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Q: Switch on RowDataPacket contents (node-red) Struggling to understand how to use a switch node to switch based on the content of a RowDataPacket returned from a SQL Select in a Function Node.
The output from the SQL Select is always a single name / value object (array).
[ RowDataPacket { access: 1 } ]

and access will either be 0 or 1.
The logic is simple, activate output 1 if access = 1
I have ready many posts and some seem to suggest that I need a split node or another function node to split the array before passing the value to the switch node Is this true?
Regards
Ralph

A: You probably want something like this:

Where you explicitly point to the access field on the first object in the incoming array.
But if you are running SQL queries in the function node, then you should be able unpack this to just set msg.payload to the value before calling return msg anyway.


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Mission Statement: Mount St. Francis is a retreat centre nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where all are welcome in the name of Christ. The Franciscan Friars, inspired by the vision and example of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi, in collaboration with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary and many other loyal supporters, have served in this spiritual centre of peace, healing and prayer since its foundation in 1949. Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre is a sponsored ministry of the Franciscans of Canada. For more information, see www.fransciscanfriars.ca.
Retreat Team
Susan Campbell was appointed the Director of Mount St. Francis in 2015. Born in Edmonton, she grew up in various parts of Canada and the U.S. She has a MTh. and M.A. Religious Studies. She completed the Spiritual Direction Training Program from the F.C.J. Centre in 2017. Before coming to the Mount, she served for 35 years in both parish and diocesan ministry in adult faith formation. She is also a trainer for Returning to Spirit, an organization initiated to heal the legacy of the Indian Residential Schools in Canada. A single lay woman, she provides spiritual direction and listens to 5th steps. "Retreat ministry, for me, is a privileged place to encounter God's deep desire to touch our lives and hearts."
Father Dan Gurnick, OFM. I grew up on an acreage near Rocky Mountain House, AB, with my parents Leslie and Edward, an older sister Caroline and a younger brother Michael. After high school, I did many different types of works such as: sawmill worker, oil patch worker, paintball field owner/operator, landlord, construction worker and support worker for the mentally disabled. I received an Architectural technology diploma from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Despite all these occupations and architectural diploma my heart longed for something different. After studying for the diocese of Edmonton for one year and a trip to Peru, I found my self on the doorstep of the Franciscans of Canada. I was in Franciscan formation and studies for six years before making my solemn profession in August 2009. In January 2010, I was ordained a priest. In August 2016, I moved to Mount St. Francis and joined the retreat team. I play music and speak at Catholic schools, assist young adults with vocational discernment, assist with the Mount's maintenance, and journey with people in the twelve-step program. I enjoy weight training, hiking, gardening, snowboarding, and skiing.
Shalom World invited me to offer a talk during the 2020 Advent Season. A couple months later, they asked me to do a 20 talk 'Fear Not' Lenten series. After the series ended my Mom requested a written copy of the talks, which I did not have. When Alice Murray sent an email about writing the talks into a book, I immediately thought of my Mom's request.
I am thankful to Shalom World Television, Alice Murray, Friars Kevin Lynch, o.f.m. and Stephen Gattafoni, o.f.m., Caroline Brown and Tamara for their assistance in making this book possible. I am also grateful for my family and the Franciscans of Canada who encouraged a lot of the experiences in the book. I dedicate this book for readers to grow in their love for Christ and to share Christ's love with others. Proceeds from 'Fear Not' will go to various charitable organizations.
Friar Michael Perras, OFM was born and raised in Saskatchewan, the oldest of four. In a small rural community with plenty of extended family nearby he learned about service and community while growing up in his parent's grocery store.
Brother Michael appreciates quiet moments of prayer to begin the day. He also enjoys tinkering in the chapel, Christmas, learning from the lives of the saints, being creative in the kitchen, a good run, a good song, setting a good table for celebrations, and lingering meals with good conversation. One of his greatest joys is being an uncle and a Godfather.
Prior to joining the Franciscans, he served in several communities as a Youth Minister and Pastoral Assistant. Brother Michael holds Certificates in Youth Ministry, Lay Ministry, Liturgical Studies, and Spiritual Direction along with a Bachelor of Theology degree. He is a non-ordained Franciscan Brother, solemnly professed since August 2019.
Father Kevin Lynch, OFM, was born in the Peace River Country of Northern Alberta (McLennan). Called to be a Franciscan as a young student at St. Anthony's College, Edmonton, Alberta, he was ordained in 1962 after studies in Montreal and Ottawa. He taught senior high school science, math and religion with the Edmonton Catholic Schools before becoming Director of Religious Education for that District (1973-95) and served as Head of the Franciscans of Western Canada (1982-92).
Presently Kevin feels blessed to work in his own Order's Retreat Centre in Cochrane, Alberta, in a ministry dear to his heart. Prior to 13 years at Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre (Cochrane) he spent 11 years in St. Michael's Retreat Centre in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, where he chaired an inter-church board (Anglican, Evangelical Lutheran and Roman Catholic) that operated the Centre. Retreat ministry allows him the "soul space" to name the God of Jesus Christ in many ways.
Father Robert Mitchell, OFM. Born in North Bay, Ontario, educated there and in Parry Sound, Ontario, Father Bob studied at the University of Western Ontario in London. For some of the years he was involved in teaching. Fr. Bob came west to join the Franciscans. He has served in retreat ministry both at Mount St. Francis and, St. Michael's Retreat Centre in Lumsden, SK. He has been at the Mount since 1994. For many years he has been, and continues to be, a legendary preacher of retreats and spiritual director.
Father Louis Geelan, OFM. Born and raised in the south end of the Turner Valley oilfield. He met the Franciscans for the first time while attending the first men's retreat at the newly constructed Mount St. Francis in August of 1949. He joined the Franciscans and was ordained in 1961 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Calgary. Almost 60 years a priest, he has served in parishes and various ministries, including retreat work, across Western Canada. Fr. Louis' classmate refers to him as "the most beloved friar in the land."
Deb is the Administrative Assistant and is responsible for Bookings and Reception. She comes with many years of office experience in the schools and the energy sector. She has been a staff member since 2011.
Tin is the accountant for Mount St. Francis. She also maintains our mailing lists and oversees the charitable giving records. She started in 2009 and brings many years experience in the financial field.
Kitchen Staff:
Jason is the head chef and oversees the kitchen staff. He obtained his Red Seal certification from the culinary program at SAIT. He comes with many years experience in the restaurant industry. He has been the lead in our kitchen since 2012.
Saveria has been at the Mount since 2006. In addition to cooking wonderful meals, she does much of the baking ensuring that there are homemade breads and goodies for all our retreats.
Paul joined the Mount in 2014. He, too, received his Red Seal certification from SAIT and brings many years experience in restaurants and professional kitchens.
Matthew assists in the kitchen and dining room during our retreats.
Housekeeping and Maintenance Staff
Johanne and Ruth have served in housekeeping for over a decade. They are very particular about keeping the rooms and facilities clean and tidy.
Herwynn has served as maintenance manager since 2016. He monitors all the mechanical systems of the plant and stays on top of the general repairs, maintenance and groundskeeping.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Kristin Shea
Gymnastic Rings Dimensions
Types of Gymnastic Floor Exercises
The Difference Between Gymnastic Mats and Tumbling Mats
What Is the Meaning of Gymnastics?
What Are the Necessary Skills for the Girls Gymnastics Level 5?
Home Recreation Gymnastics
List of Gymnastics Equipment
Brian McEntire/iStock/Getty Images
The Olympic Movement officially recognizes women's and men's artistic gymnastics, women's and men's trampoline and women's rhythmic gymnastics as Olympic gymnastics sports. Each sport requires specific equipment to compete in each event in the particular style of gymnastics.
Women's Artistic Gymnastics Equipment
Women's artistic gymnastics events include the balance beam, uneven bars, floor exercise and vault.
The balance beam stands 1.25 m above the mat. The gymnast executes skills that require balance, such as leaps, flips and handstands, on the 10 cm wide apparatus.
The uneven bars apparatus consists of two wooden bars held together by an adjustable metal frame. The gymnast adjusts the bars according to her height and preference, typically raising the high bar to about 2.4 m and the low bar to 1.6 m above the mat and spacing them about 1.8 m apart.
The 12 sq m carpeted floor apparatus contains springs or foam padding. The gymnast performs a tumbling and dance routine choreographed to music utilizing the entirety of the mat.
The vault apparatus is a solid platform placed at the end of a 25 m long runway. The gymnast sprints down the runway, hurdles onto a springboard and performs various handsprings and jumps over the vault apparatus.
As the name suggests, a springboard consists of springs coiled between two boards. In addition to vault, the gymnast may use a springboard to mount the beam or uneven bars.
Men's Artistic Gymnastics Equipment
Men's artistic gymnastics events include the parallel bars, high bar, still rings, floor exercise, vault and pommel horse.
The parallel bars apparatus consists of two parallel wooden bars supported by a metal frame. The gymnast utilizes the bars to perform various swinging and balancing skills.
The high bar is a single bar standing 2.75 m above the ground on a solid metal structure. The gymnast swings on the bar, performing various grip releases and re-grips.
The still rings hang from flexible straps 50 cm apart and 2.75 m above the mat. The gymnast grasps the unsteady rings to perform skills that require body stillness and core strength.
The equipment used for the men's floor exercise and vault are identical to the women's equipment.
The pommel horse is similar to the vault apparatus but has two handles called pommels attached to the top of the platform. Gymnasts demonstrate strength and agility through coordinated hand placements and body movements over top of the apparatus.
Women's Rhythmic Gymnastics Equipment
Women's rhythmic gymnastics events include the ball, hoop, rope, club and ribbon. The gymnast incorporates the equipment into creative movements as she dances and tumbles. Gymnasts compete in each event on a 13 sq m carpeted mat.
The ball, made of rubber or plastic, is 18 to 20 cm in diameter and weighs at least 400 g.
The hoop, made of wood or plastic, must have an inner diameter of 80 to 90 cm and a minimum weight of 300 g.
The rope is made out of hemp and is knotted at each end. The height of the gymnast determines the length of the rope.
The gymnast uses two clubs for this event. The clubs, made out of wood or plastic, resemble bowling pins. The minimum weight per club is 150 g.
The ribbon is a 7 m strip of satin ribbon attached to a wooden stick. Holding the stick, the gymnast must keep the ribbon in constant motion throughout her routine.
Women's and Men's Trampoline Equipment
A trampoline apparatus consists of a nylon spring bed supported by a metal frame. The dimensions of a competition trampoline are 5.05 m long, 2.91 m wide and 1.155 m high. By bouncing on the trampoline, skilled gymnasts can reach 30 feet as they perform difficult flips and twists.
USA Gymnastics: Gymnastics 101 Artistic Gymnastics
USA Gymnastics: Gymnastics 101 Rhythmic Gymnastics
USA Gymnastics: Gymnastics 101 Trampoline
Kristin Shea has been writing professionally since 2008. Her fitness works include a yoga manual and Skincare News. She has acquired extensive legal writing experience during more than 10 years of legal practice. Shea is a licensed attorney and certified yoga instructor. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from University of Florida and a Juris Doctor from University of Miami Law School.


