Press Release: NAACP Responds to Coup Attempt
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

  • Voices
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Covenant Partners
    • Issue Statements
    • Governing Board
  • Programs
    • Ecumenical Immigration Alliance
      • Ideas for Action
      • Sign Our Statement
      • The NC Sanctuary Coalition
      • Immigration Bible Study
      • Contact
    • NC Interfaith Power & Light
      • NCIPL Overview
      • Faith in Action NCIPL
      • NCIPL Articles
      • NCIPL Resources
      • Upcoming Events for NCIPL
      • Contact NCIPL
    • Partners in Health & Wholeness
      • PHW Staff
      • Mini-Grants
      • PHW Collaborative Pledge
      • The Opioid Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • PHW Articles
      • FAQs
  • Priorities
    • Racial Justice
    • The Opioid Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
    • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Public Education
    • NC Sanctuary Coalition
    • Farmworkers
    • Legislative Advocacy
    • Christian Unity
    • Peace
    • NC No Torture
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • Events
  • Resources
    • Publications & Reports
    • Raleigh Report
    • Lectionary
    • Sermons
  • Donate
  • Council Store
  • Show Search

Search NC Council of Churches

Hide Search

For Children, It’s Good News and Bad News from the GA

Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director · May 23, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Click here to sign up to receive the Raleigh Report in your inbox

Last week was a mixed bag for children and youth in terms of activity at the General Assembly. Among accomplishments was further progress on raising the age at which juveniles can be charged as adults in criminal proceedings. North Carolina is the only state where 16- and 17-year-olds are automatically charged as adults.

While advocates for children and youth were cheered by the prospect for change in juvenile jurisdiction, the Council and its allies were discouraged and disheartened by a provision in the state Senate’s budget that would cut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (food stamps) to more than 50,000 children across North Carolina.

As our friends at NC Child explain:

‘Raise the Age’

HB 280, the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, passed the state House by a whopping 104-8 margin! Members of both parties did a fantastic job making the case for ‘raise the age’ during the floor debate and the bill is headed to the Senate with good momentum. Now, the Senate and House will have to work out the differences in the respective ‘raise the age’ policies. HB 280 raises the age of juvenile jurisdiction from 16- to 18-years-old for all misdemeanors and low-level felonies, while the Senate budget provision only raises the age for misdemeanors. It’s unclear at this point if the Senate will pass an amended version of HB 280 or if the issue will be worked out as part of the budget negotiations.

SNAP Benefits Cut

The NC Senate budget includes a provision that would cut SNAP benefits for over 50,000 children statewide. Specifically, the budget eliminates ‘categorical eligibility,’ which is how children between 130% and 200% FPL enroll in SNAP. A significant portion of the children who would lose SNAP benefits would also lose their free or reduced school lunch, since eligibility for that program is tied to SNAP enrollment for many children. Click here to read NC Child’s recent issue brief on SNAP and the proposed cuts. Click here to see a county-by-county breakdown of the number of children who would lose food assistance.

We highly recommend contacting your house member and urging them to keep this provision out of their proposed budget.

Filed Under: Blog, Homepage Featured, Raleigh Report Tagged With: Children & Youth, Criminal Justice, Food, N.C. General Assembly, State Budget

Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

About Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Aleta Payne first joined the Council staff in the spring of 2001 as the Communications Associate. She continues to oversee that work along with development, represents the Council in several partnership efforts, and serves in other administrative roles, as well. Aleta is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in government and foreign affairs and spent much of her early career as a journalist. She has three young adult sons who continue to come home to Cary for dinner, or at least groceries, and two young adult terrier-mix dogs who keep the nest from feeling too empty.

Reader Interactions

More Like This

Because of Jesus
The Perfect Gift for Mother’s Day
PHW Faith and Health Summit: Thank You

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anonymous comments or comments that target individuals will not be posted (please include your first and last name). All comments must be on topic and respectful. Comments will not be posted until they have been reviewed by a moderator. Comments do not reflect the positions of the NC Council of Churches.

