>> JUST AHEAD ON BLACK ISSUES FORUM, A JUDGE GIVES LAWMAKERS A DEADLINE TO MAKE GOOD ON THE LEANDRO DECISION, AN ENERGY BILL BECOMES LAW; HOW WILL IT AFFECT YOU?

AND THE WORKER SHORTAGE GETS REAL.

STAY WITH US.

♪ WELCOME TO BLACK ISSUES FORUM, I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.

HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, IT SEEMS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE LEANDRO DECISION FOR DECADES.

THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE.

THE LEANDRO DECISION DATES BACK TO A 1994 COMPLAINT AGAINST THE STATE BY SEVERAL LOW-WEALTH, RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR FAILURE TO FAIRLY AND ADEQUATELY FUND THEIR SCHOOLS.

THE OUTCOME OF THAT CASE, A RULING BY THE STATE SUPREME COURT AND BASED ON OUR STATE CONSTITUTION THAT EVERY CHILD IS ENTITLED TO A SOUND, BASIC EDUCATION.

YEARS LATER OF SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENTS, RESEARCH STUDIES, AND DELAYS, CITIZENS HAVE YET TO SEE ANY ACTION.

BUT THIS WEEK, SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE DAVID LEE ORDERED STATE LAWMAKERS TO COMPLY WITH THE "“LEANDRO COMPREHENSIVE REMEDIAL PLAN,"” A RESEARCH-BASED SPENDING PLAN DESIGNED TO FINALLY REMEDY THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT.

BUT NOW, RESISTANT LAWMAKERS ARGUE THE COURTS HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO.

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

I'D LIKE TO WELCOME STATE SENATOR NATALIE MURDOCK OF DURHAM, POLITICAL ANALYST STEVE RAO, AND LA'MESHIA WHITTINGTON OF ADVANCE CAROLINA.

THANK YOU ALL 3 FOR BEING HERE.

SENATOR MURDOCH LET'S START WITH WHAT THE COURTS HAVE A RIGHT TO DO.

WHAT IS BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW REGARDING LEANDRO DECISION?

>> YES, THE COURTS ARE WELL WITHIN THE RIGHT TO ENGAGE IN THIS ACTION.

AS YOU SAID WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS BATTLE FOR SOME DECADES AND ACTUALLY, I WANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK.

WE ARE IN THE SOUTH.

SO WANT TO REMIND FOLKS WHEN OUR SCHOOLS WERE SEGREGATED, IT WAS THE COURTS THAT STEPPED IN AND SAID THAT SCHOOL SYSTEMS NEEDED TO INTEGRATE FOLLOWING SUPREME COURT CASES, SO THE COURT IS WELL WITHIN ITS RIGHT TO LAY OUT WHAT IT IS THAT OUR CHILDREN DESERVE AND NEED INSTEAD OF FIGHTING ABOUT IT.

WE NEED TO UTILIZE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THIS STATE DUE TO FEDERAL FUNDING AND OTHER FUNDS FROM OTHER YEARS WHERE WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FINALIZE THE BUDGET.

THE MONEY IS THERE AND SO WE SIMPLY NEED TO GET IN A ROOM, HASH IT OUT, AND SO FULLY FUND LEANDRO.

WE CAN SPACE IT OUT OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT WITH THE SURPLUS THAT WE HAVE WE DEFINITELY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO FULLY FUND LEANDRO.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR CHILDREN THIS SHOULD NOT BE SOMETHING THAT IS CONTROVERSIAL.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SIMPLY NEED TO DO.

AS YOU STATED OUR STATE CONSTITUTION IS VERY CLEAR AND ALL OF OUR CHILDREN HAVE THE RIGHT TO A BASIC EDUCATION, THAT'S THE LEAST WE CAN DO FOR OUR CHILDREN.

>> I CAN'T AGREE MORE AND WHEN IT COMES TO THAT BASIC EDUCATION, STEVE, THEIR NUMBER OF PROVISIONS OF THE LEANDRO COMPREHENSIVE REMEDIAL PLAN WHAT CAN YOU SHARE WITH US ABOUT THAT AND WHY THERE'S BEEN RESISTANCE TO ENACT IT?

>> WELL FIRST OF ALL IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AS ALWAYS AND YOU KNOW I THINK THAT THE REMEDIAL PLAN BASICALLY SOME OF THE BASIC PROVISIONS AS YOU KNOW JUST PROVIDING MORE RESOURCES FOR OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION INVESTING IN EARLY CHILD CARE MAKING SURE THAT EVERY SCHOOL HAS A PRINCIPAL INVESTING IN DIVERSE TEACHING STAFF AND TRAINING OF OUR TEACHERS AND JUST KEEPING OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM TO PAR SO THAT EVERY CHILD HAS A RIGHT TO EDUCATION AND SO IT'S A GREAT REPORT AND ABOUT 646 BILLION IN THE BUDGET FOR 2022.

