www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-22 16:23:00
(The Center Square) – Increased oversight of making rules in state agencies is expected to be discussed in the North Carolina Senate when lawmakers return from an Easter break.
The NC REINS Act, known also as House Bill 402 and Senate Bill 290, picked up one Democrat’s vote in the House of Representatives’ 68-44 passage. Four Republicans were excused from the vote and all others were in favor.
Rep. Allen Chesser, R-Nash
Michael Lewis via NCLeg.gov
The General Assembly, if the bill becomes law, would have a statutory role in rule approval if the executive branch creates a rule with economic impact of $1 million. In a speech on the House floor, Nash County Republican Rep. Allen Chesser explained few of the more than 110,000 state regulations would hit the threshold.
The proposal, he said, is meant for accountability.
“The NC REINS Act is about giving the people of North Carolina a stronger voice in the rules that shape their lives,” Chesser said at an introductory news conference last month. “Right now, unelected bureaucrats can impose regulations with major financial consequences without direct oversight from the General Assembly. The current process is not transparent. We can do better.”
Similar legislation is pending in at least a dozen states, including Georgia and South Carolina, said Jaimie Cavanaugh, legal policy counsel at Pacific Legal Foundation. Wyoming passed a bill this year, she said.
Some legislative critics of the proposal have said that the proposal could be dangerous because it would create an extra layer of approval for regulations aimed at protecting public health. The only Democrat in favor was Cumberland County’s Charles Smith.
No sessions of the Legislature are scheduled this week. The General Assembly convenes Monday of next week, with most action unlikely to happen before Tuesday. Crossover day is May 8.
SUMMARY: This fall, FICO will begin factoring buy now, pay later (BNPL) data into credit scores. Previously, BNPL usage was largely invisible to credit reporting, similar to past issues with student loan reporting. Including BNPL data can either help or hurt consumers: responsible payers may see credit boosts, while those with poor repayment histories or multiple BNPL loans could face score declines. Payment history counts for 35% of credit scores, so missed BNPL payments can negatively impact credit. Not all BNPL firms report to credit bureaus, so consumers should manage repayments carefully to protect their credit standing.
A new way to pay will now impact your credit score.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-09-05 09:01:00
State Sen. Bobby Hanig announced his Republican primary candidacy for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, aiming to challenge Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson and incumbent Democrat Rep. Don Davis. Hanig filed with the Federal Elections Commission, while Roberson plans to run. Hanig emphasizes conservative leadership aligned with the America First agenda. The district, covering 22 northeastern counties, was highly competitive in 2024, with Davis narrowly winning. Hanig, an Army veteran and former state representative, chairs key legislative committees and runs two Outer Banks businesses. He supports tax cuts, border control, pro-life policies, and Second Amendment rights, aligning with former President Trump’s agenda.
(The Center Square) – State Sen. Bobby Hanig will enter the Republican primary for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, hoping to defeat Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson and eventually second-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Don Davis.
Rep. Bobby Hanig, R-Currituck
Michael Lewis via NCLeg.gov
Filing with the State Board of Elections is in December. Hanig has filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission. Roberson said he would run in April.
“I’m running because northeastern North Carolina deserves true conservative leadership that will fight for our community and the America first agenda,” he said in a release.
The seat was the most competitive between Democrats and Republicans in 2024 and figures to again be so in the 2026 midterms. Davis outlasted Republican Laurie Buckhout 49.52%-47.84%, winning by 6,307 votes of more than 376,000 cast.
Twenty-two counties are touched in the northeastern part of the state.
Hanig, R-Currituck, is a veteran of the Army. He has served the Board of Commissioners in Currituck County, and was in the state House of Representatives for two terms. By trade, he began as “the pool guy” and operates two businesses serving nearly 400 properties across the Outer Banks.
He’s chairman of the State and Local Government Committee, and serves as chairman within the Committee on Appropriations for General Government and Information Technology. He’s vice chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Local Government.
Four other assignments are Agriculture, Energy and Environment; Education/Higher Education; Regulatory Reform; and Transportation.
“I believe in President Trump’s America First Agenda and my record in the Legislature backs it up,” Hanig said. “I’ve cut taxes for North Carolina families, toughened border control in the state, stood up for life, and defended our Second Amendment rights.”
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The article largely reports factual information about the candidates entering the North Carolina 1st Congressional District race, including their backgrounds, election filing status, and statements of political positions. It mainly quotes Sen. Bobby Hanig’s own words and campaign messaging, especially his alignment with “America First” and conservative values. The coverage uses neutral language without editorializing or explicitly endorsing any viewpoint. However, the focus on Hanig’s quoted statements about tax cuts, border control, pro-life stance, and Second Amendment rights, along with an absence of equivalent direct quotes from the Democratic incumbent or the other Republican candidate, subtly frames the narrative from a conservative perspective. This leads to a slight center-right tilt, as the piece highlights Hanig’s positions without presenting counterpoints or Democratic viewpoints in comparable detail. Overall, it functions as informational content about the race rather than overt advocacy, but the emphasis on conservative policy references indicates a modest center-right leaning.
SUMMARY: Laura Leslie, a veteran North Carolina political reporter with 21 years of experience, will become the new editor of NC Newsline on September 29. Leslie, currently WRAL’s capitol bureau chief, led the innovative NCCapitol project covering state politics across multiple platforms. Previously, she was capitol bureau chief at WUNC public radio and authored the award-winning blog “Isaac Hunter’s Tavern.” An Emmy winner recognized nationally, Leslie replaces Rob Schofield, who retired in August. She expressed gratitude to WRAL and enthusiasm for joining NC Newsline, part of the expanding States Newsroom nonprofit network. Leslie’s last day at WRAL is September 5.
