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Three Public Records Law Changes in the 2023 Budget

September 26, 2023

As of September 22, the General Assembly approved House Bill 259, a budget for the current and upcoming fiscal years. The budget bill, which will become law on October 3 without Governor Cooper’s signature, includes three notable changes to public … Read more

When Criminal Investigation Records Enter the Personnel File

July 18, 2023

With glowing references, top-notch productivity, and all-around likability, Shifty Sam seemed like Aboveboard Town’s most valuable employee (name aside). When Shifty Sam is arrested, his coworkers are shocked and dismayed. The Aboveboard Town Council wants to learn more about Sam’s … Read more

A Parliamentary Procedure Primer: Part 2 – Motions

December 20, 2022

My last post introduced parliamentary procedure and local rules of procedure generally. This week, we’ll explore the procedural rules surrounding motions. A motion is a formal proposal by a board member that invites the body to take some action. (RONR … Read more

Responding to First Amendment Audits: Trespass Issues

November 28, 2022

This post is Part 7 of a multi-part series co-authored by Kristi Nickodem and Kristina Wilson. For a more detailed explanation and legal analysis of the issues discussed in this blog post series (including citations to cases referenced in the … Read more

The Most Common Oaths of Office Question

August 4, 2022

Does this person need to take an oath of office? This is by far the most frequent oaths of office question I receive. My colleagues Trey Allen and David Lawrence have written excellent blogs (here and here) on this very … Read more

Can Appointed Boards Continue to Meet Remotely?

August 2, 2022

On July 11, 2022, Governor Cooper’s office published a press release indicating that the statewide state of emergency will end on August 15, 2022.  At that point, Section 166A-19.24, which provides explicit authority for remote meetings, will expire. Many elected … Read more