Press Release:

Notable Activity

    As expected, it was a quiet week at the General Assembly as public business was paused while many members attended a national conference in Utah. Legislators will return to Raleigh next week as the House continues its budget deliberations. NCACC expects the House to release and approve its budget plan in the next few weeks, after which the House and Senate will negotiate a final budget to approve and send to the Governor. Once a budget is approved by the General Assembly, the legislative pace should quicken as legislators work to adjourn the 2021 session by the end of August or early September before returning for redistricting later in the Fall.

Executive Order

    During a press conference this week, Governor Cooper and NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Cohen noted the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations due to the Delta variant infecting mainly unvaccinated individuals. Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 224 this week, which requires vaccination verification or weekly testing for Cabinet agency state employees. The order strongly encourages other state and local government agencies, as well as private employers, to adopt similar policies.

Department Updates

    The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) reports that 47% of the state's population is fully vaccinated, including 57% of adults.

    NC DHHS also announced Behavioral Health I/DD Tailored Plan contracts this week, which were awarded to the LME/MCOs in the state. The Tailored Plans will launch on July 1, 2022, and will serve eligible individuals with serious mental illness, intellectual/developmental disability, traumatic brain injury, and others.



    Infrastructure Bill Advances     An infrastructure investment bill passed a procedural vote this week in the US Senate, though additional votes and work on the bill will follow. The physical infrastructure proposal includes $550 billion in new spending for roads, bridges, and broadband.

    Local Fiscal Recovery Funds     Visit NCACC's resource page on the American Rescue Plan HERE, which includes updates on information and other events as they are added. More information on upcoming ARP Office Hours is below under the "Mark Your Calendars" section.