The Raleigh Report
from the office of Representative Marian McLawhorn
(August 24, 2010) -- Education is one of the most important services of government in North Carolina, and all of us agree that providing a good education for our young people is critical for the success of our state. I have shared an overview with you in the past few weeks of some key accomplishments in education from this past session. This week, I wanted to share a fuller accounting of our education budget, including those areas where we added money and those places where we had to cut back to balance our budget.
If you have any questions or if I can be of service to you, please contact me. Thank you as always for your interest in North Carolina and state government. (read more)
Legislative leaders establish web links for appointments information
Change will make it easier to find information about boards, commissions
RALEIGH _ As part of an ongoing effort to increase transparency in government, North Carolina House Speaker Joe Hackney and Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight have made it easier to see who they appoint to various boards and commissions.
The chamber leaders have appointment authority for more than 1,500 seats on more than 200 state boards and commissions that have regulatory and licensing functions. That number does not include appointments to standing committees or conference committees within the General Assembly.
The information is public, but can be difficult to find online. The information can now be easily accessed through a direct link on the chambers’ websites. Users can view the appointments by date or use a search function to sort the information in other ways.
“I am pleased to join Speaker Hackney in posting my appointments to state boards and commissions online,” Sen. Basnight said. “Those who are serving our state on these many boards deserve our appreciation and the people they serve can now have easier access to their names.”
“The thousands of people who sit on these government boards volunteer to help make North Carolina better,” Speaker Hackney said. “They are also an extension of our government and though my appointments have always been done publicly and openly, this new link will make it even easier to see who helps advise us and in some cases make policy on the state’s behalf.”
The House of Representatives information can be viewed by visiting http://www.ncleg.net/House/House.html and clicking on “Speaker’s Appointments” in the menu on the left side of the page. The Senate appointments list can be accessed by visiting http://www.ncleg.net/Senate/Senate.html and clicking on “President Pro Tem’s Appointments” in the menu on the left.
For additional information, please contact Bill Holmes in Speaker Hackney’s office at 919-733-5462 or Schorr Johnson in Sen. Basnight’s office at 919-733-6854.
GOVERNOR’S CRIME COMMISSION ANNOUNCES GRANT AVAILABILITY
Workshops to be Held in Pitt, Lee and Catawba Counties
(October 2, 2009) RALEIGH – District Attorney Scott Thomas, chair of the Governor’s Crime Commission, today announced the start of the annual grant application process that is open to non-profits and governmental agencies. Grant applications will be accepted until Jan. 29, 2010 and grants will be awarded next summer.
To assist agencies in preparing applications, GCC will hold the following three grant writing workshops:
- Oct. 13 in Pitt County, Goess Student Center, Pitt Community College, Winterville
- Oct. 16 in Lee County, Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center, Sanford
- Oct. 20 in Catawba County, Hickory Metro Convention Center, Hickory
The grants will be awarded for innovative programs and to agencies that will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the justice system, provide services to juveniles, and enhance the quality of service to crime victims in North Carolina.
“Many successful criminal justice programs in place today are a result of these types of federal grants,” Thomas said. “These initiatives are helping to address and reduce crime in North Carolina.”
Since 1990, the violent crime rate has dropped statewide by 24 percent, and property crime rates by 15 percent.
School resource officers, structured day programs, the crime-stoppers program, Community Watch and the Statewide Automated Victims Assistance Network, are a few specific programs that were initially funded through the GCC. Grants have gone toward drug trafficking interdiction, child abuse and neglect prevention, gang prevention, community domestic violence shelters and juvenile justice reform.
Next year, the U.S. Department of Justice will announce the funding levels for the federal block grants that will be awarded to North Carolina.
REP. McLAWHORN REAPPOINTED TO SERVE ON THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
Commission to examine educational institutions in North Carolina
RALEIGH, NC (Sept. 22, 2009) -- Rep. Marian McLawhorn has been reappointed by House Speaker Joe Hackney to serve on the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. The Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee is responsible for examining, on a continuing basis, the educational institutions in North Carolina, in order to make ongoing recommendations to the General Assembly on ways to improve public education from kindergarten through higher education.
“I am very pleased to be able to serve on this important committee,” Rep. McLawhorn said. “This appointment will allow me to serve both the House of Representatives and the people of my district who have a strong interest in education issues.”
Among other things, the Committee will study the budgets, programs, and policies of the Department of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, the Community Colleges System Office, the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, and the constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina to determine ways in which the General Assembly may encourage the improvement of all education provided to North Carolinians. The committee may also aid in the development of more integrated methods of institutional accountability.
Rep. McLawhorn lives in Grifton and has served five and a half terms in the House of Representatives. She is also a Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.