Honda has confirmed launch pricing for their CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC 2WD SUV. Arriving in Honda Dealerships nationwide from October 21st, the CR-V will offer class-leading fuel economy and CO2 emissions from €31,995.
The CR-V is powered by the 1.6 litre diesel engine already employed in the Civic. The lightest engine of its type in the world, it offers impressive emissions of just 119 g/km, resulting in annual road tax of €200.
Fuel economy is aided by Honda's stop start system and claimed fuel economy of 4.5 l/100 km means a theoretical range of 1280 km from a full tank of diesel. The CR-V is a proper family sized SUV, with 1,669 litres of luggage available.
Standard equipment includes dual-zone climate control, 17″ alloy wheels, cruise control, folding rear seats, electric windows, alarm, usb audio and daytime running lights.
The new CR-V brings Honda straight into the family car market with a well priced offering. The full fat 4wd version is also available and from the initial launch, I can confirm that it's a fine performer off-road.


A man carried out a home-invasion robbery in Riverside, then attacked and seriously injured a female police officer before being tracked down with the help of a bloodhound early Sunday, authorities said.
Roberto Lopez, 20, described as a transient known to frequent the Riverside area, pictured in a photo released by the Riverside Police Department following his arrest on March 24, 2019.
Roberto Lopez, a 20-year-old transient known to frequent the Riverside area, was booked on suspicion of home-invasion robbery and assault on a peace officer likely to produce great bodily injury, Riverside Police Department Officer Ryan Railsback said.
A woman in her 50s was home alone when she discovered Lopez in a bedroom, helping himself to valuables, Railsback said. The suspect pushed the woman and fled.
A female officer arrived first at the scene and encountered Lopez in front of the victim's home, according to Railsback. As the officer was patting him down, he attacked.
Lopez struck the officer, knocking her to the ground, then began kicking her, including kicks to the face, Railsback said.
The officer managed to put out a call for help over the radio, he said. The officer was dazed, but standing, when fellow officers arrived. She was treated for injuries that possibly included facial fractures and had been released from the hospital by Sunday afternoon.
Police set up a search perimeter to look for the suspect. Lopez dropped his hooded sweatshirt as he ran, which a Riverside County Sheriff's Department bloodhound named "Raven" was able to use to track his scent, Railsback said.
The bloodhound tracked Lopez down in an area of dense, waist-high brush in the Santa Ana Riverbed, police said. From there, officers were able to chase him down and apprehend him.
Bail for Lopez was set at $150,000 pending his initial court appearance, scheduled Wednesday in Riverside County Superior Court, county booking records show.


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Borneo District Gears Up for Jurisdictional Approach for Palm Oil Sustainability
PANGKALAN TIGA, Central Kalimantan – West Kotawaringin, an Indonesian district on Borneo island, is ready and gearing up, for a jurisdictional approach to attain a sustainable palm oil status thanks to the role of champions in at least three of its stakeholders — the local government, smallholders and non-governmental organizations.
The jurisdictional approach, covering a regional unit overseen by an authority with regulatory power and involving the broad engagement of the other concerned stakeholders, is an approach championed by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) which is currently in the final phases of completing the details of this approach.
"We are ready. the moment RSPO says go, we can start immediately," said Kamaluddin, who heads the West Kotawaringin district office for food, horticulture, and agriculture.
Under the jurisdictional approach, the RSPO Principles and Criteria (P&C) is applied at the level of the jurisdiction, meaning that in theory, when the approach is used, all palm oil produced in the district should have been produced sustainably.
"The government of West Kotawaringan sees the Jurisdictional Approach as the most suitable approach," said Kamaludin, who has been among the staunchest proponents of the jurisdictional approach in his district and has welcomed and encouraged the participation of other stakeholders, including NGOs and corporations.
"My way is to ask them first how do they want to assist us, then I will tell them this is what we need. I will then leave them to work in the field but if there was any problem, they should come and inform me immediately and we will sit down and try to find a solution together," he said.
RSPO Indonesia Director, Tiur Rumondang said that in a jurisdictional approach all stakeholders were equal and decisions should be made together. The local government's role is to come up with legislation that backs up the decisions and make them binding to all.
"Why a jurisdictional approach? We hope that under this concept, all producers can take part, where non-RSPO members can also join… Under the Jurisdictional approach, all concerned sides must be involved," said Tiur, adding a lot of local elements would also be taken into consideration.
The other advantage Tiur said, was that the approach allowed greater efficiency as all stakeholders were involved, and both the government and development can be more transparent, including in its spatial planning.
Meanwhile, Kamaludin's hands-on approach has encouraged RSPO, as well as NGOs such as Earth Innovation Research institute (Inobu), to work to promote the approach in the district. Inobu has been assisting groups of smallholders to prepare for and obtain RSPO certification.
One of such groups is the Tani Subur Village Cooperative Unit in Pangkalan Tiga village in West Kutawaringin which took just one year to get RSPO certification, the first for farmers' group in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo.
The relatively fast time to obtain the certification was an amazing feat mostly attributable to the presence of an able local champion, Setiyana, who has led the cooperative for more than 15 years. Setiyana, who is currently on his second term as a member of the district legislative council, said that he was first approached by Inobu and found the idea of sustainability appealing in that it provided an avenue for farmers, especially independent ones, to gain better cultivation practices as well as guarantee and access to markets for their products.
"The most difficult challenge was to convince other farmers, members of the cooperative, to subscribe to the sustainability concept," Setiyana told The Palm Scribe during a media trip to the area held by RSPO and Inobu to learn more about the jurisdictional approach and what is being done to that effort in Central Kalimantan, particularly in the districts of West Kotawaringin and neighboring Seruyan.
Under his leadership, the cooperative has not only been able to obtain certification for its products but has also been able to flourish and develop into a multi-billion rupiah diversified and business-oriented cooperative that counts a huge agro-tourism center replete with swimming pools, man-made lakes and host of other facilities in the middle a sprawling oil palm plantation, a cattle ranch, a supermarket and a lending cooperative.
"We are lucky to have a local government that supports and facilitates us," Setiyana said, adding that, for example, the head of the district has simplified the procedure, delegating authority to issue Registration Document for Plantation Cultivation (STBD) a land legality document required for RSPO sustainability certification.
"It only makes sense that to simplify matters, instead of officials from the district town to go to the regions to verify the planted area for issuance of the STDB, that the office nearest to the concerned area, that is the head of the sub-district, go and verify the land and consequently issue the document," Kamaludin said explaining why the district authority delegated the power to issue the STDBs to sub-district heads.
It also helps that most of the areas planted with palm oil were former government-sponsored transmigration areas and therefore there were not many problems of land legality concerned, one of the main problems faced by smallholders in many other Indonesian regions in accessing sustainability certification.
For Heni Martanila, a sustainability staff with Inobu who has been instrumental in getting the certification of the Tani Subur cooperative, one positive factor in Central Kalimantan was the formation of a jurisdiction platform towards sustainability, backed with the commitment of the Central Kalimantan governor and the heads of the West Kotawaringin and Seruyan districts.
"In this platform, there are a number of components, including companies, NGOs and representatives of farmers," she said that this platform facilitated interactions between the various shareholders.
"What Inobu is doing is focused more on assisting independent smallholders, from mapping their land, to obtain land legality or the STDB," Michael "Nobo" Padmanaba, research managers with Inobu said. He said that under the jurisdictional approach, the RSPO P&C is combined with the government's development principles.
Kamaludin said that the local government was not busy trying to formulate an appropriate jurisdictional entity to manage and coordinate the implementation of the approach in the district as government.
He said that most likely the entity would be led by a district government-owned company since the government itself was prohibited from leading such entity because of the equality principle.
Tags: Jurisdictional Approach, palm oil sustainability, rspo
Jamal Balfas on Oil Palm Replanting, Deforestation, and Source for Alternative Timber
What is Oil Palm Tree?


Create custom content types without manual coding, using Easy Custom Content Types for WordPress. Establish Post Type Names, Supports and related settings.
Create a Metabox custom content type. Specify when and where you want your Metabox to appear, and define custom fields associated with it.
Create custom taxonomies to efficiently describe and organize your site's content elements. Organize your taxonomy hierarchically, and optionally use template files and other features with them.
Simplify administration by adding or removing columns on your Content Type admin lists, using the Post Type Column Editor plug-in.


