[“3 things happening in NC” is Cardinal & Pine’s weekly guide to the people, storylines, and events driving the news this week in North Carolina.]
Below, we have a Moral Monday march on Washington to condemn the SAVE Act, plus some major voting changes afoot in the NC General Assembly, but first:
In last week’s column, I wrote about the reconvening of the North Carolina General Assembly and whether Republican lawmakers may try to override Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of Senate Bill 50, known as Freedom to Carry NC.
The controversial bill would allow eligible North Carolinians 18 and older to carry a concealed handgun without obtaining a permit.
The override vote was placed on Monday’s legislative calendar, but as of Tuesday morning, it hasn’t been voted on. We’ll keep you updated, or you can track the bill here on the NC General Assembly website.
Following that, there are a number of other bills scheduled to come before the House on Tuesday. I will get to that, but first, let’s go federal, as a large group of NC activists were in Washington DC Monday to stand against the SAVE Act.
NC’s “Moral Monday” protests the SAVE America Act in Washington
Longtime NC civil rights leader William Barber II led a march on Washington Monday to protest Republicans’ controversial SAVE America Act.
The bill says it aims to prevent non-citizens from voting by requiring documented proof of citizenship when people register, and requiring voter ID at the polls. However, many American citizens don’t have documented proof, and some worry that it would disenfranchise millions of Americans.
Also, non-citizen voting is extremely rare in the US, according to numerous nonpartisan reviews of the American election system.
As of Tuesday, the SAVE Act is stuck in limbo in DC. It has been passed by the US House, but not by the Senate.
Barber brought together members of the clergy, activists and “people of conscience” for a day of action in Washington DC on Monday “to stand up for democracy and against the ongoing voter suppression and intimidation found in the so-called SAVE America Act, which will impact all Americans regardless of race, gender, faith, ethnicity or economic class,” according to a release from the organization.
The day of action was part of the organization’s “100 Days; 1,000 Marches to the Polls,” a voter mobilization initiative in which the organization is calling for 1,000 marches to the polls across the United States ahead of Election Day in November. Barber, president of Repairers of the Breach, planned a public rally inside New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington.
The organization hopes to “raise their voices together against the SAVE America Act and the repeated attacks on voting rights in our federal government and across the nation,” according to the release. Following the rally, participants were expected to march to Black Lives Matter Plaza and demonstrate in front of the White House.
A national nonprofit headquartered in North Carolina, where Barber started holding Moral Monday protests and rallies in 2013, Repairers of the Breach says its mission involves “building and supporting moral movements for social change and training a fusion group of people, activists, artists, and interfaith leaders to organize and mobilize around a moral policy agenda that prioritizes love, truth, and justice.”
NC lawmakers consider major anti-voting bill
A number of bills have been added to the North Carolina legislative calendar for Tuesday, Aug. 4, most notably a controversial elections bill, House Bill 958.
Approved by the NC Senate last week along party lines, HB 958 would reduce early voting periods during primaries, primary runoffs and special elections from 17 days to 10 days; require state Auditor Dave Boliek to conduct post-election audits of county election systems; and use federal databases and other sources to make changes to voter rolls.
It also includes a provision that could allow for mass ballot challenges after the election, as Common Cause NC points out.
Other bills on the calendar for Tuesday include Senate Bill 445, the Regulatory Reform Act of 2026, which would limit local zoning restrictions on accessory dwellings and redevelopment. Also, House Bill 562, known as the Healthcare Investment Act, would adjust Medicaid funding while appropriating funds for specific health initiatives and reducing funding for certain reserves and capital projects.
AVL Sounds Fest showcases venue diversity in Asheville
Spotlighting Asheville’s diverse music and arts scene, AVL Sounds Fest will feature live music performances in more than 15 participating venues — from concert halls and clubs to outdoor venues — with a lineup of more than 200 acts including local, regional and national talent.
Performance showcases will take place from Thursday to Sunday, with wristbands available that will allow passholders access to all participating Asheville venues.
Headliners for this year’s fest include Dr. Dog, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Big Freedia, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Grace Bowers, Young Gun Silver Fox, Tyler Ramsey & Carl Broemel, Sir Woman, Improvement Movement, River Whyless, and Secret Agent 23 Skidoo.
