VOLUME 8 ISSUE 3
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WWW.NSJONLINE.COM
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2023
the
BRIEF this week
Treasury Dept to hand over Hunter Biden bank records Washington, D.C. The Treasury Department will allow members of the House Oversight and Government Accountability Committee to review Suspicious Activities Reports (SARs) detailing Hunter Biden’s bank records, committee chairman James Comer of Kentucky said Tuesday in a report from the Daily Caller. The Oversight Committee initially requested in January that Treasury officials provide Biden’s SARs, which are taken by banks in accordance with federal law when deposits or withdrawals exceed $10,000 or may indicate criminal activity. Comer believes that Treasury holds more than 150 reports on Biden. “After two months of dragging their feet, the Treasury Department is finally providing us with access to the suspicious activity reports for the Biden family and their associates’ business transactions. It should never have taken us threatening to hold a hearing and conduct a transcribed interview with an official under the penalty of perjury for Treasury to finally accommodate part of our request,” Comer said in a statement.
PHOTO VIA AP
Court is in session Chief Justice Paul Newby listens during oral arguments at the North Carolina Supreme Court in Raleigh on March 14, 2023. The seven justices are hearing cases related to partisan redistricting and voter ID this week.
Medicaid expansion opposition focused on lack of CON reforms, spending concerns
NSJ STAFF
Raleigh The Local Government Commission (LGC) approved $109 million in grants for drinking water and wastewater projects this meeting last week. “A dependable source of clean drinking water and reliable wastewater systems are of the utmost importance for public health, environmental stewardship, quality of life and economic development,” said State Treasurer Dale Folwell said in a statement. “Many small towns and rural communities, in particular, as well as some urban centers face massive challenges providing those essential services due to shrinking tax bases and depopulation.” The money for the work falls under the Viable Utility Reserve (VUR) Act. That act was passed by the General Assembly to help distressed local government units maintain, improve and replace public water and wastewater infrastructure with a goal of working with other distressed local governments. NSJ STAFF
Sports betting bill back in NC House Raleigh A bill to legalize and bring sports betting to North Carolina was introduced by state Rep. Jason Saine (R-Lincoln) on Monday. After narrowly failing in the North Carolina House of Representatives last year, the bill would authorize betting on college and professional sports in up to 12 sports books that will pay to set up the infrastructure in the state. NSJ STAFF
US: Russian fighter jet hits American drone over Black Sea Kyiv, Ukraine A Russian fighter jet on Tuesday struck the propeller of a U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea, causing American forces to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle in international waters, the U.S. military said, an incident that highlighted soaring U.S.-Russian tensions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine. White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said U.S. President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident by national security adviser Jake Sullivan. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
the leaders goes, will allow for potential tax cuts and other policy measures to gain approval in RALEIGH — As the Republi- exchange for the deal long sought can-led Medicaid expansion bill by Gov. Roy Cooper and state speeds toward passage, many in Democrats. Part of the measure also makes the GOP remain skeptical of the a small number of changes to the deal struck by legislative leaders. Around 22 House Republicans state’s Certificate of Need (CON) voted against the bill on its third laws. Those laws, instituted in 1978, require state reading in February regulatory approval before the measure for health care and was sent to the Senate hospital providers to — and before the sur“The federal build new facilities, prise announcement at a March 2 press government is enter new markets and a host of other acconference that Senout of control tions that are limited ate Leader Phil Berger in state law. (R-Eden) and House with their The CON changes Speaker Tim Moore spending, and would remove psychi(R-Kings Mountain) someone has atric beds and facilihad struck a deal. According to some sourc- to stand up and ties, chemical dependency treatment beds es, there was no warnsay enough is and facilities, replaceing that the deal would ment equipment up to be announced. enough.” $3 million, and vari“Adopting Demoous paediatric treatcrat talking points to State Rep. Neal ment services from deliver a victory for review under the law. Democrats will do Jackson (R) In addition, the bill more to destroy the would exempt ambubase’s trust in Republican leaders than it will ever im- latory surgical