Latest news with #DestinHall
Axios
10-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
North Carolina is the best state for business (again), CNBC says
North Carolina is once again America's top state for business, beating Texas (No. 2) and Florida (No. 3), according to CNBC's 2025 annual ranking. Why it matters: A top ranking is a major point of pride for politicians and economic developers, who tout North Carolina's business friendliness when trying to lure new employers, major events and visitors to the state. North Carolina has claimed the No. 1 spot three of the past four years on the esteemed list. It narrowly lost in 2024 to Virginia, its top rival and neighbor. Yes, but: Despite threats of tariffs and hurricane recovery, North Carolina made a comeback this year while Virginia slipped to fourth place. The big picture: Last year's second-best ranking didn't stop North Carolina from attracting a "steady stream" of new business in 2025, from JetZero to Amazon, which CNBC acknowledged in its report. Just this week, Citigroup and AssetMark announced a Charlotte expansion that will create more than 700 total jobs in exchange for millions in incentives. Last month, the California startup BuildOps announced plans to open a 290-person office in Raleigh in exchange for state and local incentives. Also in June, Amazon disclosed plans to invest $10 billion in building data centers in Richmond County. How it works: CNBC scores all 50 states across 10 weighted categories for up to 2,500 points. North Carolina tallied 1,614 points this year. It finished third in CNBC's "all-important" economy category, behind Florida and Texas. The study references the state's 3.7% gross domestic product growth and the addition of more than 60,000 jobs last year. "While no state is more politically divided than deep purple North Carolina, both parties seem to agree on the importance of keeping business happy," CNBC's report states. Threat level: CNBC called out North Carolina for being "almost unfailingly friendly to business" but "not terribly friendly to workers." The state performed its worst ever in the quality of life category, in the No. 29 spot. CNBC cited an "almost complete lack of worker protections" and a lack of laws "protecting nondisabled people from discrimination in public accommodations." The state's business climate is also highly vulnerable to disasters, tariffs and fallout from Medicaid cuts, CNBC noted. Hurricane Helene struck too late for the economic impact to be considered in the report, CNBC says. Zoom out: Virginia dropped to its lowest standing since 2018 due to its "interdependence on the federal government" amid looming budget cuts. What they're saying: Republican leaders were already celebrating — and taking credit for — the win Thursday morning, soon after the list was released. House Speaker Destin Hall, on X, thanked the GOP-led General Assembly's "successful reforms." "If you're thinking about moving here, don't forget which party made that prosperity possible," Rep. Brenden Jones wrote on the platform. Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, thanked his predecessor, fellow Democrat Roy Cooper, as well as state lawmakers from both parties "who have helped North Carolina create a welcoming climate."
Associated Press
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
North Carolina governor vetoes another set of bills, including one on guns in private schools
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Josh Stein cleared his desk Wednesday of the deluge of bills passed to him from the North Carolina General Assembly last month, three of which he vetoed. Stein topped off his veto total at 14 for this year's legislative session. One of the vetoes prolongs the extensive battle between the governor's office and GOP-controlled legislature over gun laws — an issue Republican lawmakers prioritized when they came to Raleigh. Now that all of Stein's vetoes have been returned to the Legislative Building, possible veto override attempts could occur starting later this month. House Speaker Destin Hall reaffirmed that possibility in a post on the social platform X. 'We're keeping score. Overrides coming soon,' Hall said. With Republicans one House seat short of a veto-proof supermajority, GOP leaders may have to pick and choose which measures to take action on. A few bills with some Democratic support may be able to skirt by. The first vetoed bill would allow certain people to carry firearms onto private school property with permission from the school's board of trustees or administrative director. The person — either an employee or a volunteer — would be required to have a concealed handgun permit and complete a training class. Republican proponents of the bill said it would keep private schools safe in rural areas where police response time is longer. Stein argued in his veto statement that school employees and volunteers 'cannot substitute' law enforcement officers, who receive hundreds of hours of safety education, when crises occur. The governor did voice support for another provision in the bill that would heighten penalties for threatening or assaulting an elected official. He urged the legislature to 'send me a clean bill with those protections so I can sign it.' 