May 2023

Dear Friend, 

It has been a busy month for our team as the North Carolina legislature has been especially busy considering new laws that will affect people experiencing poverty across all areas of their lives, including access to high-quality jobs, housing, education, and healthcare. Now, more than ever, it is vital that we draw attention to these issues and let our political leaders know we expect them to work for the people of North Carolina, protecting our rights and creating security and opportunity for all. 

As I wrap up my third month at the NC Justice Center, I continue to be impressed by the passion and expertise of our staff and by the unwavering support of our wider community. I am grateful for each of you who have signed petitions, called your lawmakers, participated in our community events, shared information about our priority issue areas with your friends, and, of course, donated to support our work. We are stronger together, and we will persist in creating a better, more just state for North Carolinians regardless of their race, gender, immigration or economic status, or where in the state they live. 

In solidarity, 

Reggie Shuford, Executive Director 

Lobbying and Advocacy

The NC Justice Center recently hosted several advocacy and lobbying events, bringing supporters, advocates, and allies together to speak directly with lawmakers and use our collective voices to make North Carolina a more equitable state.

Youth Advocacy Day for Tuition Fairness

The Adelante Education Coalition, a collaboration of non-profits dedicated to equity in education for Latinos and migrants, of which the NC Justice Center is a member, hosted a Youth Advocacy Day for Tuition Fairness on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Youth from across the state joined forces to demand our legislators support a tuition fairness bill. The NC Justice Center's Immigrant & Refugee Rights team participated in productive conversations with legislators on both sides of the aisle. All college-bound North Carolinians who meet the requirements for in-state tuition should pay the same amount, regardless of their immigration status.  

Joint Lobby Day and Building Worker Power Convening

On April 26, 2023, the NC Justice Center-led Raising Wages NC and NC Families Care Coalitions joined forces to host a lobby day in Raleigh. Participants held a joint legislative press conference and advocated for bills the coalitions have worked to introduce on paid sick days, paid family and medical leave, and raising the minimum wage. The event concluded with the Building Worker Power Convening, a two-hour meeting at the NC Justice Center where allied organizations came together to share ideas and coordinate joint efforts in the fight for labor rights. Watch and learn more about how the NC Justice Center is taking action to ensure all working people are protected by policies that allow them to meet their needs and care for their families. 

Second Chance Lobby Day

On May 2, 2023, the NC Justice Center's Fair Chance Criminal Justice team, in coalition with the Second Chance Alliance, took part in the 2023 Second Chance Lobby Day, a time for all who believe in second chances to come together to speak to our North Carolina lawmakers about removing barriers to productive citizenship for people with criminal records. Over 700 people attended the event, which offered justice-impacted North Carolinians and their allies the opportunity to share their stories and speak to senators and representatives about the criminal justice and reentry issues impacting our communities. 

Leandro Advocacy Day 

On May 16, 2023, the NC Justice Center-led Every Child NC coalition conducted a Leandro Advocacy Day at the legislature. The day began with a press conference in front of the General Assembly alongside legislators from the House and Senate who support implementing the Governor's budget proposal, including years four and five of the Leandro Plan. We also hand-delivered a letter encouraging the Governor to make clear that the State Controller should withdraw his motion in the Leandro case and allow the release of funding in accordance with the Leandro III decision. Find more information about the Leandro plan and how it would benefit North Carolina's students. 

On Tuesday, May 16, North Carolina's Republican state legislators voted to override Governor Cooper's veto of SB 20, a bill that will restrict abortion to 12 weeks in most cases. The bill goes into effect July 1, 2023, and will disproportionately impact low-income, marginalized North Carolinians, subverting the will of the public who overwhelmingly support the right to abortion care in our state.

In the weeks leading up to the passing of SB 2O, the NC Justice Center released a statement condemning this regressive legislation stating, "Abortion is health care, and everyone has a fundamental right to access life-saving care." On May 13, in collaboration with the North Carolina Reproductive Freedom Coalition, the NC Justice Center promoted and participated in the Veto Rally for Healthcare Freedom at the Bicentennial Mall supporting Governor Cooper as he vetoed the bill. Though the passing of this legislation marks a regrettable setback for reproductive freedom in our state, we will continue to collaborate with our partners working on reproductive rights and fight for the right to bodily autonomy for all North Carolinians. 