Smooth, creamy and chock full of flavor for a cold winter's night.
1. If starting from scratch: Place chicken pieces in large pot and cover with water, about 10 cups. Add vegetables and simmer until chicken almost falls off the bone. Strain off enough liquid to make 8 cups of stock. Cut cooled chicken into bite sized pieces and be sure to pick all the little chicken bits off the bones. Set chicken aside.
3. In a stock pot, whisk together the hot water and concentrated broth.
5. Add vegetables and simmer 1 hour.
6. When vegetables are tender, use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables to a food processor. DO NOT DISCARD. The vegetables are a crucial flavor component. Process vegetables until smooth and then whisk back into the broth.
7. Bring to a very LOW boil.
8. In a small sauce pan melt butter.
9. Whisk in Wondra flour until golden in color making a yummy roux.
10. Gradually add the roux, stirring constantly until well incorporated. Simmer 10-15 minutes until desired thickness.
11. Add the chopped chicken*** and 1 small jar of diced pimento.
13. Simmer for another 15 minutes.
14. Serve in warmed soup bowls.
15. Garnish each serving with homemade Garlic Butter croutons and chopped parsley.
**I used rotisserie chicken pieces.
***Since my chicken was fresh and hot from Costco, I chopped about 3/4 cup rotisserie chicken per person and put it into the bottom of each bowl instead, then poured the hot thickened bisque over the chunky parts. This way the remaining bisque stores in a jar easier. I also just used the pimento as a garnish with the croutons.
Cooks Notes: Whenever I bring home a Costco rotisserie chicken I use the skin, drippings and bones (where all the flavor is) to make a pot of broth. I then portion it into 1 cup containers for the freezer. This really makes things easier for those quick weeknight meals.


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The Cashuat is an armored personnel carrier produced in El Salvador, and based on the Dodge M37B1 ¾ ton (4×4) truck.

History
The first military vehicle ever produced in El Salvador, the Cashuat was designed by Salvadoran Army Colonel Oswaldo Marenco Carballo (1955 - ) in 1984, with a prototype being built and trialed in-country in February 1985.  During the trials, it was found that this particular prototype lacked sufficient ballistic protection, so the Salvadoran government sought assistance from the United States.  Seeing that El Salvador didn't have manufacturing facilities capable of building the number of vehicles required, the US Army Tank Automotive Command's RDE Center's Design and Manufacturing Technology Directorate proposed a three-step plan to produce the vehicles:

1. A second, improved prototype would be built in Detroit, and sent to El Salvador to serve as a reference model.
2. The armor would be cut and welded in the United States, pre-assembled with the windshields and side-rails, and shipped as kits to El Salvador.
3. Train a cadre of welders from El Salvador at facilities in the United States.

66 kits were provided for final assembly in El Salvador, one for each of the M37s in the Salvadoran Army's inventory.

See also
Astroboy armoured personnel carrier
Salvadoran Civil War
Thyssen Henschel UR-416
Weapons of the Salvadoran Civil War

References
Carlos Caballero Jurado and Nigel Thomas, Central American Wars 1959–89, Men-at-Arms series 221, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1990.
Christopher F. Foss, Jane's Tank & Combat Vehicle recognition guide, HarperCollins Publishers, London 2002.
David Spencer, Armoured Fighting Vehicles of El Salvador, Museum Ordnance Special Number 7 – English Edition, Darlington Productions, Inc., Mass Market Paperback, 1995. ASIN: B000LGYCHA
Julio Montes, Mexican and Central American Armor, Darlington Productions, Inc., 2001.

External links
VAL (light assault vehicle) Cashuat (El Salvador)
VAL Cashuat - Wheeled APC globalsecurity.org
Cashuat Tanks-Encyclopedia.com

Wheeled armoured personnel carriers
Armoured personnel carriers of the Cold War
Military of El Salvador
Dodge vehicles
Military vehicles introduced in the 1980s

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Employee Ethics Code of Conduct
Tuition Assistance & Financial Aid
Robotics & Robotics Tournaments
The Edge Effect Concert
Cornerstone Leads the Way 5K
Marion County Chili Cook-Off
Chili Team Registration
Ocala Derby Party
Cornerstone 2020:Full S.T.E.A.M. AHEAD Capital Campaign
Letter from our Board President
Letter from the Head of School
Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead
Capital Campaign Brochure
Giving to Cornerstone
Camp Cornerstone
High Adventure Camp
Home > Support > Cornerstone 2020:Full S.T.E.A.M. AHEAD Capital Campaign > Letter from the Head of School
a letter from the head of school
The mission statement of The Cornerstone School begins with the phrase "In an ever-changing world" and the significance of this should not be understated. In an ever-changing world, the requirements and foundations for our children to be successful are also "ever-changing", and so should what and how we teach.
Undoubtedly, the world has changed drastically in the last twenty years and continues to change at an unprecedented and rapid pace. The Information and Imagination Age, because of digital technology, has revolutionized collaboration and communication opportunities. The world has become more dependent on knowledge workers, divergent and critical thinkers, creators, innovators and problem solvers.
This is the world for which we need to prepare our children- this is the world for which Cornerstone prepares children, and the need for an independent and progressive schooling opportunity has never been more urgent. The future relies on creative thinkers, experimental doers and inventive makers.
Over sixty percent of the jobs that students in elementary school will work at in the future don't yet exist, and still our mass education system remains fully entrenched in an industrial model - a teacher-centered classroom as the "sage on the stage", students in desks patterned in neat rows, a compartmentalized curriculum where students are "standardized" and successes are measured by fill in the bubble "standardized" pass or fail tests that were designed for their great-great grandparents.
The twenty-first century school promotes a student-centered classroom with authentic, relevant and collaborative project learning where the teacher is the "guide on the side", the facilitator of learning, and seating is flexible to allow for learning groups. In addition to competencies in core subjects, students will also need to be successful in critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity and citizenship.
Cornerstone is a 21st century school, where every child is seen as a unique individual who can achieve greatness, where parents and teachers partner together to guide children to their fullest potential, and where teachers are committed to providing a unique, meaningful and engaging learning experience.
Small by design, our teachers personally know every child at this school. Research shows that one of the most effective indicators of student achievement is the relationship teachers have with their students. A positive teacher-student relationship and an intentionally supportive environment allows students to feel safe to take risks and to understand that making mistakes is an integral part of the learning process. We know that in this context children are more likely to flourish, to be motivated to attempt challenges, and to develop a true love for learning.
Our expectation of academic excellence, coupled with the ability to teach to each child in a way that lends to their individual strengths and unique qualities, allows for the development of a sense of self-worth and a hard work ethic. We are confident that because of our approach to teaching and our partnership with parents, the student who graduates from Cornerstone:
Is a compassionate, socially aware individual who can participate with empathy in a global context.
Is a self-directed, intrinsically motivated lifelong learner.
Is visionary, goal-oriented and ready to perform with distinction at the next academic level.
Understands the importance of collaborative and cooperative problem solving.
Is an innovative, creative and critical thinker.
Is a STEM-centric student who integrates, transfers and applies the use of technology effectively in the real world.
Is a self-confident communicator and public presenter.
Is open and responsive to complex choices and decisions
Demonstrates an understanding of mutual respect, attentive listening, and personal choice.
Is able to reflect and self-evaluate.
In 1982, The Cornerstone School was started by parents who were looking for a responsive educational environment for their children. Structured as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, the school has always relied on the shared vision and generosity of parents and community members to be able to grow and succeed.
Our final building phase on our current property is an effort to provide the space to match the innovative, creative and inspiring program that the school offers. Our goal is to raise as much of the building fund as possible so that the school does not have to carry the debt into the future and to avoid imposing the cost on parents and families through increased tuition and fees.
Can you support us in our efforts to build buildings, and build children who will lead in this new and uncharted "ever-changing" world, children who can respond to problem solving challenges with confidence, children of character and integrity, and children who are inspired for life with the love of learning? Can you contribute to building and sustaining this unique cornerstone of education for many generations of children to come?
To demonstrate their commitment to the school and to our community, 100% of the Board of Trustees, the faculty, and the staff of The Cornerstone School have contributed to the Capital Campaign. We now ask our parents, families, and community members to show their support for the school and its future by donating to the Capital Campaign.
Your interest and participation are sincerely appreciated.
With heartfelt thanks,
Ingrid Wasserfall
P.S. I'd like to share one of my favorite quotes:
"Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth, those who care for and protect our people." - Nelson Mandela
CAMPUS ADDITIONS
2313 SE Lake Weir Avenue
© 2020 The Cornerstone School. All Rights Reserved.


CRSD 127.5 receives money from the Federal Government in the form of grants that flow through the State of Illinois/Illinois State Board of Education. These grants are referred to as "Title" grants.
Additional information on "Title Grants" (Title I, Title II, Title III, and Title IV) can be found by clicking on the links below.


The CM-27 with skate wheels is a spiral chute consists of reinforced 90° fiberglass modules assembled to a center pole support. Each module is equipment.
Fiberglass spiral chutes save floor space while delivering loads from level-to-level multilevel installations, mezzanines, overhead conveyors, or machinery.
Fiberglass. Spiral Chute saves floor gel-coated fiberglass helps products flow freely, smoothly and safely. supplier of key equipment for material handling.
Sep 17, 2014 Fiberglass spiral chute. Spiral chute. Boldgates Resources. Loading Unsubscribe from Boldgates Resources? Cancel Unsubscribe.


