Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for taking the time to read our latest newsletter, which we offer as a resource for keeping constituents informed on current legislation and other recent developments that affect Eastern NC.

Our goal is to ensure that you are always informed and up-to-date on the issues that matter most. If there are any items you would like me to address or if you need assistance navigating state government, please feel free to reach out to my office. My legislative assistant, Chamberlayne Cromwell, and I are happy to assist you in any way we can.

Your input and feedback are highly valued, and we always appreciate hearing from our constituents. Thank you once again for your readership and support. I am honored to represent and serve the people of Lenoir, Jones, and Greene counties.

At your service,
Chris Humphrey
State Representative

Voter ID Finally Becomes Law

BIG WIN for North Carolina! The Voter ID law that we passed in 2018 has been upheld by the Supreme Court of North Carolina, officially making it the law of the land. This is a huge victory for election integrity and ensuring that every legal vote counts. Our Voter ID law ensures that only eligible voters cast ballots in our elections and that each vote is secure.

Visiting East Carolina University

It was an exciting day welcoming my dear friends and colleagues Rep. Kyle Hall, Rep. David Willis, Rep. Tricia Cotham, and Bryan Jenkins to the district and showing them around ECU. It was a fantastic opportunity for them to learn more about the pioneering research and ground-breaking programs at this renowned institution. I am continuously impressed by their dedication to advancing education and leadership in fields such as healthcare and engineering. Special thanks to Karson Nelson and the ECU team for their warm welcome and vital contributions to our state and beyond!

SB 20: Care for Women, Children, & Families Act

I am humbled to support the millions of North Carolina women who seek to protect the sanctity of human life and support a strong family structure. That's why I voted YES on the Care for Women & Children Act — a common-sense measure which limits abortion at 12 weeks of pregnancy, providing exceptions for rape/incest and to protect the life of the mother. This crucial legislation also provides a safety net of care to help women choose life, and includes funding for parental leave and foster care support.

Term Limits for Congress

I was recently honored with a "Champion of Term Limits" plaque by U.S. Term Limits as a token of appreciation for my efforts in promoting and advocating for term limits in the United States Congress.

NC Retired School Personnel Luncheon

It was a delight to provide a comprehensive legislative update and present the House Budget proposal at the North Carolina Retired School Personnel luncheon at King’s Restaurant. It’s always a joy to see Lenoir County Chairwoman Linda Rouse Sutton, and Kinston Mayor Don D. Hardy. It was an honor to share insights and discuss critical issues that matter to our community.

House Page Program

I had the pleasure of working alongside two exceptional House Pages this month, Caroline Lafone and Austin Williams. Their bright minds and dedication bring a fresh perspective to our work, and I am honored to have had them as part of our team.

The House Page program provides a tremendous opportunity for students to gain valuable knowledge and experience in state government, civic engagement, and leadership. It's inspiring to see young people like Caroline and Austin taking an active role in the legislative process, and I am grateful for the contributions of all our House Pages.

Protecting Women's Sports

We took an important step in protecting the safety and integrity of women's sports in North Carolina. By passing House Bill 574, the 'Fairness in Women's Sports Act,' we are ensuring that only biological females are allowed to compete in women's sports.

This common-sense measure is not only fair, but it is also necessary to protect the safety of our female athletes. We cannot allow biological males to compete in women's sports, as it creates an uneven playing field and puts female athletes at risk of injury. This bill is about ensuring that women have equal opportunities to compete and excel in sports, and I am proud to support it.

American Society of Landscape Architects

The American Society of Landscape Architects has recognized Kinston, North Carolina’s Emma Webb Park master plan as an exceptional model for incorporating multiple community interests, including recreation, flood reduction, and community engagement.

Our team played a crucial role in supporting Kinston Teens’ leadership with this project through $500,000 in state funding. Thank you to our many partners, including the American Flood Coalition, for making this possible.

We’re excited to keep the momentum going to provide public benefit to the people of Eastern NC.

Greene County Recipient of Healthcare Grant

For decades, quality health care access in rural communities has been hard to come by. I am thrilled about the approval of this grant to Heritage Family Health & Wellness, which will expand their operations in Snow Hill to create jobs and provide enhanced care to those in need.