'Just as we should not allow guns in the General Assembly, we should keep them out of our schools unless they are in the possession of law enforcement,' Stein said in the statement. Some Democrats in the House and Senate voted for the bill originally, meaning a veto override is on the table. The fight over guns was the focus of a previous bill Stein vetoed a few weeks ago that would allow adults to carry concealed weapons without a permit. That bill faces an uphill battle to becoming law after a handful of Republicans voted against the measure, making the chances of a veto override fairly slim. GOP state legislators have continued to carve out further gun access over the past few years. In 2023, Republican lawmakers overrode former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto and put into law the elimination of the pistol purchase permit system that mandated character evaluations and criminal history checks for applicants. The other two bills Stein vetoed Wednesday also received some Democratic votes and thus could be overridden if such support holds. One of the bills would create an expedited removal process for homeowners and landlords to remove people unauthorized to live on their property. Stein said he was unhappy with a last-minute addition that would prevent local governments from enforcing their own prohibitions on pet shop animal sales and additional licensing beyond statewide rules. The other bill would bar public agencies from collecting or releasing certain personal information about donors to 501(c) nonprofits. The governor signed nine bills into law Wednesday. Two were omnibus criminal justice and public safety measures, raising penalties on many crimes or creating new criminal counts. Another was designed to help active-duty military and veterans with reduced government fees and improved access to higher education. ___ Associated Press writer Gary D. Robertson contributed to this report.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hypocritical much? NC Democrat went too far with Trump post, but GOP can't talk
It was poor judgment for Democratic state Rep. Julie von Haefen to post a picture of a 'beheadings' protest sign on her social media. She had the character and courage to admit it and apologize on the floor of the House. Republican Speaker Destin Hall professed outrage over the post and admonished House members to 'hold yourselves to a higher standard.' Why doesn't Hall hold his party and president to that standard? Did he admonish Trump for inciting a violent mob to attack the Capitol on January 6 and pardoning thugs who assaulted police officers and wanted to hang Vice President Mike Pence? Opinion Pearce, July 2024: Switching Horses: History not on Democrats' side if they push Biden out Opinion June 2021: When Jesse Helms got religion on Israel Or Trump for mocking the hammer assault on former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband? Or ex-North Carolina governor candidate Mark Robinson for telling a church group 'some folks need killing'? Or Michelle Morrow, ex-candidate for superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction, for posting that Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Roy Cooper should be executed for treason? Or Utah Senator Mike Lee for blaming the recent assassination of a Minnesota legislator and her husband on Gov. Tim Walz? Opinion writer Isaac Bailey got it right about Hall and the GOP in The News & Observer: 'Oh, give me a break. Stop clutching your pearls. Your rank hypocrisy is showing.' Violent political rhetoric has been ratcheting up since Trump rode down his golden escalator in 2015. It's time to cool it. It's way past time for Republicans like Hall to call out Trump and MAGA on it. Gary Pearce was a reporter and editor at The News & Observer, a political consultant, and an adviser to Gov. Jim Hunt (1976-1984 and 1992-2000). He blogs about politics and public policy at "Talking About Politics." This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Republicans should admonish Trump like they do his critics | Opinion
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers backtracking on July 1 deadline for NC budget
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Top North Carolina lawmakers say they likely will not have an approved budget by the end of this month, backtracking on previous hopes of having it done by then. Senator Phil Berger says you just need to look at the two budgets from the House and Senate and you'll see hundreds of differences that need working out. 'My sense is we've got to resolve the issues with reference to revenue package before we can have productive, substantive discussions about a full budget on those other issues,' Senator Berger said. On the House side, there's no real urgency. 'We don't feel a pressure here really to pass a budget by July 1, again because of the prior changes in the law, the money continues on just like it was under the prior budget,' Representative Destin Hall said. That means even without a final budget, state employees still get paid, and the government continues. But top Democrats say the state needs a budget and it's not up to them anymore. 'We actually have Republicans running both the House and the Senate, they have the override here, and yet we don't actually have a budget, so this is infighting between Republicans,' Senator Sydney Batch said. If there's no final budget by July 1st, Senator Berger says lawmakers will likely take a break and then come back. Democrats take issue with that if it means Hurricane Helene relief is delayed. 'We're going to go home and take a break, and they never take a break from not having a house, not having any food, not having a school for their kids to go to,' Senator Batch said. But that may not be the case. 'The sense within the Senate is that if we do adjourn at the end of the month without a budget and plan to come back at a certain time, there are some things with reference to Helene recovery that we'll probably need to do before we leave town,' Senator Berger said. Representative Destin Hall also says they do have a commitment to state employees and teachers to get them raises in a timely manner, so he's keeping that in mind as well. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Toronto Star
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Permitless concealed carry in North Carolina faces uphill battle after some GOP pushback
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A bill to let adults carry concealed handguns without a permit cleared the North Carolina legislature on Wednesday, however the path to joining the majority of U.S. states with similar laws remains uncertain. The GOP-backed legislation faces a likely veto from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, as well as pushback from a handful of Republicans who voted against the legislation in the state House. House Speaker Destin Hall acknowledged those concerns after Wednesday's vote.