Well said! I am sitting here surrounded by paintings that enliven me the longer that I gaze at them. Miles' circles continue to feed my soul all these years later. So many different styles and images abounding and all singing a new song to my soul. Thank you for making a stand for beauty, for truth, for love. Your art feeds this hungry heart.


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Home > News > Torunn L. Tryggestad appointed member of Reference Group on Nordic Security and Cooperation Policy Report
Torunn L. Tryggestad appointed member of Reference Group on Nordic Security and Cooperation Policy Report
In conjunction with the Session of the Nordic Council in Stockholm October 2019, the Nordic ministers for foreign affairs decided to embark on a new Stoltenberg Report on deepened Nordic co-operation on security and foreign affairs.
Many of Stoltenberg's thirteen proposals from 2009 have been implemented and are considered to have had a huge bearing on co-operation between the Nordic countries.
The report will be written by former Icelandic minister Björn Bjarnason. He will present his proposals to the Nordic ministers for foreign affairs in mid-2020. The report will give non-binding proposals on foreign and security policy, with specific emphasise on the following three policy areas; global climate change, hybrid threats and cyber issues, strengthening and reforming multilateralism and the rule based international order.
"Security in the Nordic Region is under threat from completely different sources than it was a decade ago – accelerating climate change, cyber threats, and the decline of democracy, sexual and reproductive rights, and other human rights in other parts of the world" states The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Each of the Foreign Ministers have appointed two members to the reference group. The Norwegian MFA decided that the Norwegian contact persons should come from civil society and academia. The two appointed members from Norway are Torunn L. Tryggestad, Deputy Director at PRIO and Director of the PRIO GPS Centre, and Karsten Friis, Senior Research Fellow at NUPI.
"The Reference Group will have its first virtual meeting on 1 April and I am looking very much forward to contributing to discussions. I am particularly concerned with the role of the Nordic countries in strengthening multilateral collaboration. The recent outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has shown us that global collaboration to fight such threats to human and international security is more needed than ever", states Torunn L. Tryggestad.


Have you ever noticed something strange happening around you?
Most of the time, people walk around in life lost in their own world. We go about our business keeping our heads down, concerned only with our own needs. If we do see something strange, we often just pass by without giving it a second glance. Still, amazing things can happen when we get out of our own heads.
Fortunately, for a family in danger in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, one woman was paying close attention.
It started as a normal shopping day like any other for Tia Withers.
She had just finished her errands and was walking back to her car through a Walmart parking lot with her two children. As soon as they got into the car and were ready to drive off, Withers noticed something unusual. Standing outside a car parked nearby was a woman and a boy looking very afraid—and a strange man standing beside them. The situation changed when the man turned his back.
Needless to say, Withers was shocked by what she'd seen.
Before anything else could happen, she overheard the man yelling at the woman and the boy to get back in the car. Withers knew she had to act fast. She pulled in front of the car, blocking it in so that the man couldn't escape. Without wasting another moment, she called 911.
Still, things escalated quickly after the man realized what was happening.
The man threw the car in reverse and rammed Withers's car.
Because she was with her children, Withers had to move her car out of the way. As the man attempted to flee the parking lot, Withers stayed on the phone and gave chase, speeding through traffic while giving the police details on the assailant's car and license plate.
After staying on him for long enough, the police finally arrived and apprehended him.
The man was identified as Michael McKinney, a kidnapper who had driven his victims all the way from North Carolina.
McKinney had been driving the woman and her son to a Western Union where he tried unsuccessfully to extort them. Towards the end of the pursuit, he even tried to throw a bag of drugs away in the bushes so that police wouldn't find them!
Fortunately, thanks to Withers' intervention, McKinney was arrested and the kidnapped family was returned to safety. Though the experience was likely a harrowing one for Withers, her quick thinking was able to save this family from an unknown and potentially dangerous fate.
Why Leaving didn't Stop Karen Smith's Husband from Killing Her in San Bernardino?


Mike Masnick and Cotty Chubb at Film Independent's Filmmaker Forum - Day 3 at Directors Guild Of America on Oct. 31, 2010 in Los Angeles.
A self-proclaimed inventor of email, Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai, has taken exception to doubts about his accomplishment by a website called TechDirt, and chosen to file a $15 million defamation suit against the site and its founder, Mike Masnick.
The case is likely to raise alarm in media circles because Ayyadurai is being represented by Charles Harder, a Beverly Hills attorney. Harder became famous by directing a stealth legal campaign—bankrolled by billionaire Peter Thiel—against Gawker Media that ultimately drove the website into bankruptcy with a $140 million Florida jury verdict.
TechDirt's Masnick, who enjoys a loyal following among many in the tech community for his outspoken criticism of intellectual property overreach, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A prolific writer, he is likely to address the case in a blog post on his site.
The scientific controversy would likely help TechDirt prevail if the case went to trial, according to Ed Klaris, a long-time media lawyer in New York.
"This is a classic scientific debate, which is a cornerstone of the First Amendment, second only to political debate. Theories of who invented something as basic as email software code need to be free and open and not constrained by claims of libel," says Klaris. He adds that TechDirt's comments about Ayyadurai amount to rhetoric and are part of the debate, and that the claims in question are not provable.
Even if California-based TechDirt could likely win at trial, the case may still prove ruinous for Masnick. The expense of mounting a defense across the country may be prohibitive for his small company, while depositions and other aspects of the legal process would prove time-consuming and expensive.
Ayyadurai, meanwhile, has been touting his success in similar claims against Gawker, which resulted in a $750,000 settlement. The settlement, however, came at a point when Gawker was in bankruptcy and may no longer have had the resources to fight in court.
As for the lawyer, Harder, his ties to Thiel raise questions of whether the billionaire, who is now part of Donald Trump's transition team, also has a hand in the lawsuit against TechDirt. After their victory over Gawker, some feared Thiel and Harder had established a blueprint for silencing their media critics through expensive litigation.
Harder did not immediately reply to an email question about who his funding the Ayyadurai lawsuit.


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Thomas P. Stafford Airport  is a city-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) northeast of the central business district of Weatherford, a city in Custer County, Oklahoma. Named after NASA astronaut and Weatherford native Thomas P. Stafford, it is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a general aviation facility.

Although many U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, this airport is assigned OJA by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.

The Stafford Air & Space Museum, which is also named for Thomas P. Stafford, is located at the airport, and exhibits the Gemini 6A space capsule flown by Stafford and Wally Schirra in 1965 and the spacesuit Stafford wore during his 1969 Apollo 10 Moon mission.

Facilities and aircraft
Thomas P. Stafford Airport covers an area of 167 acres (68 ha) at an elevation of 1,605 feet (489 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 17/35 with a concrete surface measuring 5,100 by 75 feet (1,554 x 23 m). The runway previously had an asphalt surface measuring 4,400 by 75 feet (1,341 x 23 m).

For the 12-month period ending April 19, 2008, the airport had 7,000 general aviation aircraft operations, an average of 19 per day. At that time there were 26 aircraft based at this airport: 85% single-engine, 11% multi-engine, and 4% helicopter.

References

External links
 Thomas P. Stafford Airport
 Thomas P. Stafford Airport (OJA)  at Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission
 Aerial image as of February 1995 from USGS The National Map

Airports in Oklahoma
Buildings and structures in Custer County, Oklahoma
Thomas P. Stafford


I've finally found some time to collect my notes and impressions from my first Gartner Security and Risk Management Summit, back in June. I delivered one full session on Vulnerability Management and a short debate session with Anton Chuvakin about outsourcing security operations. We also hosted a roundtable on Vulnerability Management and a workshop on developing security monitoring use cases. On top of that, many one on one meetings with attendees and vendor meetings. Yes, it was a very busy week!
For those that went to the event but couldn't catch the sessions, they are available on Gartner Events on Demand. If you find time to watch them, feel free to provide feedback on this space too, ok?
Many medium organizations still on the "we're just starting now" mode; yes, it's 2016, but there are still organizations out there taking their first steps on a security program. It's interesting to see some common trends from them: challenges on dealing with MSSPs, how to measure the results of their programs, finding the appropriate skills for the team.
Vulnerability scan results are still showing too many inconsistencies: yes, it's 2016 (again) and we're still seeing many organizations complaining that the results of their VA tools are not reliable and often plagued with false positives. This is an interesting result from a "market for lemons" scenario: it's too hard for organizations to compare the quality of the results from the scanners available on the market, so there's no incentive for those vendors to improve on that sense. If you are a VA tool vendor struggling to differentiate from the pack, pay attention to this: find a good way to prove your results are more reliable; there are organizations out there that could see it as a big enough reason to switch from their current solution.
The next event I'll be presenting is in early August, the security summit in São Paulo. It'll be fun to meet some old friends there, and a chance to dust off the Portuguese. Hope to see some of you there.
The post Notes From My First Security Summit appeared first on Augusto Barros.


Solskjær said . "It was an honour to be a Manchester United player, and then to start my coaching career here.
The Norwegian has taken United into the last eight of the Champions League by beating Paris Saint-Germain and has put the side in strong contention for a top-four finish. He went 12 matches unbeaten in the Premier League before a defeat at Arsenal in early March.
That was followed by United's exit from the FA Cup at Wolves before the international break but United have confirmed they regard Solskjær as the best long-term option. Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino had been regarded as a strong candidate for the job.
Ed Woodward, United's executive vice-chairman, said: "Since coming in as caretaker manager in December, the results Ole has delivered speak for themselves.


text:
Q: Python: Alternative to looping through 60000 rows I have 2 excel files.
File 1 Description:
- Frequency of data: 1Hz
- Total rows: 62,000
File 2 Description:
- Frequency of data: 10 Hz
- Total rows: 616,000
Task at hand:
To combine both sets of data, using averages of 10 data points for the same second for File 2.
The first column in both files is a Timestamp and data is recorded for the same duration of time. However, the timestamps are not identical and always differ in the milliseconds.
My Approach:
I use pandas to read in the excel files as Dataframes.
I have been able to use for loops to accomplish this for smaller data sets. However, because of the volume of data, using a for loop is very cumbersome and slow.
In order to do the rolling average of 10 points for each second in file 2, I had previously used nested for loops. Again because of the nature of the data, it is nearly impossible to use the same method.
I will appreciate any help on the methodology to approach this issue.