Bob Brand Civil Rights Print Collection Raffle

There is still time to enter a raffle to win the Bob Brand Civil Rights Print Collection, with all proceeds benefitting the work of the NC Justice Center. This moving graphic lithograph art collection, valued at $5000, documents the infamous 1966 James Meredith March Against Fear in Mississippi. The march was initiated in response to the shooting of Meredith, the first Black University of Mississippi student, during the first day of his 220-mile walk to the state capital to encourage voter registration. Raffle tickets are $50 per entry and will be available for purchase through June 19, with the winner announced soon after. 

Click here to enter the raffle today!

2023 Defenders of Justice Gala

Save the date! We are excited to announce that this year's annual NC Justice Center Defenders of Justice Gala will be on Sunday, September 17, 2023, from 5 pm to 8 pm at The Washington Duke Inn. The Defenders of Justice Awards honor the inspirational work of our community's outstanding leaders who have dedicated their time to the fight for justice and opportunity for all North Carolinians. We hope to see you there. 

For sponsorship opportunities, click here! 

Campaign to Prevent Blue Cross Blue Shield Restructuring 

The NC Justice Center's Health Advocacy Project is conducting a campaign to stop House Bill 346, a harmful piece of legislation that would allow Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina to restructure and put the health insurance of 4.3 million North Carolinians at risk. To alert lawmakers and the public about the bill's dangers, our team created a fact sheet that government leaders have used in their discussions about the bill. We also published three separate coalition letters addressed to 1) the CEO and Board of Trustees of Blue Cross NC, 2) Governor Roy Cooper, and 3) Attorney General Stein. Thirty-five, 30, and 25 organizations signed on to the letters, respectively. Our efforts to stop House Bill 346 have been bolstered by an engaged audience of NC Justice Center supporters, with one action alert resulting in almost 39,000 emails going to members of the N.C. House and Senate. Additionally, more than 540 supporters signed a petition urging N.C. legislators to put people before profits and prevent Blue Cross NC from using taxpayer money to fill their coffers. 

Declaratory Ruling on Driver's Licenses for N.C. Immigrants  

In response to NC Justice Center efforts, the N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently issued a declaratory ruling establishing that immigrants of permanent and indefinite status are entitled to full-term driver's licenses under North Carolina law. The NC Justice Center and ACLU of North Carolina filed a petition regarding the DMV's inconsistent, unfair, and discriminatory practices in December 2022. The petition declared that the DMV had been wrongfully denying driver's licenses and/or providing limited-term driver's licenses to non-citizen North Carolinians with permanent or indefinite lawful status. The petition also cited the compounding impacts of depriving immigrants of the ability to drive, including the ability to get to and from work, school, and medical appointments, among countless other daily tasks. The DMV has yet to fully implement these changes. The NC Justice Center will continue to monitor implementation and urge the DMV to act swiftly in updating their practices in accordance with the declaratory ruling.

Settlement Reached in Duke Energy Rate Proceedings

In a meaningful win for North Carolina's low-income households, the NC Justice Center and our coalition partners have successfully brokered a partial settlement on affordability issues in the ongoing Duke Energy rate proceedings before the N.C. Utilities Commission. Under this partial settlement, Duke Energy shareholders will commit $16 million through a three-year Customer Assistance Program for the benefit of customers who are struggling to afford their electric utility service: $10 million on critical health and safety repairs that would allow for energy efficiency and weatherization upgrades to homes and $6 million for Duke Energy's Share the Light fund, which helps low-income customers who are behind on their bills. The settlement leaves open opportunities for further refinements to Duke Energy's Customer Assistance Program, including developing tiered discounts, which target benefit amounts based on income level.  

School Funding Overhaul: A Step in the Wrong Direction

In response to the release of S670, a major Republican-sponsored bill that would radically overhaul North Carolina's school funding system, the NC Justice Center's Education & Law Project released a brief projecting the harm this would cause to North Carolina's students. The brief, authored by Senior Policy Analyst Kris Nordstrom, details how this bill would widen the equity gap and disproportionately affect Black students, economically disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities by "generally shifting funding out of small, rural districts and into urban districts." North Carolinians deserve to have state funding distributed equitably so that all students have an equal opportunity to succeed academically. 

The North Carolina Justice Center
224 S. Dawson Street  | Raleigh, North Carolina 27601
919-856-2570 | contact@ncjustice.org

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