VOLUME 9 ISSUE 52 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025
NSJONLINE.COM
CHRIS GRAYTHEN / AP PHOTO
The King and the president
NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Richard Petty and President Donald Trump and greet each other before the Cup Series’ season-opening Daytona 500 on Sunday. William Byron won “The Great American Race” for the second straight year. See more in Sports.
the
Session opens with more than 200 bills
BRIEF this week
Pope, diagnosed with pneumonia, remains hospitalized Rome Pope Francis has developed pneumonia in both lungs, the Vatican said Tuesday after new tests showed a further complication in the condition of the 88-year-old pontiff. The Vatican said Francis’ respiratory infection also involves asthmatic bronchitis, which requires the use of cortisone antibiotic treatment. “Laboratory tests, chest X-ray, and the Holy Father’s clinical condition continue to present a complex picture,” the Vatican said. The pope, who had the upper lobe of his right lung removed as a young man, is in good spirits and is grateful for the prayers for his recovery, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a late update. Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital in a “fair” condition last Friday after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened. On Monday, medical personnel determined that he was suffering from a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection.
GOP weighs cuts, work requirements for Medicaid Washington, D.C. Republicans are considering billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid. The $880 billion Medicaid program is financed mainly by federal taxpayers, who pick up as much as 80% of the tab in some states. And states, too, have said they’re having trouble financing years of growth and sicker patients who enrolled in Medicaid. To whittle down the budget, the GOP-controlled Congress is eyeing work requirements for Medicaid.
Legislation ranged from elections and firearms to constitutional amendments and more
State Health Plan board eyes pay-based premium increases The North Carolina Association of Educators spoke out against the proposed changes By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — During its Feb. 7 meeting, the North Carolina State Health Plan Board of Trustees discussed solutions to address significant project-
See INCREASES, page A8
RALEIGH — The North Carolina General Assembly has filed more than 200 bills so far this session. Aside from Hurricane Helene disaster recovery legislation, bills of note this session span topics that include education, elections, health care, firearms, investments/finance, law enforcement, taxes and a constitutional amendment. Education House Bill 7, the NC Reach Act, would require students pursuing baccalaureate degrees at UNC system institutions or associate degrees at North Carolina community colleges to complete three credit hours in American history or American government. At least five bills so far directly seek K-12 public school district calendar flexibility: House Bill 30 (Winston Salem-Forsyth, Stokes and Davidson), House Bill 104 (Buncombe), See SESSION, page A3
Bill would allow treasurer to invest in digital assets “There are many compelling innovations happening in digital assets and it is important our state explore opportunities to modernize.” Loretta Boniti, communications director for State Treasurer Brett Briner
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ed State Health Plan deficits of $507 million in 2026 that could reach $800 million to $900 million in 2027. In a press statement before the meeting, N.C. State Treasurer Brad Briner said the deficit could reach $1.4 billion by 2027. The State Health Plan’s (SHP) financial challenges stem from unchanged employee premiums and benefits over seven years despite rising
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
House Bill 92 seeks to expand state investments into cryptocurrencies, NFTs and stablecoins By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — A bill filed in the House of the General Assembly would authorize the state treasurer to include qualifying digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, virtual currencies, stablecoins and NFTs, in state investments such as the retirement system, pension funds and education-related funds. If this authorization were signed into law, it would also apply to the General Fund
and Highway Funds, and North Carolina Would join more than a dozen other states with “crypto-friendly” laws. House Bill 92, titled “NC Digital Assets Investments Act,” was introduced by North Carolina Speaker of the House Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls) and Reps. Stephen Ross (R-Alamance), Mark Brody (R-Union) and Mike Schietzelt (R-Wake). “We are seeing a rapid shift towards embracing blockchain technology and digital assets across the United States,” Hall said in a press release. “Investing in digital assets like Bitcoin not only has the potential to generate positive yields for See ASSETS, page A8
50th North Carolina’s national rank in health care costs