Address North Carolina’s transportation needs by reviewing and implementing certain recommendations of the 21st Century Transportation Committee
Communities
Ensuring Prosperous and Safe Communities
Strengthen juvenile justice by restoring funding for JCPCs and increasing grant funding for gang prevention programs
Combat illegal immigration by enabling NC’s sheriffs to participate in the 287(g) program
Address domestic violence by lowering the number of violations of protective orders constituting a felony and providing grants to counties for shelters for domestic violence victims
Improve confidence in the criminal justice system by reforming the probation/parole process and pushing for enactment of the NC Racial Justice Act
Environment
Protecting the Environment
Demonstrate environmental stewardship by enacting policies and providing resources to reduce the effects of current and future droughts, appropriating additional funds for energy grants for state buildings and enacting a sales tax holiday for the purchase of Energy Star Appliances
Military
Supporting our Military
Support our veterans by providing tuition-free education at a NC community college or UNC system school for dependent children of veterans who are killed while serving our country, a property tax exemption for veterans who have a 100 percent service-connected disability and more money for mental health, substance abuse and traumatic brain injury services for returning war veterans
Health Care
Expanding Access to Health Care
Expand health care coverage to children who meet federal qualifications for Medicaid or Health Choice and create a health care policy council to address issues of health care access, minority health and other health related issues
Improve public confidence in the public mental health system by providing stronger oversight and expanding services for people with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities and substance abuse problems
Education
Improving Education
Support public education by continuing our efforts to raise teacher pay to the national average, providing additional funding for the dropout prevention grant program and increasing access to higher education
Helping Families
Helping Families Make Ends Meet
Help families become or remain homeowners by providing mortgage counseling, legal assistance, an expanded Home Protection Program and additional Housing Trust Fund dollars to support affordable housing
Enhance economic security by strengthening job training and retraining programs in community colleges, encouraging new industries and supporting existing businesses, providing tax credits to small businesses, expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit for working families, and providing cost of living increases for state workers and retirees
Government
Strengthening Confidence in Government
Build on the progress made during the 2007 Session by providing additional staff for the Ethics Commission and the State Board of Elections to maintain strong ethics and campaign finance laws