iLEGISLATIVE NEWS
GOOD NEWS FOR ECOURTS AS LAWSUIT AGAINST COURT OFFICIALS IS DISMISSED
All 13 plaintiffs have agreed to dismiss complaints against court officials, though most plaintiffs continue to pursue their case against eCourts vendor Tyler Technologies. Court officials also announced in March that taxpayers will save more than $6 million from the original 10-year eCourts contract, as the Administrative Office of the Courts expanded eCourts access to 10 more counties in April.
Read more by The Carolina Journal
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM COULD INSPIRE BILLIONS IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
UNC School of Government Professor and Director of the Criminal Justice Innovation Lab Jessica Smith projects statewide earnings losses of $6.5 to $8.8 billion one year after driver’s license revocations due to failure to appear for a court date or failure to pay court costs, fees, and fines. Americans for Tax Reform estimates that the North Carolina Economy loses $685 million due to driver's license suspensions over debt.
- House Bill 888 would eliminate the debt-based Driver's License suspension system.
- Senate Bill 565 would resume automatic expungements, which are presently on hold for over 1 million records.
Read more by UNC School of Government
Read more by Americans for Tax Reform
Read more by Fox 8 WGHP
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BILLS INTRODUCED
On Tuesday, North Carolina lawmakers presented legislation that would ban acts involving artificial intelligence.
- House Bill 591, which would forbid pressuring someone to submit a nude photo of themselves online or to refuse to remove it, not only with respect to actual nude photos but also with any AI-generated images.
- House Bill 880, outlawing "deepfakes" produced by AI in political advertising within ninety days of an election. Deepfakes are any artificially created picture, sound, or video intended to harm a political candidate's or party's reputation is referred to as a deepfake.
Read more by WRAL News (5/6/24); WRAL News (5/7/24)
BILL PENALIZES WEARING MASKS DURING COMMISSION OF CRIME, BLOCKING TRAFFIC DURING PROTESTS
The “Unmasking Mobs and Criminals” bill would increase criminal penalties for people who wear masks to conceal their identity while committing a crime and provide stiffer penalties for demonstrators who block or impede traffic or emergency vehicles. The bill would also allow protesters to be held civilly liable for damages resulting from blocking emergency vehicles.
Read more by News & Observer
Read more about House Bill 237
VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY TESTIFIES BEFORE VA COMMITTEE
On Tuesday, the House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee questioned the newly appointed Department Secretary over contentious plans for the North Carolina State Veterans Home in Fayetteville.
Secretary Grier Martin told the committee that he intends to visit the home, which closed at the beginning of the year. Before determining whether to replace it or repair it, Martin stated he would confer with relevant parties, such as state legislators and the Veterans Administration.
Martin added that one of his top priorities will be to restore the state's military cemeteries, which includes the Sandhills Cemetery outside Fort Liberty.