A: You can assign groups to your large dataframe based on groups of ten, then use groupby to get the mean values.
df_big['group'] = [i // 10 for i in range(len(df_big))]  # Python 2 truncation.
df_big.groupby('group').mean()

If you provide some sample data of the two files, I can refine this answer.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Riding along on the open lake at sunrise is probably the only thing that we would suggest not to miss at Inle Lake.
Requesting that our tour start an hour earlier than suggested, we arrived at the bustling market before the tourist masses. We've seen lots of markets, but this one was particularly good, especially all the tasty snacks!
This would have been a standard tourist trap, but the blacksmith lit up when Yann asked to see the machinery used to make boat parts. He brought us to a messy, metal scrap covered workshop, away from the souvenir shop. One single machine tool incredibly serves the entire lake. The blacksmith rather cheerfully complained of its age and inefficiency.
The tour started with a photo session by two enterprising locals dressed in matching orange wide-leg fisherman's pants using traditional basket nets. Tourist boats lined up for their turn to photograph them in their coordinated routine. That was not a highlight. But watching the real fishermen in the distance, balancing on one leg as they cast their nylon nets, was pretty awesome.
We tackled the epic descent down from the Shan Hills to the plains of Central Myanmar with mixed emotions. Happy for a 1100m descent but sad to be leaving the cool climate and peaceful riding of the Shan Plateau. We didn't have to peddle but the road was so steep and in such terrible condition that we barely averaged 15km/hr. Not quite the reward that we were hoping for after the work it took us to get up!
We could feel the temperature increasing with every metre dropped and we were so grateful that we were not riding in the opposite direction! We finished the last 20km of the day on the blissfully smooth pavement of the Yangon-Mandalay highway and continued the next day along the same road to Mandalay. As it was the best road surface in the country we made sure to enjoy it.
Having to brake going downhill discouraging but better than flying off a cliff.