centers from CON prove health care access in North review if those centers are liCarolina,” one Republican opera- censed by the N.C. Department of tive told North State Journal. “To Health and Human Services (NCcompletely reverse course (on ex- DHHS), are located in a county pansion) isn’t just an embarrass- with a population greater than ing flip-flop with no explanation, 125,000 and commit 4% of their it’s completely antithetical to Re- total earned revenue to charity publicans’ limited-government care. The measure also removes MRI machines in counties with mission.” The bill, H.B. 76, passed a population over 125,000 from through Senate committees on CON review. According to popuWednesday and Thursday last lation estimates, 23 of North Carweek and is expected to land on olina’s 100 counties would meet the floor of the chamber within that threshold. One of Berger’s and the Senthe next week. According to Berger and ate’s top staffers, Brent WoodMoore, one of the conditions of cox, spent much of the past week the Medicaid expansion passage bashing the John Locke Foundais the approval of the 2023-24 state budget. That, the theory of See MEDICAID, page A3 By Matt Mercer North State Journal
$109M in drinking water, wastewater grants approved by LGC
Crime in K-12 schools rose almost 17% during the 2021-22 school year By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The annual report documenting crime, discipline and dropout rates for North Carolina K-12 schools shows 11,170 crimes or acts of violence in the total number of crimes during the 2021-22 school year over the previous — a 16.9% increase over the previous year. Similarly, the rate of crime per 1,000 students (7.51 crimes per 1,000 students) increased by 16.3%. A summary accompanying the report says the data reflects national trends in school discipline and crime statistics linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. The release cites a student behavior survey by the U.S. Department of Education showing 84% either agreed or strongly agreed that the pandemic negatively impacted the behavioral development of students. The report cautions comparison of past years should consider that crimes decreased during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic school closures. “We know that the pandem-
ic and its aftermath have created significant challenges for students, educators and their schools,” State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said in the press release. “We’re taking aggressive steps to respond this year, and we’re seeking more resources for next year to provide students with the help that they need.” The release notes $74 million in School Safety Grants were awarded to the Center for Safer Schools this past fall. The grants went to 200 school districts and charter schools for purchasing safety equipment as well as funding school resource officers and providing training and services for students across the state. Truitt also cited an additional $17 million in federal grant funding to help 15 school districts increase the number and diversity of mental health service providers in high-needs schools. There are 16 reportable student crimes contained in the report, nine of which are considered violent acts: assault, asSee CRIME, page A2
State Treasurer warns Novant hospital purchases will erode health care quality By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — In his monthly call with reporters, State Treasurer Dale Folwell warned that Novant Health’s recent bids to acquire two medical centers may erode health care quality in the state. On Feb. 28, Novant Health announced it had signed a “definitive agreement” to buy Lake Norman Regional Medical Center and Davis Regional Medical Center. The acquisition includes the related businesses for those entities, including physician clinic operations and outpatient services from subsidiaries of Community Health Systems, Inc., which is based in
Franklin, Tennessee. The Lake Norman Regional Medical Center is a 124-bed hospital serving acute care patients in the Iredell region. Davis Regional, serving Statesville, is a general acute care hospital with 144 beds. Davis Regional’s website says the hospital is moving toward becoming an inpatient behavioral health center. The transaction, worth $320 million, still must obtain regulatory approvals, and Novant says the deal is expected to close later this year. In the early 2000s, Novant spent an 18-month stretch co-owning the entities it now seeks to acquire. North State Journal asked the
treasurer if he expected Attorney General Josh Stein to enter into the equation on the impending Novant purchases. “Well, I would expect as what we’ve seen in the past that the attorney general would put his fingerprint and seal of approval on this transaction as he has done in every other transaction,” replied Folwell. Folwell went on to say that five years ago he had discussed what was happening with health care in the state with Stein and that “at every turn, we’ve seen consolidation of health care” has had negative results. See NOVANT, page A3
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