On August 7th, Governor McCrory signed the state budget. This year's short session has been a lively one with some surprises including that the Legislature still has not concluded session and that we expect the Legislature will return for work this November on Medicaid Reform. As always, we will monitor all the legislative activities and keep you informed. During the active session, we made strides toward our policy issues and we are making plans to build strong support for our legislative issues in 2015. Thank you for your advocacy this year!
Healthy Food Financing/Food Deserts
This year, we have been working to educate lawmakers about the importance of improving access to healthy foods and eliminating food deserts in our state. While we weren't successful in securing funding for improving healthy food access through a healthy corner store or healthy food financing initiative, we did educate many lawmakers. Our work must continue and we need your help, and your voice, to continue the conversation with your elected officials this summer to remind them how important this issue is to the state of North Carolina. Email your lawmakers today and let them know you support funding healthy corner store and healthy food financing initiatives for our neighbors across the state.
Stroke Advisory Council (SAC)
We supported a $50,000 funding request for the Stroke Advisory Council as recommended by the Justus-Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (JWHDSP) Task Force. Unfortunately, we were not successful in securing this funding. We did successfully work in collaboration with the JWHDSP Task Force to engage the General Assembly and the Governor in Hypertension Awareness Day on May 21st.
Tobacco Prevention Funding
In 2014, we sought $1,000,000 in recurring funding for tobacco use prevention programs, as well as a separate $200,000 in funding for the You Quit, Two Quit program to help pregnant women quit smoking. With money tight, we were not successful in increasing funding for tobacco control. Lawmakers worked hard to secure the You Quit, Two Quit funding, but efforts were not successful. Instead, they added You Quit, Two Quit to the list of programs that can compete competitively for grant funding.
Our work must continue if we are to improve the lives of our neighbors, our children, and ourselves. Thank you for using your voice. Together we will build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Life is why.
Click here to urge your lawmakers to eliminate North Carolina's food deserts in 2015.
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