Friends,

The General Assembly has been in session for nine months, and we still haven't voted to take advantage of over 11 million dollars of federal funds that our state would receive if we expanded Medicaid.

That's why I attended today's hearing on the state of Medicaid Expansion, sponsored by Senator Blue and Representative Jackson. The witnesses included Dr. Leighton Ku, author of a Cone Health Foundation study on Medicaid Expansion; Cassandra Brooks, who owns day care facilities in Wake and Johnston counties; Robin Jordan, whose daughter died earlier this year as a result of lack of medical care and lack of health insurance; and Lynne Pierce, a single mother currently living in the health care coverage gap.

Two of Cassandra's teachers died of heart attacks after easily treatable diseases like high blood pressure went untreated due to lack of insurance coverage. Cassandra also works with many other teachers at her childcare centers who struggle with health issues but cannot access treatment because they fall in the coverage gap. One of her teachers is treating her high blood pressure with home remedies such as vinegar because she cannot afford to go to the doctor. Cassandra worries that she will lose more teachers before the General Assembly acts to expand Medicaid. "This is real life," she said. "They are dying because they cannot afford healthcare."

We cannot afford to wait any longer to expand Medicaid. No one in our communities should die simply because they earn too much to currently qualify for Medicaid. We know how to improve health outcomes for everyone in our state. The solution is right in front of us. Expanding Medicaid will provide more affordable care to over 500,000 North Carolinians, including over 44,000 people who would gain new access to healthcare in Wake County by 2022 .

I will continue to advocate for Medicaid Expansion until it becomes law. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. And as always, please let me know if my office can be of any assistance to you.
Sincerely,

Representative Julie von Haefen
Upcoming Elections
Municipal Elections are here!

Cary residents will cast their ballots on October 8th .

Apex, Fuquay Varina, Garner, and Holly Springs residents will cast their ballots on November 5th of this year.

If you are unsure when or where to vote, please check your voter registration using the link below.
Third Thursday Office Hours: October 17th
Rep. von Haefen will hold office hours on  Thursday, October 17th from 9AM-11AM  at Chanticleer Cafe & Bakery in Cary.

Address: 6490 Tryon Rd, Cary, NC 27518

Stop by anytime between 9AM & 11AM to share your thoughts or ask questions!
Election Security Town Hall
Please join us for a town hall on Election Security this October 27th!

Joining us are Mr. Tomas Lopez , Executive Director at Democracy NC, Ms. Allison Riggs , Senior Attorney for Voting Rights at Southern Coalition for Social Justice, and Mr. Bob Phillips , Executive Director at NC Common Cause.

  • Date & Time: Sunday, October 27th from 4:30PM-6PM
  • Location: Apex Town Council Chambers, 73 Hunter Street, Apex, NC 27502
Municipal Candidate Forums
Apex Forum
The Apex Chamber of Commerce is hosting a municipal candidate forum.

When: Tuesday October 8th from 6:45PM-9PM.
Where: Apex Friendship High School 7801 Humie Olive Rd Apex, NC 27502

Mayoral candidates and town council candidates will be in attendance to answer questions.
Garner Forum
The Garner Chamber of Commerce will host a Municipal Candidate Forum for Garner Mayor & Town Council Seats.

When: Tuesday October 8th at 7:00pm
Where: Garner Performing Arts Center, 742 W Garner Road, Garner NC

This forum will be moderated by
Debra Derr, Director of Government Affairs for the NC Chamber.
Fuquay Varina Forum
Join the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters at a forum for the candidates running for Fuquay-Varina mayor and town commissioner seats.

When: October 23, 2019 at 6:00pm
Where: Fuquay-Varina Arts Center

All interested voters are encouraged to attend!
Youth Legislative Assembly Applications
Youth Legislative Assembly (YLA) is a State program that has been in existence for over 49 years. This program replicates a legislative atmosphere of geographic diversity similar to our legislature.

YLA is a superb opportunity for any young person looking to learn more about the role of government and public service in our daily lives. For more information about YLA, please visit the application link below.

  • YLA Date: April 3-5, 2020

  • First Application Deadline: December 31st, 2019

  • Applicants must be grades 9-12 and be 14-18 years old. 

  • Registration fees range from $230-$280

If you, or someone you know, is interested in receiving a scholarship to attend YLA, please contact vonhaefenla@ncleg.net
Office Updates
School to Career Volunteer Celebration
I was so thankful for the opportunity to attend the School to Career Volunteer Celebration this month.

Our Wake County Public School system's partnerships with local & national businesses have increased graduation rates & are creating more opportunities for students to succeed!
Vance Elementary PTA
I had the chance to visit  Vance Elementary School  in District 36 and attend their PTA Board Meeting. I love seeing engaged parents, teachers and staff working together for the benefit of their school community!

I was able to deliver an entire box full of paper, pencils and other essentials for Vance ES. I will continue to work in the General Assembly so that the state provides enough money to schools to purchase these items instead of having to rely on the kindness of strangers.

If you’d like me to visit your school or PTA, I’d love to come!
¡La Fiesta del Pueblo 2019! 
Thank you  El Pueblo, Inc.  for inviting elected officials to hear the stories of immigrant families prior to recognizing us during the Opening Ceremony for La Fiesta del Pueblo.

Hearing directly from the men, women and children who are impacted by state and local policies is powerful. We need more voices with El Pueblo's to fight for immigrant rights and equality in our state. I'm thankful for the advocates who are speaking up and fighting back.
El Centro Hispano 27th Anniversary Gala
Thank you  El Centro Hispano, Inc.  for a fun night at your 27th Anniversary Gala that included dancing, wonderful food and a live auction! Several legislators, including myself, Senator Woodard and Representative Black, auctioned off a “Day at the NCGA” which raised $400 for the group.

El Centro Hispano is a Latino nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the community, building bridges and advocating for equity and inclusion for Hispanics/Latinos in the Triangle Area of North Carolina.
Raleigh Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
I was honored to attend a VIP tour of the new Raleigh Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Apex. This beautiful building is an Apex landmark that has been closed for renovations since January 2018. It serves 45,000 people in central and eastern NC.

We were not allowed to take pictures inside but I learned a lot about their faith, the temple & the members of the church.
Wake Tech Ground Breaking
Congratulations to Wake Tech on the groundbreaking of the new Hendrick Center for Automotive Excellence at their Northern Campus! Governor Cooper and Rep. David Price were also there to offer their thanks and best wishes.
 
The gem of Wake County just gets better and better! I’m so happy to support the BEST community college in NC!
District Events
Click the links for more details about each event!
October
Did you Know?
North Carolina developed four different state seals during the Colonial period and there have been six state seals since North Carolina declared its independence from England.
The Great Seal was standardized in 1971 and the final addition of the date for the Mecklenburg Declaration was made in 1983.