Footer

Contact

NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org

Facebook

Partners in Health and Wholeness

Featured

For Children, It’s Good News and Bad News from the GA

Latest Tweets

"We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed." - Martin Luther King Jr. pic.twitter.com/cQ72…

About 2 hours ago

Are you interested in Christian unity, peace, and social justice? Do you know someone who is? Share this post and stay updated on what is coming up this year by signing up for our weekly newsletter! ncchurches.org/email…

About 3 days ago

The 2021 MLK Brochure edition from @democracync features info about voting in local elections this year, advocating for fair & transparent redistricting, and more. Follow the link to get these brochures! docs.google.com/form…

About 3 days ago

RT @NCPolicyWatch The real perpetrators of fraud regarding the 2020 election shar.es/ao4BUi via @NCPolicyWatch #NCPOL #NCGA #ElectionIntegrity #Trump @ncchurches

About 3 days ago

RT @healthandfaith Join us, @ncdhhs, and @ncchurches next Friday for a webinar focused on the COVID-19 Vaccine roll out. We will discuss the process and how faith communities can get involved. Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meet… #MindfulTogether pic.twitter.com/Nm90…

About 3 days ago

Follow @ncchurches

Latest Tweets

“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” Thank you Dr. King for your wisdom and leadership. We hope to continue honoring your vision for justice and peace every day. pic.twitter.com/hpVi…

About 4 hours ago

Awesome things to come this year - subscribe and stay in touch! #MindfulTogether twitter.com/ncchurch…

About 3 days ago

So important and needed. You are so loved. twitter.com/NAMINCar…

About 3 days ago

Join us, @ncdhhs, and @ncchurches next Friday for a webinar focused on the COVID-19 Vaccine roll out. We will discuss the process and how faith communities can get involved. Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meet… #MindfulTogether pic.twitter.com/Nm90…

About 4 days ago

Check it out! twitter.com/CityofDu…

About 5 days ago

Follow @healthandfaith

Latest Tweets

RT @interfaithpower Join IPL Jan 19 for a free screening of the short film Unbreathable, followed by webinar: The EPA and Clean Air in 2021. Register: bit.ly/unbreathable @episcopalchurch @LungAssociation @faithinplace @alinterfaithpl @iowaipl @NCIPL @VAIPL @NewMexicoIPL @GeorgiaIPL pic.twitter.com/yDlx…

About 3 days ago

RT @CCLTriangle This is the jobs engine the country needs @SenThomTillis @SenatorBurr @GKButterfield @DeborahRossNC: 81% of additional generating capacity in the USA last year was solar, wind or battery. Great news. Please make sure the percentage rises this year! eia.gov/todayinenerg… pic.twitter.com/zarU…

About 6 days ago

RT @interfaithpower Join IPL Jan 19 for a free screening of the short film Unbreathable, followed by webinar: The EPA and Clean Air in 2021. Register: bit.ly/unbreathable @episcopalchurch @LungAssociation @faithinplace @alinterfaithpl @iowaipl @NCIPL @VAIPL @NewMexicoIPL @GeorgiaIPL pic.twitter.com/zSKE…

About a week ago

RT @noel_johnny Oil & gas corporations, including Chevron and Exxon, have donated a total of $5.4 million to the seven Senators who voted to overturn the presidential election and bolstered a violent, failed attempted coup by pro-Trump extremists. greenpeace.org/usa/n…. #RemoveOrResign

About a week ago

RT @UniteThePoor Nine moral witnesses with the #PoorPeoplesCampaign were arrested on June 12, 2018 for praying for repentance & justice on the steps of the US Supreme Court. They were taken to jail & held till the following day. #TBT 📷: #HopeInFocus pic.twitter.com/66Zn…

About 2 weeks ago

Follow @ncipl

Latest Tweets

Copyright © 2021 NC Council of Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design · Hosted by WP Engine