North Carolina General Assembly

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Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin announced his appointment of five new members to the N.C. Joint Underwriting Association and the N.C. Insurance Underwriting Association, better known as the FAIR and Beach plans, respectively.

"I’m proud to announce the new appointees to the FAIR and Beach plan boards, and to bring a new level of diversity and expertise to each board,” said Commissioner Goodwin. “I’m confident that both the new and the existing board members will serve the citizens of North Carolina well and provide new perspective.”

It is an unusual set of recent circumstances for my good friend, Chris Heagarty of Raleigh.

For many years he has been a citizen leader advocating for campaign finance reforms and election law changes.

The NC General Assembly gave final approval to overhaul the probation system following the murder of University of North Carolina student president Eve Carson, Cherokee County serial killer Patrick Burris who killed five people in the Gaffney S.C. area and was on parole from North Carolina, and North Carolina parolee Jerry Case who is accused of kidnapping a whole family and shooting a Cherokee County deputy before he was arrested.

Cross-posted at Facing South

At today's memorial for John Hope Franklin at Duke University, playwright Emily Mann -- daughter of historian Arthur Mann, a close friend of Franklin's -- related one of many illuminating personal stories about the pioneering historian and scholar. In a conversation about the North Carolina political landscape, someone asked Franklin "Where did Jesse Helms come from?" Franklin quickly replied, "From hell" -- "not missing a beat," Mann said.

[Props to Sam Cooke]

The Racial Justice Act passed the House Judiciary Committee this morning by a vote of 6 to 5. No word yet on progress in the Senate. In the meantime, for your viewing pleasure, a video in support of the RJA featuring NC death row exoneree Edward Chapman.

The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled last week that the N.C. Medical Board does not have the authority to discipline doctors who participate in executions. The decision was 4-3, with Justices Hudson, Timmons-Goodson, and Parker dissenting.

The decision does not mean that executions will begin again immediately, but it is a signal that executions could resume in the months to come.

I just wanted to take advantage of this forum to say a few words about Roger Bone, who passed away today.

Some BlueNC readers will recognize the name. Roger was for many years, right up to the end, ranked one of the top lobbyists at the North Carolina General Assembly. I knew OF him for years and years before I had the chance to work with him, and boy did I dislike his clients! Argh. Oh YUCK did I dislike 'em. When a common issue did bring us into a working relationship, I had the chance to tease Roger about them, and did. He made no apologies, and I didn't either, but I have to say that I never met with a more frank, honest, straight-shooting person in the hallowed, hellish halls of the state legislature. I keep wanting to write that he charmed me, but the word is wrong; it connotes some bit of manipulation, and that's just not how Roger operated.

From the North Carolina Coalition for a Moratorium:

Partners,

We are in a final push to have a vote on the NC Racial Justice Act in the North Carolina Senate. Here's how you can help:

1. Follow the link to write a personal email to each Democratic Senator in the legislature. Tell them the people of North Carolina deserve a vote on this critical legislation. Click here.
2. Forward this email to all your friends.

**YOU MUST ACT NOW AS THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WILL END ON THURSDAY.**