Friends,

Last week, there was a lot of talk in the General Assembly about a bill that was allegedly a matter of "life or death." There were no peer-reviewed research studies presented to support that claim, no corroborating evidence and not a single reported instance of that being the case. In fact, supporters of the bill neglected to acknowledge four criminal statutes that already make it a felony to cause the death of a child via negligence, malice, and/or premeditation (G.S. 14-23.2; G.S. 14-18; G.S. 14-17; G.S. 14-17).

As I said in the News and Observer , “I think it’s an unnecessary bill designed to threaten and scare doctors... It’s also political, to make us out as against babies and mothers, which is not the case.”

Even more concerning, last week's political circus directed public and legislative attention away from a very real life or death issue pending in the General Assembly: Medicaid Expansion .

North Carolina’s infant mortality rate is 7.2 for every 1000 births.   That is significantly higher than the national average of 5.9.  To put that in perspective, t here were 120,999 live births in 2017. If we could get our infant mortality rate down to the national average, we would save over 1,000 babies’ lives every year .

It is a well known and accepted fact that expanding Medicaid saves babies’ lives and it saves mothers’ lives.  A recent report says that states that have expanded Medicaid have seen infant mortality rates decline 50% more than in non-expansion states. These are not political arguments or hypotheticals – they are facts established by medical researchers.

The best thing we can do to support the health and welfare of newborns is expand Medicaid, but legislative leaders refuse to hear that bill.

As budget season comes to a close, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if you have any questions about the process or the budget itself.
Sincerely,

Representative Julie von Haefen
Governor Expands Executive Order 24
To honor the progress made in the LGBTQ rights movement, Gov. Cooper proclaimed June as LGBTQ Pride month in North Carolina. 

“I am proud to recognize the LGBTQ community and honor the many contributions they have made to our state,” said Gov. Cooper. “Pride month is an opportunity to reflect on the progress we’ve made and stay energized for the important work that still remains to be done.”
To promote diversity and ensure that North Carolina is a welcoming place for all, Gov. Cooper extended protections with Executive Order 24. It prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, color, ethnicity, sex, National Guard or veteran status, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression in employment, and it also requires those doing business with the state to do the same.

The Executive Order also directed the Secretary of the Department of Administration to create the Commission on Inclusion to identify additional policies and measures to promote diversity and inclusion.
District 36 Meet & Greet
You're invited to a Legislative Update Meet & Greet at Crowder County Park! Representative Sydney Batch and I will speak with attendees about the budget process and will answer any questions you might have about the legislature.

This event is kid friendly, and we encourage you to bring the whole family to enjoy the beauty of Crowder County Park and to take advantage of their playground. Popsicles, snacks and drinks will be provided!

  • When: Saturday, June 29th, 2-4PM
  • Where: Crowder County Park's Robin Shelter, 4709 Ten-Ten Rd, Apex
  • What: Legislative Update / Meet & Greet
NC HealthConnex System: Fact vs. Fiction
"The main goal of the information sharing system is to support and enrich care coordination between care providers, not to put patients and providers in the binds of an ethical dilemma."

I have had some questions about the NC Health Connex system from constituents, so I wrote this Medium.com article to clear up some misunderstandings.
Please let our office know if you have further questions.
Education Spotlight
End of Year Testing
On June 3rd, I proctored End of Grade tests at my son’s elementary school. Proctoring is something every elected official should do, to get a feel for testing in NC public schools. The quiet in the building, the anxiety, the stress on teachers & students - it’s palpable.

We must work to reduce high stakes testing and stop judging and evaluating schools, students and teachers using a number on a page. Great things happen here everyday & a test score doesn’t always reflect the learning and growing happening in our schools.
Congratulations Graduates!
This week, I had the honor of attending high school graduations for high schoolers across District 36.

Seniors, you have many good times ahead.
Look fondly on high school but remember the best is yet to come!
Apex High School
Class of 2019
Middle Creek High School
Class of 2019
Cary High School
Class of 2019
District News
District 36 Energy Profile
I recently spoke with clean energy advocates who provided me with an energy profile of District 36!

District 36 has invested a total of $7,117,484 into clean energy. Last year, we produced 9.4 MW of clean energy, enough to power 1,624 homes.
Advocating for Our District
Vigil to Close the Coverage Gap
On June 5th, I attended the  C lose the Coverage Gap Vigil in Apex organized by the NC Justice Center. I spoke about the true life and death consequences to babies and mothers due to rising infant and maternal mortality rates in NC and how expanding Medicaid will lower them.

The  N CGA must expand Medicaid this legislative session to save lives. Heath care can’t wait any longer.
75th D-Day Anniversary
June 6th was a very special day at the  N CGA  as we held session in the Old Capitol Building to recognize the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. It was an honor to see the veterans & to hear the stories about such an important day in our history.
Coming Home Key Ceremony
On June 13th, I attended the Key Ceremony for U S Army SSG Tommy Rieman who received the key to his beautiful new home in Fuquay Varina from Operation Coming Home.

So wonderful to see his heroism & bravery rewarded & honored. Thank you for your service, and welcome home!
NHL Canes
I was honored to meet the NHL Canes Coach Rod Brind’Amour at the Executive Mansion as the team was honored by Governor Cooper and our First Lady!

Even the Coopers’ dog joined the party! 
Film Screening: Reslience
Thanks to everyone who came out for our screening of “Resilience.” Adverse Childhood Experiences have been called the most serious threat to children’s health in our lifetimes.

If you missed this screening, watch our newsletter for another date this fall!
Did you Know?
Members of the House of Representatives are sometimes in session for multiple hours at a time. For the first hour of session, food and beverages are not permitted on the floor!
However, this rule can easily be suspended (and it often is) by a 2/3 majority vote by members present.