Friends,

Earlier this month, Missouri approved Medicaid Expansion in a referendum vote. North Carolina is now one of only twelve states to refuse to accept federal funding to expand Medicaid and provide healthcare coverage to 500,000 North Carolinians and to create health care-related jobs in our state.

We know that 1 in 5 adults have lost their health insurance due to job losses since the COVID-19 pandemic began, which means about 1.2 million North Carolinians are facing healthcare insecurity and rising medical costs, threatening their health and safety.

The very first bill I sponsored in 2019 was Medicaid Expansion and the very first bill I sponsored in 2020 was Medicaid Expansion. While our current legislative leaders refuse to schedule a vote on the bill, I will continue to fight for reliable access to affordable healthcare.

Our legislative body goes back into session on September 2nd. We have a lot of work to do to address the myriad of issues caused by the pandemic, and I hope that our legislative leaders come back to Raleigh ready to work on a bill to expand Medicaid and provide healthcare to the hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians who are depending on us.
Reminder: my office in the General Assembly will be open and utilizing teleworking technologies indefinitely. We are still able to address any questions or concerns you might have. We will just not be physically in the Legislative Building for a short time. You can still contact my office by emailing vonhaefenla@ncleg.net or by calling 919-715-0795.

Please contact me at any time. I am here to serve you.

Sincerely,
Representative Julie von Haefen
Save the Date: Virtual Office Hours
Virtual office hours on Tuesday September 1st!
I'm excited to host virtual office hours via Facebook Live on Tuesday September 1st at 12PM!

Click the link below to RSVP for the event on Facebook and to receive a notification when we go live.
COVID-19 Update
Governor Cooper Extends Phase 2

On August 5th, Governor Cooper announced the extension of Phase 2 until September 11th. The governor and public health officials remain guided by science, data and facts in making decisions regarding COVID-19. Since moving into Phase 2 on May 22, 2020, several key metrics have been trending in a concerning direction:

  • North Carolina’s daily number of positive COVID-19 tests is continuing to increase.
  • The percentage of COVID-19 tests that are positive has remained high.
  • Emergency department visits for COVID-19 like illnesses are increasing.
  • Hospitalizations for COVID-19 continue to increase.

Doctors, public health officials, hospital administrators and health care providers are concerned that unless the spread of COVID-19 is limited, existing health care facilities may not have the capacity to care for those who become sick.
Governor Cooper Supporting Students Affected
by COVID-19
Governor Cooper is directing $95.6 million in new funding to help support K-12 and postsecondary students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding is North Carolina’s share of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, a part of the federal CARES Act. The GEER funds are intended to provide emergency support to school districts, postsecondary institutions, or other education-related entities for addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Governor is directing the following investments to support K-12 students across North Carolina:
  • $40 million to hire more school nurses, counselors, social workers, and psychologists in our public schools.
  • $20 million to support the academic needs of at-risk students and students with disabilities through additional in-school supports, such as after-school programming, tutoring, or hiring more teachers or teacher assistants.
In addition to funds for K-12 schools, the Governor is also directing the following investments to support students in postsecondary institutions across North Carolina:  
  • $15 million to the NC Community College System to provide tuition assistance to students enrolled in short-term workforce training programs leading to a state or industry-recognized credential in a high-demand field.
  • $6 million to the UNC System for institutions to provide emergency assistance to North Carolina students whose ability to complete their degree has been impacted by the pandemic.
  • $4 million to the State Education Assistance Authority for independent colleges and universities to provide emergency assistance to North Carolina students whose ability to complete their degree has been impacted by the pandemic.
  • $566,000 to the UNC System for the NC School of Science and Mathematics and the UNC School of the Arts, each of which received limited to no federal higher education funding from the CARES Act because of the size of their high school student populations.

The remaining $10 million will be held in reserve to address additional K-12 and postsecondary needs that may arise later this year or next year. The Governor has until May 2021 to allocate the funds. Recipients have until September 30, 2022 to spend the funds.
The Census & COVID-19
The census affects funding for schools, roads and hospitals, firefighters, and resources for people who need it most. Even more urgent, census data is being used right now to allocate resources from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) and will almost certainly be used to allocate future federal funds to combat COVID-19.

Census data affects funding for all sorts of important programs that support North Carolinians in our daily lives. In 2016 alone, North Carolina received $23.8 billion in funding based on census results. That includes:

  • $1 billion for highway planning and construction
  • $2.2 billion for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • $341 million in special education grants
  • $381 million for school lunches
  • $87 million for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
  • $45 million in grants to prevent and treat substance abuse
Census results also impact North Carolina's federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP), which formulates funding for several federally funded health and wellness programs in North Carolina including:

  • Medicaid
  • Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
  • Federal Foster Care Programs
  • Adoption Assistance Programs
  • Child Care and Development Fund

All of this money depends on an accurate census. Right now, the national census response rate is 62.9 percent, but North Carolina's response rate is much lower at 59.1 percent.

Will you encourage your friends and neighbors to fill out the census this year? Filling out the census is easy. Either call the census at 844-330-2020 or visit 2020Census.gov.
Office Updates
Absentee Voting FAQ
In response to an overwhelming number of questions about the process for casting an absentee ballot, the North Carolina State Board of Elections has released an Absentee Voting FAQ.
Some Quick Takeaways:

When will I receive my absentee ballot for the 2020 general election?
  • Beginning September 4, 2020, ballots will be mailed by county boards of elections to voters who have returned a request form. 

Will I be notified if my absentee ballot is rejected? Will I have a chance to remedy any deficiencies?
  • County boards of elections will contact voters when there are deficiencies with their absentee ballot. You should provide your phone number or email address on the request form in case the county board needs to contact you. The State Board encourages voters to carefully read and follow the instructions that come with the ballot.
  • The State Board also encourages voters to request and return their absentee ballot as early as possible to ensure time remains to correct any issues. If an issue arises and the voter is unable to successfully cast an absentee ballot, that voter may still vote during the in-person early voting period or on Election Day.

May I hand-deliver my voted absentee ballot to the polls on Election Day?
  • No. You may return your ballot to any early voting site in your county during the early voting period, but not to your polling place on Election Day. One-Stop early voting ends at 3 p.m. October 31. 

May I hand-deliver my voted absentee ballot to my county board of elections office?
  • Yes. If you are delivering your voted ballot in person, it must be returned to your county board of elections office by 5 p.m. on Election Day. You may also return it to any early voting site in the county.