Fourth Circuit Hears Oral Arguments in SB2 Magistrates Case
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit heard oral arguments today in a lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s Senate Bill 2. This legislation, otherwise known as the “Magistrate Bill,” is the 2015 law that allows magistrates and registers of deeds employees to recuse themselves from performing duties related to marriages due to a sincerely […]
ALERT: Senate Budget Proposes to Double Lottery Advertising
The proposed state budget released by the North Carolina Senate last night includes a provision that would allow the North Carolina Lottery to double the amount it spends on advertising. Section 5.3(b) of SB 257–Appropriations Act of 2017 would authorize the lottery to expend up to 2% of total lottery revenues on advertising costs, instead of the […]
Evidence Mounts That HB2 Had Little Impact on Economy
House Bill 2 has been “repealed and replaced,” but the issues involved are still very much alive and will be at the forefront of policy discussions for the foreseeable future. Two recent reports have shed more light on one of the most talked about claims by opponents of North Carolina’s “Bathroom Bill,” namely that it […]
New Show Raises Concerns About Teen Suicide
The controversial new Netflix series, “13 Reasons Why,” has catapulted the issue of teen suicide to the forefront of public conversations. The series, which walks viewers through 13 reasons why a teenage girl took her own life, was released in its entirety on March 31, 2017 and has prompted school systems across the nation—including Wake County, […]
President Trump Issues Executive Order To Protect Religious Liberty
President Donald Trump took an important first step in fulfilling his campaign promise to protect religious liberty today, signing an Executive Order that guides “the executive branch in formulating and implementing policies for the religious liberty of persons and organizations in America.” The Order acknowledges that, “Federal law protects the freedom of Americans and their organizations to […]
Thursday is the National Day Of Prayer!
The first 100 days of the new presidential administration just ended last week, leaving some people encouraged and others discouraged. But all Americans can seek guidance and strength for our nation and its leaders through prayer and repentance in the 66th observance of the National Day of Prayer scheduled for this Thursday, May 4. This […]
Upholding Truth in the Age of Non-Monogamy
“Legalizing same-sex ‘marriage’ is not a stand-alone policy, independent of all the other activities of the state. Once governments assert that same-sex unions are the equivalent of marriage, those governments must defend and enforce a whole host of other social changes.” —Jennifer Roback Morse, who wrote this seven years before the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex […]
NC House Takes Action to Protect Free Speech on College Campuses
The North Carolina House of Representatives took action last week to help further protect free speech on public college campuses in North Carolina. House Bill 527, entitled, Restore/Preserve Campus Free Speech, directs The University of North Carolina Board of Governors to “develop and adopt a policy on free expression” for its constituent institutions. House Speaker Tim Moore stated this […]
Congress Considers Funding A Proven Formula For Avoiding Poverty
Despite research proving its effectiveness, the Healthy Relationships Act of 2017 (HR 2028) continues to be a controversial measure in U.S. Congress. This measure, introduced in the 115th Congress earlier this month, would authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to entities providing education in Sexual Risk Avoidance, often referred to […]
US Supreme Court Hears First Religious Liberty Case with Justice Gorsuch
The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments today in its first religious liberty case since Judge Neil Gorsuch was sworn in as a justice on the high court. The case involves Trinity Lutheran Church’s highly rated daycare and preschool program, which applied for a state grant to resurface playgrounds with safer recycled rubber material. The […]