This investment is a significant step toward improving the health and well-being of our community, and I am proud to support this project.

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HB 463: NC Farmland & Military Protection Act

By preventing America's foreign adversaries from acquiring our farmland, we can bolster our national and food security. This proposed bill serves as a critical safeguard to protect our state's food supply, as well as our military bases, from any potential threat posed by these land acquisitions.

Medical Freedom Act

State and local government employees are the backbone of our communities. They work tirelessly to serve and protect us, and they deserve our gratitude and respect.

That's why I proudly voted YES to pass House Bill 98, the "Medical Freedom Act." This bill ensures that our hardworking public employees are not forced to take the COVID-19 vaccine by the government. It's about respecting their individual medical choices and standing up for their personal freedom.

Let's continue to support our state and local government employees as they serve our communities with dedication and professionalism.

Hope Preparatory School

It was a joy to spend time with students from Hope Preparatory School Kinston, who invited me to join them for lunch at the North Carolina State Bar. These students had the opportunity to hear from Chief Justice Paul Newby at the Supreme Court, and other judges and leaders from across our Great State. We must continue to invest in these children — they are our future leaders!

Legislative Update

Throughout the month of April, I have signed on in support of several pieces of legislation. There have been 893 bills filed in the House and 745 in the Senate. I'm proud to have signed on as a co-sponsor to the following bills:

HB 644: Social Media Algorithmic Control in IT Act

• Revises certain definitions and “social media platform” is now limited to electronic mediums with more than one million monthly active users in the US and specifically excludes certain types of platforms.

• This also limits the scope of requirements for social media platform operators relating to user data and privacy to NC platform users and NC platform users who are minors. 

• Specifies that the prohibition on using user data from NC platform users who are minors is used to inform content recommendations to the minor and is not intended to prevent content from being shown as a direct result of explicit actions. 

• Finally, it limits the private right of action against a social media platform that fails to comply with the requirements of the bill to NC platform users.

HB 688: Increase Access for Small Employers/Insurance

• The bill amends the Small Employer Group Health Insurance Reform Act to allow small employers who employ more than five eligible individuals to receive stop loss, catastrophic, or reinsurance coverage. 

• This is a change from the previous requirement of small employers having at least twenty employees. 

• The effective date of the amendment is October 1, 2023, and it applies to contracts issued, renewed, or amended on or after that date.

HB 753: Modify Laws Relating to Bail Bonds/Bondsmen

• It adds the definition of "residential address" to Article 71, GS Chapter 58, expands the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) criminal records search to include AOC's Odyssey systems, and establishes that a bail bond is only valid for up to three years if no forfeiture has been issued. 

• It also adds new requirements for notification and termination of obligation, and bars any other forfeitures for the bail bond when the court enters an order setting aside a forfeiture.

HB 845: Update Structured Settlement Protection Act

• This would enact the Structured Settlement Protection Act in North Carolina, which requires anyone seeking to acquire structured settlement payment rights from a payee who resides in the state to first register with the Department of Insurance as a structured settlement purchase company. 

• The act prohibits certain practices such as intentionally advertising misleading information, attempting to coerce or intimidate a payee seeking to transfer structured settlement payment rights, and attempting to defraud a payee. 

• The act sets forth requirements for a court order authorizing the transfer of structured settlement payment rights, including that the transfer does not contravene any statute and is in the best interest of the payee.

As always, our office in Raleigh is here to serve as a resource to all of my constituents in Lenoir, Greene, and Jones counties. I’m here to take your feedback, answer your questions, and help you to cut through the bureaucracy of state government. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if we can ever be of service to you.

In Memory of David Mooring

On March 31, 2023, the community of Kinston and Lenoir County lost a dear friend, David Lee Mooring. David was a man of many talents and passions. He was a leader who led by example, not just giving directions but also putting in the hard work himself. He served as an inspiration to all of those who had the privilege of knowing him.

David's passing leaves a deep void in our community, and his family will undoubtedly miss him dearly. But his many friends also grieve the loss of his inspiration, humor, wisdom, and hard work. We were all better people through our association with David Lee Mooring. His commitment to community service set the standard for us all to follow.

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