three-fifths of the members present and voting in each chamber. The number of votes needed can vary depending on attendance.
The calendar does not guarantee votes will be taken Thursday.
North Carolina sues VinFast over Chatham County site
North Carolina has sued VinFast, alleging the electric vehicle company failed to meet obligations tied to a planned Chatham County manufacturing facility.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson filed the lawsuit on behalf of the North Carolina Department of Commerce, according to the Department of Justice. The state is seeking to exercise a contractual right to acquire the project site and preserve it for future economic development use.
The VinFast project was announced in 2022 with plans for 7,500 jobs and more than $3 billion in investment. The state says agreements tied to the project included taxpayer protections, including repayment provisions and a right for the state to acquire the site if key requirements were not met.
The Department of Justice said VinFast was required to have the facility operational by July 2026 and create 1,750 jobs by the end of 2026. The department said VinFast has indicated the facility will not be operational until at least 2028.
BorgWarner plans Henderson County expansion
BorgWarner Inc. plans to add 378 jobs and invest $100 million in Hendersonville, Gov. Josh Stein and the North Carolina Department of Commerce announced Tuesday.
The expansion will add 140,000 square feet to the company’s Hendersonville site. New jobs are expected to include technicians, logistics personnel and production staff.
Commerce said the average annual salary for the new positions is projected at $67,047, above the Henderson County average of $54,118. The department said the jobs could generate more than $25.3 million in annual payroll impact.
The project will be supported in part by a Job Development Investment Grant awarded to BorgWarner Industrial Solutions LLC. Under the agreement, the company could receive up to $3.69 million in reimbursements over 12 years if it meets job creation and investment targets verified by the state.
Jackson sues federal education agency over health care loan rule
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson has sued the U.S. Department of Education over a federal rule he says would reduce loan access for students pursuing several health care professions.
The lawsuit challenges the department’s definition of “professional” degree programs under federal student loan rules. The North Carolina Department of Justice said the rule would exclude nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists and audiologists from borrowing levels available to students in professional degree programs.
The rule is scheduled to take effect July 1.
Jackson’s office said the rule would be especially harmful in rural North Carolina, where many counties already face shortages of primary care providers. The Department of Justice said 93 of North Carolina’s 100 counties have a primary care shortage.
Election systems commission urges funding for SEIMS replacement
A state elections modernization commission is urging North Carolina lawmakers to provide sustained funding to replace the Statewide Elections Information Management System, known as SEIMS.
The Modernization of Election Data Systems Advisory Commission approved a resolution May 20 calling on the General Assembly and state leaders to fund the full replacement of the system.
The Office of the State Auditor said SEIMS was initially developed in 1998 and remains the central elections management system operated by the State Board of Elections. The State Board has requested as much as $60 million for the replacement project.
The auditor’s office said a new system would strengthen security, improve voter list maintenance accuracy, speed responses to county change requests and law changes, improve the user experience and support custom reporting for internal audits.