text:
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Legislative Update for 09/09/21
We hope no one has made any vacation plans around the legislature's latest budget timeline, because an agreed upon budget by mid-September is looking less and less likely. The negotiations, which are still ongoing between the corner offices and behind closed doors, have hit a wall. "There are a number of things that we're talking about that we have not resolved. I don't think we have to resolve all of those things in order to begin making progress. But at this point I would say we're not making really much progress," Senate leader Phil Berger said when asked about budget negotiations. Sen. Berger specifically noted that the chambers are going back and forth on the tax package, spending for the State Capital and Infrastructure Fund, and the amount of money in the rainy-day fund. Read the full report here.
Legislative Update for August 27, 2021
After a long week of committee debate, amendments galore, and hours of fiery floor speeches on both Wednesday and Thursday last week, the House has passed their version of the budget, 72-41. Senate Bill 105, 2021 Appropriations Act, will now go over to the Senate where the bill will receive a nonconcurrence vote. From there, conferees from both chambers will be appointed and work on the final proposed budget will begin. Republican leadership has promised there will be trilateral negotiations in preparing the final version between the Republican-led House and Senate, and our Democratic Governor. This was in response to House Democrats, who were clear this week that they needed a seat at the table in crafting the budget if Republicans expect their support. Read the full report here.
Legislative Update for July 29, 2021
We are now almost one month past the start of the fiscal year for North Carolina and not only do we not have a budget – we do not even have a draft budget proposal from the House! The past three weeks have included some bills moving but everyone seems to be waiting on the House budget and both chambers seem to be slowing down bills as a way to "encourage" the other chamber to follow their bidding. This week both the House and Senate are not meeting (the House did have a session on Monday night briefly) so that the budget writers can finish their work and so that some members can attend a popular right leaning conference out of State. The House is expected to provide a timeline and move their budget proposal through committees in August. Of course, that only starts the negotiations with the Senate and the Governor.
The other big topic, of course, is COVID. There seems to be debate about all aspects of the virus, including vaccinations, mask wearing and schools and businesses operating. Many Hospitals have announced this week that they will require all of their healthcare workforce to be vaccinated and many private colleges are making attendance dependent on being fully vaccinated. The Legislature does not favor required vaccinations or mask wearing so the battle between the Governor and the Department of Health and Human Services and the Legislative Leadership continues. Many schools are trying to make difficult decisions about mask requirements both for vaccinated and unvaccinated students and although the Governor is encouraging mask wearing for those 12 and under who are not eligible for vaccinations, it is clear that some schools will not require masks this Fall. Of course, the directions from the CDC and DHHS seem to be ever changing in light of increased cases so this will be out of date before we send out the report! Read the full report here.
Budget season is in full swing! Republican Senators held a press conference last week to announce their long-awaited budget proposal. Senate Leader Phil Berger explained that their proposal can be summed up in two ways: cutting taxes and constructing the state's post-pandemic future. In typical Senate speed they revealed their budget and moved it quickly through committees and onto the Senate floor where it was approved by a vote of 32 to 17. Read the full report here.
The weeks after the crossover deadline moved slowly as the House and Senate continued their behind the scenes battle about how much the State should spend (not the details, just the number). Things were going nowhere as the House was not moving Senate bills and the Senate was not moving House bills until the House made the bold move to go ahead with the budget process on their own. Speaker Moore made it clear that, with or without the Senate's proposed budget, the House would begin the budget process and would vote on a budget this session. This announcement seemed to get things moving again and the chambers resolved the final budget spending level so that the Senate can continue their proposed budget. We expect the Senate budget to be rolled out the week of June 21st and the House to roll out their proposal in July. Of course, the Governor still has a veto stamp, that he has shown he is more than willing to use, but probably wondered if he would even have a chance to use it with the Republicans battling themselves. Here are some of the other stories from the last two weeks. Read the full report here.
It has been a quiet two weeks at the General Assembly following many busy weeks at the legislative building for Crossover. With the gas shortage last week and the budget impasse this week, legislators had very light weeks with very few votes or even committee meetings. We now head into the long Memorial Day weekend, one which is especially loved by politicians of all stripes, as we celebrate the men and women in the armed services and the sacrifices they have made and continue to make for our country. Although it has been a difficult year and a half, many are welcoming getting back to some sense of normalcy and enjoying the long weekend. We hope that you enjoy yours! Read the full report here.
Crossover 2021 has officially passed. This is the deadline for policy-related bills to cross from one chamber to the next in order to remain at play this session. The deadline always results in a flurry of activity and late nights at the building in the weeks leading up to Crossover, and this year was no exception. In the past two weeks, House Rules heard 195 bills in seven lengthy meetings. The House clerk estimated that the House heard approximately 180 bills, not counting all the bills that were keeping the Senate busy this week. Although it's more of an uphill battle now for policy-related bills to be passed this biennium if they didn't make the deadline, it's not altogether unheard of and as we know strange things can happen at the General Assembly! Sometimes bill language from a "dead" bill can make its way into another piece of legislation that passed before the deadline or is otherwise exempt. That is why this time of year, it is especially important to keep a lookout for amendments and Proposed Committee Substitutes (PCS), because you never know what may end up in a bill! Read the full report here.
With Crossover this Thursday, the General Assembly has been hard at work moving as many bills from one chamber to the next in order to keep them in play for this biennium. Last week was full of long voting sessions and late-night Rules Committee meetings, and we expect a lot of the same for this week leading into Crossover. It is a dangerous time as bills move quickly and with very little notice and public comment is restricted.
House Bill 805, Prevent Rioting and Civil Disorder
House Speaker Tim Moore and other Republican legislators are backing a bill that would make rioting a felony if it causes significant property damage or injures someone. Under this bill, those who willfully engage in such acts could face felony charges and be held in jail for up to 48 hours. Upon conviction, they could be sentenced to two years in prison. Property owners would also have the opportunity to sue rioters for damages under this legislation. "We are a nation of laws, not a nation of mob rule," the Speaker said when presenting his bill in committee. "Regardless of the political spectrum one comes from, we all have to be able to say that's not right. That's not the way folks should conduct themselves." Opponents of the bill believe this bill could have a chilling effect on freedom of speech and is unreasonably harsh. Read the full report here.
Last week was exciting for North Carolina, with the huge announcement of Apple choosing North Carolina for its $1 billion-plus East Coast campus and engineering hub. The 1-million-sq-ft. building in the Research Triangle Park will employ over 3,000 people in areas related to machine learning, artificial intelligence, software engineering, and other cutting-edge industries. The jobs are expected to have a minimum starting salary of $133,520. Over time, the company expects the average minimum salary to be $187,001.
State political leaders on both sides of the aisle celebrated this opportunity for the state, and the great bipartisan effort it took to seal the deal and attract such businesses to the state. Gov. Roy Cooper, Senate Leader Phil Berger, Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue, House Speaker Tim Moore and House Democratic Leader Robert Reives issued a joint statement:
"Innovation has long been North Carolina's calling card and Apple's decision to build this new campus in the Research Triangle showcases the importance of our state's favorable business climate, world-class universities, our tech-ready workforce, and the welcoming and diverse communities that make so many people want to call North Carolina home. This announcement will benefit communities across our state and we are proud to work together to continue to grow our economy and bring transformational industries and good paying jobs to North Carolina." Read the full report here.
A disagreement over Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans resulted in the longest-serving member of the North Carolina House being stripped of her chairmanship on the House Finance Committee last week. Speaker Tim Moore removed Representative Julia Howard from her position, saying in a statement that Representative Howard was removed because she failed to move the measure "expeditiously" through the Finance committee as desired by the House Republican Caucus. "While we respect different viewpoints, committee chairs must be willing to put personal agendas aside and move forward with the will of the caucus," Moore, Speaker Pro Tempore Sarah Stevens and Majority Leader John Bell said in the statement.
The public feud revolved around House Bill 334, Temporarily Align PPP Treatment to Federal Treatment. Representative Howard has publicly opposed the bill, criticizing the Speaker and other members for supporting the legislation, which would give additional state tax breaks to businesses that took PPP loans to sustain their businesses and keep their workers employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with Representative Howard's dissatisfaction with the proposed changes to state tax law, she also believed the bill represented an ethical conflict for some members whose businesses would stand to gain from the passage of this bill. "I told the boys in the (Republican) caucus meeting, 'I am concerned that you should not be filing bills if you took the money,'" said Representative Howard in a conversation with The News & Observer of Raleigh.
Many members on both sides of the aisle own businesses that received a PPP loan over the past year. Speaker Moore defended their actions, explaining that the General Assembly's ethics rules allow for them to engage in legislative action on the issue because the bill would equally apply to all PPP loan recipients. "The caucus saw this as tax relief for small businesses," he said, adding that voting for it "is no different than voting on … child tax credits if you have children." The bill passed the House, 112-1, with Representative Howard being the only "no" vote. Read the full report here.
The legislature didn't skip a beat getting back to work after returning from their "spring break." Many committees had packed-full agendas, full of mostly noncontroversial bills and also local bills. One notable bill that quickly swept through the House was House Bill 334, Temporarily Align Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Treatment to Federal Treatment. Typically, loans are considered taxable income, but this bill would align North Carolina with 47 other states and the federal government by providing businesses a tax deduction for expenses they paid using forgiven PPP loans. This program was a part of the CARES Act last year and was aimed at helping struggling businesses continue to keep their employees on the payroll. The bill passed the House with a nearly unanimous vote of 111-2. Republican Reps. George Cleveland and Julia Howard were the only no votes. In an unusual twist, the long time Chair of the House Finance Committee, Rep. Julia Howard, publicly criticized the Speaker and other Republican Leadership in the House for supporting the bill if their businesses received PPP Loans. This despite a determination that it was not a conflict of interest and that many issues may impact legislators and their businesses, but as long as not targeted to them specifically generally there is no conflict. It will be interesting to see how this conflict plays out. Read the full report here.
On the General Assembly's last week before Spring Break (March 29 – April 2), legislators ran a busy schedule of committee meetings and sent numerous bills off to the Governor to sign into law. Most of the bills heard that week had bipartisan support; however, some did not. House Bill 264, Emergency Powers Accountability Act, passed through the House this week with a vote completely along party lines, with 69 Republicans voting in favor and 50 Democrats voting against. The bill would require the Governor to seek concurrence from other elected officials on the Council of State to continue a state of emergency beyond seven days, and again every 30 days following. Read the full report here.
Gov. Cooper has proposed a $27.3 billion spending plan for North Carolina's budget this biennium. The budget includes 10% raises over two years for teachers, increased education funding, and putting a $4.7 billion general obligation bond on voters' ballots this fall. This bond would provide funds to public schools, the UNC system, the community college system, health and safety projects throughout state government, and parks, zoos, museums, and state historic sites. Notably, the contentious issue that has held up past budgets, Medicaid expansion, has not been included in the budget proposal. The Governor expressed an interest in that matter being heard, but said that it can be taken up at any point in session. Read the full report here.
Senate Redistricting and Elections Chairmen, Senators Daniel, Hise, and Newton, have filed an election bill that would address absentee ballot deadlines and other election procedures. Absentee ballot deadlines have been highly contested since the State Board of Elections' policy change last fall. The State Board of Elections made the change to address U.S. Postal Service delays and the record-breaking number of absentee voters due to the pandemic. This change was made merely days before the 2020 election and resulted in ballots being accepted 12 days after the election if they were postmarked by Election Day. Senate Bill 326, Election Integrity Act, would prevent the collection of any absentee ballots after 5 p.m. on Election Day or the date of the primary, regardless of when the voter mailed the ballot. Along with changes to the absentee deadline, the bill would also provide $5 million to fund photo identification for anyone who needs it, and would prevent Boards of Elections from collecting money from outside sources to pay for temporary employees. Read the full report here.
After a drawn-out debate and several bills filed, Democratic Governor Roy Cooper and leaders of the Republican-led House and Senate have reached an agreement on a bill that will allow schools to reopen for daily, in-person instruction. The bill quickly passed through both chambers and was signed into law by the Governor last week, and has been commended by both sides of the aisle as a great bipartisan effort to help our state's students. Read the full report here.
