Laura Leslie

1 week ago | wral.com | Brian Murphy |Will Doran |Laura Leslie |Emily Walkenhorst

Republican leaders in the North Carolina Senate plan to introduce and pass their two-year state budget as early as this week, setting up what could be a lengthy debate with their House colleagues and, potentially, a fight with Democratic Gov. Josh Stein over spending, planned tax cuts and policy priorities.

2 weeks ago | wral.com | Laura Leslie |Mark Bergin |Josie Zimmer

North Carolina House lawmakers are moving ahead with a bill requiring wireless providers to cooperate with law enforcement. Providers would be required to quickly provide cell phone location data to police in case of a 911 call or emergency. More than half the states have a similar law, which the result of a woman's murder nearly 20 years ago. In 2007, Kelsey Smith was kidnapped from a Kansas shopping center and murdered. Police wanted to use the location of her cellphone to help find her. State Rep.

3 weeks ago | wral.com | Laura Leslie |Mark Bergin

A bill that passed the House Health Committee on Tuesday could affect how much you pay for prescriptions. But what that effect would be depends on who you ask. Pharmacists say House Bill 163 would limit the profits that go to middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers or PBMs. But pharmacy benefit managers say any attempt to restrict their business practices will lead to higher drug prices for patients. PBMs have a lot of power in the health care system.

3 weeks ago | wral.com | Will Doran |Laura Leslie |Jack Hagel

Widespread financial unpredictability is complicating budget negotiations at the North Carolina General Assembly, as lawmakers are becoming increasingly uncertain about what they might need to pay for in the near future — and how the state will afford those payments. Much of the uncertainty is driven by Republican President Donald Trump’s attempts to slash federal spending, since federal funds pay for many jobs and services at the state and local levels.

3 weeks ago | wral.com | Laura Leslie |Mark Bergin |Josie Zimmer

NC leaders scramble to track cuts to federal funding, worry about more aheadInterim State Health Director Dr. Kelly Kimple said the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services had no advance warning about cuts to the department. Kimple said the department is still trying to unravel which programs and jobs will be cut. The department announced Wednesday it is cutting 80 jobs and NC Health and Human Services Department to cut 80 jobs, lose $100 million in federal funding.