Carolina Journal Radio No. 739: N.C. lawmakers set to return in August

North Carolina lawmakers have adjourned their regular “long” session, but that doesn’t mean they have finished work for the year. They plan to return to Raleigh in early August and again in September. Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, explains why lawmakers have planned to return to work at least a couple more times in 2017. He’ll also preview their legislative agenda. Members of the General Assembly tend to be older than the state’s general population. But a handful of lawmakers younger than 45 have decided to form a new group. It’s called the North Carolina Future Caucus. It will take a bipartisan look at issues of importance to younger adults. You’ll hear from the new group’s leaders, along with the head of the Washington, D.C.-based Millennial Action Project. That group plans to work with the new caucus and with similar groups in other states. North Carolina has maintained one of the nation’s strictest laws limiting access to the statewide election ballot. But legislation under negotiation in the state House and Senate would ease restrictions on both third parties and unaffiliated candidates seeking a spot on the ballot. You’ll hear highlights from committee debate on the issue. Agriculture remains one of North Carolina’s largest businesses. Rep. Jimmy Dixon, R-Duplin, has served as one of the General Assembly’s top advocates for agricultural issues in recent years. Dixon shares his thoughts about the current state of farming and agribusiness, along with the impact of the state’s regulatory climate. New research offers clues about the primary factors that go into making a public school teacher effective. Terry Stoops, the John Locke Foundation’s vice president for research, examines the data. He explains how the research fits with recent legislative efforts to change the way North Carolina pays its teachers.