The latest COVID-19 bill is on its way to the Governor after unanimously passing both chambers this week. House Bill 196 is a $1.7 billion-dollar package, spending federal COVID-19 money and making some COVID-related policy changes like extending virtual options for services like notarization. It includes $600 million for COVID-19 testing and related needs, as well as $390 million for K-12 and higher education as they look towards safely reopening. Although the bill passed with unanimous support, there were some procedural concerns expressed by members, as well as some who said the bill should do more. Read the full report here.
This week, Gov. Roy Cooper announced that several COVID-19 restrictions would be eased. The Governor made the announcement as the state's number of new cases continued to drop since the start of the year. "We're sticking with the science and the data," Cooper said, "and that is what has told us to ease these restrictions the way we have." Executive Order 195 went in to effect on Friday at 5 p.m. and will last until March 26th. The Republican General Assembly is taking credit for these changes as several bills to ease restriction are moving through the process with a great deal of support. Read the full report here.
The House passed Senate Bill 37 this week, requiring schools to open following Plan A for special needs students and either Plan A or B for all students. Plan A only requires masks, while Plan B calls for masks and social distancing. The bill still provides for an online option for students throughout the state as well. There has been some controversy with this bill, largely partisan in nature, concerning older students returning with minimal social distancing. House Democrats have responded to these concerns with their own bill, House Bill 112. This bill would allow for school districts to open with Plan A or B for elementary students, and allow middle and high school students to return solely under Plan B. Senate Bill 37 has already passed both chambers however, with three Senate Democrats voting in support and eight House Democrats voting in favor, the bill passing the final House vote with a 77-42 veto-proof margin. While the bill is on its way to the Governor, its fate is unknown. Gov. Cooper said earlier this week that he would not sign the bill unless Republicans agreed to make some changes. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the Governor will veto the bill. He may allow the bill to become law without his signature.
The state's recently released revenue forecast shows that North Carolina has fared relatively well economically throughout the pandemic. The two-year forecast's expected revenue collections surpass the expectations of May 2020's forecast by $4.1 billion. The forecast explains this surplus was heavily impacted by an increase in sales tax collections and delayed tax payments; it also suggests that the economic state of North Carolina will continue to improve over the coming years. However, there are still segments of the state's workforce who are underemployed or unemployed due to this pandemic. Gov. Cooper responded in a statement that "while state revenue is strong, people across our state are still hurting and we must use these funds to help them recover from this pandemic."
The General Assembly got down to business this week, and as promised, legislators prioritized getting their first round of COVID-19 relief funding off to the Governor's desk. Other bills began to gain traction at the legislature this week, including a bill to reopen schools and a bill to give bar owners a reprieve on their ABC permits.
Legislators returned to Raleigh on January 27th to officially get started with the 2021 "long" session. Wednesday marked the first day bills were allowed to be filed in either chambers, and thus far a total of 35 bills have been filed in the House and 28 in the Senate. During the previous biennium session, the chambers saw 1,236 and 873 bills filed, respectively. This session's bills are beginning to be referred to policy committees as well, another sign things are truly getting underway. Despite the uptick in action, don't expect too many floor votes on bills just yet. Speaker Moore doesn't expect to hold any voting sessions until Wednesday and Thursday of next week. On those days, leadership anticipates mostly taking up time-sensitive, priority legislation, such as a COVID-19 technical funding bill.
The General Assembly kicked off the 2021-2022 biennial session on Wednesday, January 13th with opening day speeches, organizing and the approval of the rules that will be used throughout the session. Just like everything else in our world, this day was unlike previous first days as family and friends were not present and the usual celebratory mood was muted. The legislative complex is open to the public, but social distancing rules are in effect and temperature checks are required before entering the building. Masks are not required but were more common among legislators than in the spring and it appears that the leadership of both chambers are highly encouraging members to wear them.
The General Assembly dealt with its work quickly this week, passing the Coronavirus Relief Act 3.0 with bipartisan support and sending it to Governor Cooper. The $1 billion bill allocates federal funds for coronavirus response that must be spent by the end of the year. The centerpiece is the Extra Credit Grant Program, which will send $335 to households with at least one qualifying child (just one check per household regardless of the number of children).
2020 Final Legislative Report
After an extremely long "long session" in 2019 that slowly ebbed into 2020, the Legislature was scheduled to return on April 28th for their normal "short session," although it was already an unusual legislative year with no new budget in place (the State is currently operating under the previous budget). By the time April rolled around, we were deep into our lockdown with many businesses still operating, but many allowing employees to stay home as much as possible. The Federal government had already approved the CARES Act which provided funding to each State for a variety of COVID-19 related expenses. In a rare show of bi-partisanship, the House and Senate agreed to the package of spending from the CARES Act and the Governor signed the bill quickly into law. They did not spend all of the Federal funds as they wanted to wait to see what the needs were as the situation progressed and wanted to come back later in the summer.
The rumor mill was very strong that they would wait until August to come back into session after they saw what the tax income would be for the State (since an extension was provided to file tax returns until July 15th). Everyone thought that it would be difficult for them to make decisions or even operate at the legislature at the time without the financial information from the tax returns. However, the Legislature did indeed return at the end of May to start the short session. The focus clearly was on needs related to COVID-19 and the various repercussions and statutes and rules that must be modified in our now socially distancing world. Very little legislation was moved that was active in the long session as bill after bill was placed in committee only to be stripped out and changed into a bill regarding funding, testing, healthcare changes, or other related issues.
The General Assembly continues to be in full swing as legislators work mainly to address pandemic-related needs of North Carolinians, as well as various other budget matters. As many predicted after a contentious floor debate in the House, Governor Cooper vetoed House Bill 536: Temporary Outdoor Restaurants for Outdoor Seating. This bill would have allowed private bars and clubs to reopen under specified conditions similar to restaurants currently, with outdoor seating capacity limited to the lesser of 50% of the establishment's indoor capacity, or 100 customers.
Read the full report here (PDF)
Legislators were faced with the stark reality of the budget hole that they are looking at as a result of COVID-19 with the revised consensus revenue forecast, which predicted a total net drop in expected collections of $5 billion for the current budget biennium. Clearly difficult decisions will have to be made and instead of spending more time fighting the Governor on the budget, legislative leaders have moved way from a comprehensive one-year budget and adopted a strategy of "single shot budget bills." These single-issue budget bills will pull down funds unappropriated last year and from various cash sources to fund state needs for the next fiscal year.
The General Assembly returned last week to continue its business for the 2020 short session. So far, several notable bills have moved through the legislature, including House Bill 536: Temporary Outdoor Restaurants for Outdoor Seating. This bill would allow private bars and clubs to reopen under specified conditions similar to restaurants currently, with outdoor seating capacity limited to the lesser of 50% of the establishment's indoor capacity, or 100 customers.
The General Assembly has re-convened for the short session to continue to address needs of North Carolinians as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and to consider various other bills, as well as the state's budget. Leaders have indicated that they hope to complete their business within four to six weeks, but recognize that this is subject to change due to the uncertain nature of the pandemic and the uncertainty around federal coronavirus funding.
The General Assembly returned to session last week, working quickly to pass legislation to respond to the pandemic. As protests took place in the streets urging the state to re-open, legislators met to consider various policy and spending proposals related to COVID-19. Precautions were taken during session, and the general public was not allowed in the legislative buildings, although more video of the proceedings was available.
After a drawn-out long session, it appears that the legislature is beginning to take steps towards adjournment. In a press conference last week, Senate Leader Phil Berger addressed the Senate's plan for the remainder of session. Sen. Berger explained that we can expect to see numerous non-controversial mini budget provisions, such as funding for historic tax credits, DOT, Raise the Age implementation, Community Colleges, and rural broadband moving through the legislature now. Sen. Berger wishes to continue to work on a compromise with Senate Democrats to over-ride the Governor's veto of the budget, but if he cannot work out a compromise or muster the votes to override the veto, he will continue to push single budget items through until no later than October 31st, at which point Sen. Berger plans to adjourn.
After a couple of contentious weeks at the legislature, both chambers have decided to take a break from Raleigh to return to normal business on Monday, September 30th. With the Senate out of town, the fate of the veto override is still up in the air, but we can expect both sides of the aisle to be better prepared when the vote is taken in the Senate. Per Senate rules, the Senate Rules chair must give the minority leader at least 24 hours' notice that a vetoed bill may be considered by the Senate.
At an 8:30 a.m. session on Wednesday morning, the House voted to override the Governor's veto of the state budget, as well as his veto of House Bill 555: Medicaid Transformation. The votes were 55-9 and 54-10 respectively, with nearly half of the membership absent. Most of the Democratic members were missing and argued loudly that they were told there would be no votes held that morning, which the Republican House leadership denies.
As the State budget stalemate stretches past day 50, the Republican leadership in the General Assembly has clearly shifted gears on strategy. A number of "mini budgets," legislation dealing with small portions of the budget (some taken out word for word) dealing with employee pay raises, Medicaid funding, and other critical issues are moving through committees. These new versions of bills are almost entirely pieces of the budget bill pulled out and pasted into existing legislation, usually in conference reports that go to both the House and Senate floor to be voted on with no amendments allowed.
After nearly two months of trying to find the votes to override the Governor's veto of the budget, it appears Republican leadership has changed their strategy. Last week and this week, Republican leadership has pushed House Bill 74, which was amended to be a bill that would refund taxpayers more than $660 million this fall, by giving those taxpayers refunds of $125 for individuals and $250 per couple (as long as the return paid that much in taxes for 2018). In an effort to get around a budget impasse, Republicans have also begun pushing legislation to the Governor's desk containing mini-budget pieces which are particularly popular and will be difficult for the Governor to veto, such as State employee raises. On Thursday, the Governor called the push for House Bill 74 and the piecemeal budget bills "politics and gimmicks," but did not say if he intended to veto the series of bills. Sen. McKissick commented on the matter and says he expects a veto from the Governor, and suggests that the refund legislation "seems more for political messaging." These bills will be difficult for the Governor to veto from a political standpoint, and could potentially make it more difficult for Democrats to stick together to keep any vetoes from being over-ridden.
We find ourselves in a sort of legislative limbo with session still officially underway but very few committees meeting and just a handful of bills being finished up here or there. The Senate has been absent a great deal and the House has been stripping bills or putting several bills together to send to the Senate where their fate remains less than certain. It is a difficult position for groups wanting to get things done at the legislature as they refuse to move most bills pending while tinkering at the edges on bills that the House and Senate want to resolve. Seems they are all waiting on a budget resolution that is not happening.
It has been an eventful time at the General Assembly as legislators work to see their bills on the Governor's desk before the end of session and as the debate over the budget continues. House Republicans have worked tirelessly to convince a handful of Democrats to break from the Governor and vote with them on the override. Republican leadership has pointed to increased funding in specific legislators' districts as reasons for Democrats to support the override. House Speaker Tim Moore said that they are waiting until the time is right, and wants everyone to have time to consider their position before voting. It's unlikely that we will see a vote on the override any time soon, as various members of the majority have plans to be away and Republicans will need all of their members, as well as eight from the minority, in order to successfully override Governor Cooper's veto.
There was plenty of talk about the budget last week at the General Assembly, but a bit less action. Since Governor Cooper vetoed the budget, he and the Republican leadership in the General Assembly have not appeared to come closer to a compromise. Cooper held a press conference to announce his version of a compromise, which legislative leaders said was actually a move away from common ground. A vote to over-ride the veto hung over the General Assembly all last week, but never materialized, which is surely a sign that they do not have the votes. Three weeks into the new fiscal year and we seem no closer to resolving the stalemate.
Medicaid expansion continues to be a major sticking point. A House committee passed a version of expansion with work requirements and premiums, but the Senate continues to assert the votes are not there for expansion in their chamber.
