Bill Friday

The Chapel Hill Courthouse stands on 179 E. Franklin St. on April 21, 2023. It is currently being restored.

N.C. House Democrats introduce bill to reduce court fees and reform criminal debt

By Allie Sadoff | Apr. 27

Court-imposed fees in North Carolina have increased by 400 percent over the past 20 years, according to the North Carolina Justice Center. These fees can burden those who are unable to pay the increased cost with large amounts of debt. North Carolina House Bill 636, which was introduced by N.C. House Democrats on April 17, could reduce these fees and the punishments given to those who can’t pay.

DTH Photo Illustration. A newly proposed N.C. House bill, the 2023 Safe Drinking Water Act, aims to protect North Carolina citizens by setting maximum levels for harmful contaminants in drinking water.

N.C. House and Senate bills could establish contaminant levels for drinking water

By Kaitlyn Church | Apr. 27

DTH Photo Illustration. House Bill 40 and Senate Bill 53 were passed by the N.C. General Assembly without Gov. Cooper's signature.

Two NC bills pass through the General Assembly, become law without governor signature

By Sierra President | Mar. 28

Solar panels sit at the solar farm on White Cross Road in Chapel Hill on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022.

Duke Energy developing its second carbon plan to implement energy transition

By Kaitlyn Church | Mar. 21

DTH Photo Illustration. A UNC student smokes CBD on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. CBD products, which are currently legal in North Carolina, are made from marijuana but lack the psychoactive effects of THC.

Bill to legalize marijuana for chronic illness care passes in NC Senate

By Bridget Bendezu | Mar. 9

North Carolina General Assembly building in Raleigh on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020.

'I'm just a bill': The basics of how NC legislative bills become law

By Sam Kornylak | Feb. 15

DTH Photo Illustration. A North Carolina pistol permit is pictured.

New NC Senate bill to repeal century-old pistol purchase permit requirement

By Emma Hall | Feb. 15

The bill would repeal handgun laws that are currently in place, such as a law prohibiting someone without a permit from purchasing a pistol. The law currently requires a local sheriff’s permission and permit before a North Carolinian can legally buy a handgun.

Voters fill out their ballots at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church polling location on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.

House Bill 44, which aims to repeal N.C. literacy test, introduced to N.C. House

By Sierra President | Feb. 15

On Feb. 2, House Bill 44, was introduced into the North Carolina General Assembly, to repeal the literacy test from the North Carolina Constitution. Section 4 of Article VI requires state voters to be able to read and write any part of the state constitution in English, although this is not currently enforced after the passage of federal civil rights legislation.