A published 4th Circuit opinion says CBP officers may manually inspect phones at U.S. ports of entry without a warrant, while forensic extractions remain limited. The ruling will bind courts across the circuit.

Sen. Woodson Bradley is drafting a domestic violence offender registry after a fatal Pineville case and says she’s using Tennessee’s new system as a model. Lawmakers will debate scope and safeguards.

Sen. Sophia Chitlik joined her husband in lobbying for American Efficient in 2024 while FERC later ordered $722M in penalties; state disclosure and donation rules are now in focus.

A Wilmington family will move a $1M scholarship endowment off UNCW rather than remove language supporting African American students. The decision spotlights fallout from the UNC System’s equality policy.

A federal review finds North Carolina behind on special education: slow evaluations, staffing holes and a push to study weighted funding.

Gov. Stein signed Executive Order No. 39 to create a Health Care Affordability Commission co‑chaired by Brad Briner and Dev Sangvai, charged with lowering costs and improving access.

Gov. Stein signed HB1104 to change how North Carolina handles involuntary psychiatric commitments, ordering telehealth pilots, data upgrades and studies.

Durham approved a comprehensive update to its Minimum Housing Code, the first major rewrite since 2016. The changes add clearer standards for drainage, pests, walls and AC and strengthen enforcement tools.

State Auditor Dave Boliek reassigned Dallas Woodhouse and discontinued the auditor’s elections-liaison role after reporting showed Woodhouse pressing local boards over early‑voting sites.

Wake County Democrats delivered a petition they say has about 60,000 signatures and asked commissioners for $200,000 to bring early voting back to Talley Student Union.

Gov. Josh Stein signed a law on July 6 that raises paid parental leave for eligible North Carolina state employees to 12 weeks as part of a broader HR overhaul. The State Human Resources Commission will write rules on eligibility, prorating and implementation.

Lawmakers’ budget would leave Wake County prosecutors well below recommended staffing, officials warn — a gap they say could stretch case timelines for victims and slow complex probes.

Lawmakers approved a roughly $34B budget on July 2 that pairs teacher and state‑worker raises with tax changes. Gov. Josh Stein now has 10 days to act.