Avi Bajpai

Raleigh

North Carolina Politics Reporter at The News & Observer

Covering North Carolina politics for @newsobserver. @GWtweets alum. Tips, story ideas and feedback: [email protected].

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Articles

NC: Have Mecklenburg’s transit bills stalled? Here’s what top GOP lawmakers say

1 week ago | masstransitmag.com | Avi Bajpai

A top Republican lawmaker trying to build support for Mecklenburg County’s long-sought tax bill to revamp the region’s transportation system said this week the bill’s chances remain “50-50.”Those were the odds Sen. Vickie Sawyer gave the bill, which she filed in January with other top GOP Sens. Bill Rabon and David Craven at the start of the year. Four months into the legislative session, Senate Bill 145 has yet to move forward.
Have Mecklenburg's transit bills stalled? Here's what top GOP lawmakers say

2 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Avi Bajpai

A top Republican lawmaker trying to build support for Mecklenburg County's long-sought tax bill to revamp the region's transportation system said this week the bill's chances remain "50-50."Those were the odds Sen. Vickie Sawyer gave the bill, which she filed in January with other top GOP Sens. Bill Rabon and David Craven at the start of the year. Four months into the legislative session, Senate Bill 145 has yet to move forward.
Democrats split, but most vote for NC House GOP budget. What got their support.

2 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan |Avi Bajpai

For the first time in recent memory, a majority of North Carolina Democrats voted with Republicans on a state budget bill, including the Democratic leader. Of the 47 House Democrats on the floor for the budget debate Wednesday night, 27 voted in favor of the Republican-written House budget bill, and 20 voted against it. Two were absent. It's a major shift in how lawmakers are governing. Republicans have a majority andare one vote short of total control of the chamber.
27 Democrats join in bipartisan vote on NC House Republicans' budget

2 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan |Avi Bajpai |Caitlyn Yaede |Jordan Schrader

Reps. Shelly Willingham, Carla Cunningham and Garland Pierce talk during a break in session in the House chamber of the Legislative Building on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. The News & Observer Good morning and welcome to Under the Dome. The first clue came around noon when Gov. Josh Stein had nice things to say about the budget. It became clearer in the early evening.
27 Democrats join in bipartisan vote on NC House Republicans’ budget

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan |Avi Bajpai |Caitlyn Yaede |Jordan Schrader

Good morning and welcome to Under the Dome. The first clue came around noon when Gov. Josh Stein had nice things to say about the budget. It became clearer in the early evening. As a vote neared, the minority leader, Robert Reives, left the chamber with Republicans and returned to the floor smiling. And then just before 8 p.m., Democrats sealed it, voting in surprisingly large numbers for the Republican-authored budget.
House Republicans have unveiled their budget. Here's what lawmakers are saying.

2 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Avi Bajpai |Caitlyn Yaede

Good morning and welcome to Under the Dome. I'm Caitlyn Yaede. Up first, a dispatch from Avi Bajpai on how the House GOP's budget plan was received on its first full day in committee. As House Republicans move their budget proposal through the chamber this week, Speaker Destin Hall and his top budget writers are stressing that the House is rolling out its spending plan a little differently than Republicans have done in the past.
NC House unveils budget plan that could lead to tuition increases for UNC System

3 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Caitlyn Yaede |Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan |Avi Bajpai

Each week, join Dawn Vaughan for The News & Observer and NC Insider's Under the Dome podcast, an in-depth analysis of topics in state government and politics for North Carolina. Good morning and welcome to Under the Dome. I'm Caitlyn Yaede. As the week wraps up, the House unveiled much of its $66 billion budget proposal, which includes cutting millions of dollars' worth of vacant state employee positions and could bring tuition increases to UNC System schools.
NC House unveils budget plan that could lead to tuition increases for UNC System

3 weeks ago | newsobserver.com | Caitlyn Yaede |Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan |Avi Bajpai

Each week, join Dawn Vaughan for The News & Observer and NC Insider's Under the Dome podcast, an in-depth analysis of topics in state government and politics for North Carolina. Good morning and welcome to Under the Dome. I'm Caitlyn Yaede. As the week wraps up, the House unveiled much of its $66 billion budget proposal, which includes cutting millions of dollars' worth of vacant state employee positions and could bring tuition increases to UNC System schools.
NC House budget calls for job cuts, tuition increase. What else they're proposing

3 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan |T. Keung Hui |Avi Bajpai |Kyle Ingram

The North Carolina House rolled out its plan for cuts across state government on Thursday, including millions of dollars in state employee positions that are vacant. The plan would require a tuition increase for students at universities in the UNC System. The House, which is controlled by Republicans, held a series of hearings Thursday morning explaining how budget writers would spend about $66 billion in taxpayer money over the next two years.
Will NC allow firing squad, electric chair after bill misses key deadline?

3 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Avi Bajpai

Prisoners on the North Carolina death row make their way back to their cell block at Central Prison in Raleigh in 2002, not long after a series of reforms began sharply reducing the number of death-penalty cases in the state. North Carolina has not executed a death row inmate since 2006.