Gov. Stein signs bills targeting pharmaceutical reforms, helping military families
AND CHANGING WEATHER
CONDITIONS. TRAFFIC ISSUES ALL
ACROSS OUR VIEWING AREA.
>> NEW CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS
ARE NOW THE LAW IN NORTH
CAROLINA THIS MORNING, GOVERNOR
JOSH STEIN SIGNED OFF ON DOZENS
OF CHANGES TARGETING EVERYONE
FROM DRUG USERS TO RECKLESS
DRIVERS AND PEOPLE WHO STEAL
DELIVERY PACKAGES THAT WASN'T
ALL WRAL. STATE GOVERNMENT
REPORTER WILL DORM WAS THERE.
HE JOINS US NOW TO EXPLAIN.
WILL THE GOVERNOR WAS BUSY THIS
MORNING.
>> HE WAS ARRAIGNED. WE NOW
HAVE SOME BRAND NEW CRIMES IN
THE STATE. LIKE FOR PEOPLE WHO
EXPOSE CHILDREN TO DRUGS EVEN
ACCIDENTALLY. THAT WASN'T ALL
STEIN ALSO SIGNED OFF ON SOME
SWEEPING PHARMACEUTICAL WHERE
FORMS THAT HE SAID WILL HELP
KEEP PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS
DOWN, ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AREAS
OF THE STATE AND HE SIGNED NEW
CHANGES THAT ARE AIMED TO
HELPING MILITARY FAMILIES,
INCLUDING SOLDIERS WITH YOUNG
KIDS WHO ARE TRYING TO GET THEM
ENROLLED IN LOCAL SCHOOLS.
>> AND WE'LL EVEN THOUGH STEIN
JUST APPROVED THESE NEW LAWS
DIDN'T COME WITH 100% OF HIS
SUPPORT. YOU REPORTED HE HAD
SOME CONCERNS WITH WHAT HE JUST
SIGNED OFF ON. THAT'S RIGHT.
EXACTLY. HE SAID THAT ALL OF
THESE HAVE SOME GOOD PARTS AND
SOME BAD PARTS.
>> BUT THE GOVERNOR IN NORTH
CAROLINA IS ALLOWED TO VIEW THE
ONLY PART OF THE BILL. SO I
ASKED HIM TODAY HOW HE MAKES
THAT DECISION TO APPROVE LAWS,
EVEN AS HE'S SAYING THAT SOME
PARTS OF THEM WILL BE BAD AS WE
HAD TO SAY.
>> MY VIEW IS I WANT TO PUT
IT INTO LAW FOR THE GOOD.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TO
THE LEGISLATURE WHERE I THINK
THEY MADE ABOUT POLICY DECISION
IN THE HOPES THAT THEY REVISIT
THEM AN HOUR.
>> OKAY. SO LET'S DIVE INTO
SOME OF THESE DETAILS. WHAT
WERE THE GOVERNOR'S CONCERNS?
>> FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE BILL
HELPING MILITARY FAMILIES.
STEIN SAID IT'S MOSTLY GOOD
BUT STATE LAWMAKERS STILL LEFT
THE DOOR OPEN FOR FRAUDSTERS
TO TARGET THEM. THAT NEEDS TO
GET FIXED. AND THEN THERE ARE
THE DOZENS OF NEW CRIMINAL LAW
CHANGES. ONE OF THEM COULD LEAD
TO FINES OR EVEN JAIL TIME FOR
PROTESTERS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE
GOING ON STRIKE STINE. SOME OF
THAT IS TOO HARSH AND MIGHT
EVEN VIOLATE THE FIRST
AMENDMENT. THEY SAID THE OTHER
CHANGES LIKE THOSE TARGETING
DRUG DEALERS, CHILD PREDATORS
AND OTHER CRIMINALS MADE THE
BILL GOOD ENOUGH TO OUTWEIGH
THE BAD PARTS. ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL THANK YOU FOR PUTTING
THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE. AND FOR
ALL THE DETAILS ON THE SWEEPING
NEW CHANGES.
>> THAT JUST BECAME NORTH
CAROLINA LAW THIS MORNING.