The big news in Raleigh last week was the state budget. The week began with a bit of negotiating and a lot of posturing by legislative leaders and Governor Cooper. By the week's end, the General Assembly had sent its budget to the Governor, and he had vetoed it, calling it an "astonishing failure of common sense and common decency."
As expected, the major hang up with the budget is that it does not include Medicaid expansion, something Governor Cooper has made a priority. Republican leaders did include language in the budget encouraging a special session to discuss Medicaid and access to health care. House leaders have revived discussion about a vote for Carolina Cares, Rep. Donny Lambeth's Medicaid expansion bill that included work requirements. But Senate leadership has made it clear there are not the votes in that chamber for any kind of Medicaid expansion.
What a strange session it has been so far! Legislators have been telling lobbyists to wait until the budget is finished to get their bills through committee and have also advised most groups to try to bring consensus bills to the table. Now suddenly, without the budget being completed, legislators are now saying that they are wrapping up and the bills better move soon or will have to wait until the short session. That means that the hundreds of bills in both the Senate Rules Committee and the House Rules Committee need to be assigned to a committee and heard, debated, possibly amended and then sent back to the Rules Committee again before going to the House or Senate floor. There is a scramble now to get bills moved and heard as quickly as possible so we have gone from medium gear to supersonic speed in a short period of time!
As the House and Senate negotiate the budget, only a handful of bills have been able to move through the legislative process with most still in Rules. Notably, the House did take up their veto override vote on Senate Bill 359, the "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act." The Republican-controlled chambers moved to override Gov. Cooper's veto of the controversial bill last month. The Senate successfully voted to override the Governor's decision, but the House vote failed to reach the 60 percent majority vote needed to complete the override. The chambers, which both held Republican supermajorities last session, had overridden many of Gov. Cooper's vetoes for the past two years with ease. With Democrats gaining seats and breaking the supermajorities last election, it is clear that Gov. Cooper's vetoes will be much more difficult to be overridden now.
The legislature has continued business at a slower pace following the heavy schedules for both chambers during Crossover and the release of the House's proposed budget. With the House having passed its version of the budget, the Senate has been spending most of their time crafting theirs. Senate leadership held a press conference Tuesday morning laying out the broad outlines of their plan (see below). The Senate is expected to vote on their budget by the end of the week, and once the Senate approves their version, negotiations between the chambers will begin in earnest. All involved understand, of course, that Gov. Cooper is likely to veto the plan if it does not include a plan to expand Medicaid and other priorities his office has detailed. With enough Democratic votes to sustain a veto, Republicans will be hoping to include spending and provisions that entice Democratic support. This may be difficult as only one House member voted for the budget, so expect the final product to include provisions that are popular enough with the public to make voting against the budget politically problematic.
Last Thursday was the General Assembly's crossover deadline, the date by which bills without a financial element must move from one chamber to another in order to stay alive for the session. Usually, this is a week filled with late nights and craziness, but this session they actually planned ahead and moved bills quickly the week before so it was surprisingly calm. The House wrapped up its work on Tuesday and the Senate on Wednesday, meaning most lawmakers weren't even in town for the actual deadline. A total of 1,687 total bills have been introduced this session, including more than 1,000 House bills and nearly 700 in the Senate. Most bills that had been heard in committee made it to the floor for a vote, and many remaining bills have a budget or finance component, exempting them from crossover. And some bills that may not have made the deadline, may be revived later in session with the addition of a fiscal element or by being added to another measure. Now that crossover has passed, the budget will take center stage again. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Brown, R-Onslow, indicated that the goal is for the Senate to complete the budget by the end of the month, which would likely mean floor votes on the week after Memorial Day. According to Brown, budget subcommittees are already working on the pieces of the budget.
Last week was extremely intense as up to 17 committee meetings happened each day with 30-50 bills being considered in those committees. As members and lobbyists tried to get their bills through one chamber before the cross-over deadline, we heard some similar phrases. Many bills clearly had problems that legislators promised to work on when the bill arrived in the Senate or House but their fate is unclear. Whether the other chamber will be willing to take up these issues will depend on whether legislators on the other side are willing to move the bill and fight for it.
Last week, the House also finalized and approved their budget proposal, which we have summarized later in this legislative report. The budget moved quickly through the process and although there were a lot of amendments proposed, the main controversy was the Democrats efforts to include Medicaid Expansion in the budget, which was defeated by the majority Republicans. The budget now goes to the Senate and they will create their own version of the budget before the House and Senate work out their differences.
This week has felt like the calm before the storm or maybe the eye of a hurricane! The House and Senate were both out on "spring break" for the first part of the week and then the House came in on Thursday and started releasing their budget proposal. The House Appropriation subcommittees are meeting this week and the House is expected to debate and amend the budget in the House Appropriations Committee and the full House next week and send over to the Senate. The Senate has been working behind the scenes on their budget proposal so we expect their version to roll out soon.
The other big news and deadline approaching is the May 9th cross-over deadline and committee meetings are already being noticed for next week as work moves into high gear to get legislation approved in one chamber or the other. This is a scary time of year for lobbyists as legislation that is not correct or has not been thoroughly vetted gets moved so that "the bill can get to the other side" with a promise to "fix it later." We will be on high alert as legislation will move very quickly over the next two weeks. Read the full report here.
Well, it has been quite an interesting couple of weeks. We have been under an avalanche of bills that have been filed over the last few weeks, many of them making major policy changes. Meanwhile, committees are meeting with a renewed level of intensity as they try to move bills before the impending cross-over deadline of May 9th, which requires bills to move out of one chamber or the other to remain eligible for consideration the rest of the session. Of course, during all this the House budget writers have been meeting behind closed doors to put their budget proposal together so that it can be released next week, which will start a whole new level of pressure and debate about priorities for the State.
The General Assembly had a busy legislative week, with the Senate marking its bill filing deadline on Wednesday, April 3rd. The Senate has filed a total of 676 bills this session, and the House has filed a total of 626 bills, with its bill filing deadlines coming up on April 16th and April 23rd. Things are likely to get even busier as crossover, the date by which legislation must pass from the originating chamber to the other chamber, approaches. The 2019 crossover deadline is May 9th.
On May 1st teachers are planning a large rally at the General Assembly and since that is coming up soon, education bills have been popping up at the General Assembly. One such bill, House Bill 377, would reduce the number of tests given to students and passed the House by a vote of 110 to 2. The bill would eliminate state end-of-grade (EOG) tests in grades 3-8 in reading and math with shorter tests given throughout the year. It would also eliminate the state end-of-course (EOC) exams for biology, English and math for high school students.
It's been a busy time at the General Assembly as hundreds of bills were rushed to be filed to meet the Senate's bill filing deadline on April 2nd. The House will have a few more weeks to prepare for their bill filing deadline on Tuesday, April 16th (bills not related to the budget). Once both chambers' deadlines have passed, legislators will turn their attention to meeting the May 9th crossover date, by which time bills must be passed by the chamber in which it was introduced in order to remain eligible for the remainder of the 2-year session, unless the bill has a fiscal impact on the State.
The budget process continues to inch forward. Last week House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger announced that top legislative leaders have agreed that expenditures for the year starting July 1st will be just over $24 billion. That amount represents a roughly 3.5 percent increase over this year's budget, but less that the amount proposed by Governor Cooper. As legislative opposition to Treasurer Folwell's proposed changes to the State Health Plan continues to heat up, Folwell has made changes to boost payments to rural hospitals. The State Health Plan has agreed to increase by $52 million the annual reimbursement rates for many rural hospitals. Folwell said the adjustments would increase payments to rural providers by 20 percent from the original proposal, "while still saving taxpayers almost $258 million and plan members almost $57 million." Discussion about Medicaid expansion also continued last week, with a new poll showing strong support for the idea. A poll conducted by well-known Republican consultant, Paul Shumaker found that 72 percent of voters' support Medicaid expansion. The poll also found that support remained above 70 percent even after messages supporting and opposing expansion were given to respondents.
The past week featured a number of high-profile news stories emanating from the NC political world, while legislative progress was slow by comparison. With the exception of a bill to delay implementation of the State's new Voter ID law (which was introduced in the Senate, passed by both chambers and signed into law in a four-day span), most other notable issues were marked by news of movement (or lack thereof) as opposed to visible progress. A bill to allow small business associations to create health insurance plans was passed by the Senate but is expected to move slowly in the House. An amendment to that bill offered by a Democratic Freshman that would have expanded Medicaid was defeated, which is not surprising. What surprised many is, according to a little-noticed rule, the amendment's defeat will pre-empt any further consideration of that topic for the rest of session. Senate leadership could vote to waive the rule; however, they are not currently inclined to do so and used the drama to blame Democrats for "killing debate" on the issue.
Last week kicked off with Governor Cooper's State of the State address to the General Assembly, where he reinforced familiar themes, including Medicaid expansion, increased spending on education and rural broadband. Cooper also called for more cooperation between Republicans and Democrats.
Despite the calls for harmony, some of the most contentious policy battles continued to heat up. A group of legislators, including Rep. Gale Adcock, a nurse practitioner, introduced the SAVE Act, which would remove the requirement for physician supervision from advanced practice nurses (APRNs) like nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and certified nurse anesthetists.
As expected, another group of legislators – Rep. Josh Dobson (R-McDowell), Rep. Julia Howard, (R-Davie), Rep. Bill Brisson (R-Bladen) and Rep. Gale Adcock (D-Wake) – introduced legislation to halt State Treasurer Dale Folwell's changes to the State Health Plan. The changes, which Folwell says would save the Plan millions, include tying providers rates to Medicare rates. Providers and hospitals claim that the changes would close hospitals and impact access for state employees. The new bill would create a commission to study potential changes to the State Health Plan, while prohibiting any changes to the current status quo while the study is being conducted.
The big news around Raleigh last week was the long-awaited State Board of Elections hearing on the controversy surrounding the election in the 9th Congressional District. After months of investigation into fraud and four days of testimony, Republican Mark Harris announced that he believed a new election should take place. The Board unanimously ordered the new election, with a timeframe to be decided later. This will not be the end of the matter though as criminal investigations are on-going and new information was released during the hearing about what the campaign and the candidate did or did not know about the absentee ballot program.
There were some fireworks at the General Assembly as well, as health care shifted to a new focus– the State Health Plan. Treasurer Folwell and the North Carolina Healthcare Association testified before the House Health Committee on Folwell's plan to save more than $300 million annually from the State Health Plan by cutting provider reimbursement rates.
The session is expected to ramp up this week as committees begin to move into regular business and floor votes begin. It may appear that session has started slowly based upon the number of committee meetings and the bills that have made it to the floor of one chamber of another, but the real activity is taking place in legislators offices and conference rooms around the legislative complex as proposed bills are being discussed, debated and negotiated. This is a critical time for lobbyists to get their bills filed by the "right" sponsor and to work out as many issues as possible before the bill is filed officially. Many deals are being made right now that will impact legislation as it moves through the process. Freshman legislators are also getting an education about the legislative process and trying to figure out how to maneuver in this strange new world!
The 2019 Long Session is continuing its slow start despite a steady stream of newly introduced bills and important health policy developments. On the health front, Medicaid continues to take center stage. Gov. Roy Cooper has been pushing expansion, but some Senate leaders remain opposed to the idea, citing concerns that costs would ultimately be shifted from the federal government to the state. Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth, has indicated he plans to reintroduce his "Carolina Cares" bill. "Carolina Cares" would expand Medicaid in exchange for work requirements for some recipients to access benefits. At the same time, North Carolina's shift to Medicaid managed care continues to move forward. Just last week, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the five managed care groups that will receive Medicaid contracts. The managed care companies will be paid a per person, monthly rate to cover all of an individuals' needs.
This year's long session has begun, but we can expect a slow start. Both Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore said Wednesday that General Assembly action would be minimal this week and next. The House held skeletal sessions Thursday and expect to do the same on Monday and Tuesday, with the possibility of some committee meetings next week and a vote on the chamber's permanent rules on either Wednesday or Thursday.