Area Legislative Delegation Speaks to Capacity Group About Most Pressing Issues in Raleigh

PINE VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB—At the March 4, 2021 meeting of the Lower Cape Fear Republican Women’s Club, our area legislative delegation spoke to our members and guests about the most pressing issues in Raleigh.

Senator Michael Lee, who is chairing the Appropriation Committee on Education and Higher Education, as well as the Education and Higher Education Committee, astonished us with the news that suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among school-aged children in NC since the COVID shut-downs. There have been no confirmed COVID deaths in public education among that age group in NC. Senator Lee spoke of the urgency of getting kids back to school.

Representative Ted Davis gave a passionate speech about legislation that he has sponsored to stop penalizing human trafficking victims with arrests for prostitution. He serves as the chairman of Judiciary I.

Representative Carson Smith spoke about the need to win a veto-proof majority in the House and Senate so that the legislature can actually accomplish something. Governor Roy Cooper vetoed the budget in the last legislative session, and if he does so again, the Republican majority is just shy of the votes it needs to override his veto.

Representative Miller let us know that the best way to communicate with him is to come to Raleigh and visit, or call. He reiterated how important it is to get the kids back in school.

After giving us five-minute speeches, the delegation took our questions for twenty minutes. The questions ranged from what was being done at the state level to ensure our election integrity to budgetary concerns to the Convention of States. The meeting was well-attended, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.