NC lawmakers target cell phones and DEI in schools, as Trump eyes federal education cuts

NC lawmakers target cell phones and DEI in schools, as Trump eyes federal education cuts

Author: WRAL News | Raleigh, North Carolina March 8, 2025 Duration: 23:57

Helene relief aid and a bill to invest the NC Pension Plan in Bitcoin and other cyrptocurrencies are moving forward in the legislature. So are bills to ban DEI in public schools or to crack down on students using cell phones during class time. But other education worries could be on the horizon: The state's biggest school district is implementing a hiring freeze, citing in part the efforts by President Donald Trump to eliminate the federal Department of Education, which gives North Carolina over a billion dollars every year.


Every week, the political landscape in North Carolina shifts with new debates, decisions, and developments. NC Capitol Wrap brings you directly into that conversation with the experienced journalists from WRAL News in Raleigh. This isn't just a summary of headlines; it's a focused discussion on the laws being crafted, the policies being debated, and the personalities driving it all under the dome. You'll hear clear explanations of complex legislative processes, analysis on how state government actions affect communities from the mountains to the coast, and interviews with key figures who are shaping the future of the Tar Heel State. For anyone who wants to move beyond the soundbites and understand the real stories behind North Carolina politics, this podcast serves as an essential, grounded resource. Tune in for straightforward reporting and context that helps make sense of the news emerging from the state capital.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

NC Capitol Wrap
Podcast Episodes
Home stretch looms for gambling bill, medical marijuana [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:57
Plus: A new elections bill dropped this week, tinkering with state voting laws, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina got a big bipartisan vote on its reorganization bill.
Republican reckoning, Blue Cross battle, Cooper’s crusade [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:24
On this week's edition of the Wrap, WRAL Capitol Bureau Chief Laura Leslie and WRAL State Government Reporter Will Doran talk about a shake-up in the state House GOP leadership, the fight over the future of the state’s l…
An abortion override and a Senate budget [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:22
Republicans in the North Carolina legislature made quick work of Gov. Roy Cooper's abortion bill override. And new restrictions are scheduled to go into effect July 1. Plus, there’s bipartisan support in the state Senate…
More Mark Robinson, and an abortion veto looms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:50
The North Carolina General Assembly largely took this week off. The news did not. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper tried to ramp up public pressure on a handful of key Republicans ahead of Saturday's abortion veto, and the sta…
Abortion bill flies through NC House, Senate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:48
Emotional debate and personal stories filled the General Assembly this week as a long-anticipated abortion bill moved through the chambers. In the end, the bill passed along party lines, and it took less than 48 hours. N…
Lessons in leverage and political power [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:22
The week in North Carolina politics started off in bipartisan bliss with a bill signing ceremony on Medicaid expansion. Then Republicans shut off debate and used a handful of key Democratic absences to override Gov. Roy…