BUT AS YOU SAID IN YOUR QUESTION, WHY IS IT BEING NEGLECTED?

WHY ARE WE NOT FUNDING THE SENATE'S ONLY FUNDING ABOUT 70% OF THAT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET LEAVING ABOUT 2.5 BILLION ON THE TABLE.

I THINK THERE'S 2 REASONS AS I OBSERVE IT.

FIRST OF ALL I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE SENATE, THE MAJORITY PARTY THEY'RE FAILING TO UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN EDUCATION AND FREEDOM.

WE TALKED ABOUT THAT ON THE SHOW BUT IN MANY OF THESE DISENFRANCHISED COMMUNITIES, WHETHER IT'S HOKE COUNTY, CARTER COUNTY OTHER PLACES AROUND THE STATE.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN EDUCATION YOU CAN'T ADVANCE, YOU CAN'T GET A JOB AND YOU YOU'RE LOCKED AND WE'VE SEEN AS PARTICULARLY WITH MINORITY COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

THE SECOND THING I WOULD SAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN A FEW MINUTES IS ABOUT JOB TRAINING AND THE LABOR SHORTAGE, BUT YOU KNOW ONE OF MY FELLOW NATIVE WEST, VIRGINIANS DOCTOR ALEC ROSS HAS WRITTEN A BOOK CALLED INDUSTRIES OF THE FUTURE AND IN THAT BOOK HE BASICALLY SAYS THAT ALMOST EVERY INDUSTRY IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS DOES NOT EXIST TODAY AND INDEED THESE ARE AREAS LIKE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, ROBOTICS, GENOMICS CYBERSECURITY, DATA ANALYTICS AND WE NEED AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THAT IS FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO INVEST IN TRAINING OUR CHILDREN AND OUR TEACHERS ON HOW TO CREATE THE SKILLS NEEDED FOR THE NEW ECONOMY.

THIS IS A MATTER OF GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS FOR NORTH CAROLINA AND GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS FOR AMERICA.

IT'S A CRITICALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND THIS IS NOT JUST AN EXPENSE.

THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT BECAUSE WITHOUT EDUCATION, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE JOBS OF THE FUTURE AS MANY JOBS WILL BE AUTOMATED AWAY.

>> WELL, THERE ARE CERTAINLY A LOT OF PROVISIONS UNDER LEANDRO AND I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT EVEN MORE SPECIFICS, BUT ALSO THESE OBJECTIONS THAT ARE COMING OUT LA, ONE OF THE OBJECTIONS, THAT'S BEEN OUTLINED IS THIS IS A REPORT THAT WAS DEVISED OR CONSTRUCTED BY AN OUTSIDE AGENCY, NOT BY SOMEONE IN THE STATE ORGANIZATION IN THE STATE BUT THAT'S NOT ENTIRELY TRUE IS IT?

>> NOT REALLY.

SO IN 2017 THE PLAINTIFFS AND THE DEFENDANTS TALKING ABOUT THE LEANDRO CASE, AGREED TO ALLOW AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT TO ADVISE, TO JUDGE, APPOINT TO OVERSEE THE LEANDRO IMPLEMENTATION SO THIS WAS A LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN PLAINTIFFS AND DEFENDANTS THAT WAS ALREADY PREDETERMINED, IT'S LAW.

SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING CONCERNING WITH THIS, I WOULD SAY THIS SMOKESCREEN OF LANGUAGE.

IT'S A DEFLECT FROM THE FACT THAT LAW AND JUST PRACTICE WAS ACTUALLY EXERCISED IN SAYING WE NEED OUTSIDE RESEARCHERS THAT ISN'T SWAYED OR PERSUADED BY BIASES OR POLITICS.

WE'VE SEEN THE IMPACT OF SUCH BIASES WITH GERRYMANDERING IN OUR STATE, WE'VE SEEN THE IMPACT OF BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES WHEN WE WERE SURGICALLY TARGETED FOR OUR VOTING RIGHTS.

SO WE KNOW WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF A REPUBLICAN GERRYMANDERED LEGISLATURE HAD CONTROL OVER SEEING THIS BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION.

SO THIS WAS AN AGREEMENT.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, GOVERNOR COOPER ACTUALLY APPOINTED A COMMISSION OF NORTH CAROLINIANS.

EXPERTS, EDUCATORS, SUPERINTENDENTS, ACADEMIC EXPERTS, ATTORNEYS, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS TO A COMMISSION TO ACTUALLY BEGIN TO GET FEEDBACK, OVERSEE WHAT EXACTLY NEEDED TO BE IN THIS BUDGET.

SO WHY AREN'T WE TRUSTING THESE NORTH CAROLINIANS AND THEIR EXPERTS?

WHY ARE WE NOT TRUSTING ELEVATING THAT THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK IN THE SCHOOL EVERY SINGLE DAY?

OR THE ATTORNEYS WHO ARE WELL APT AND EXPERTISE AND SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL LAW?

SO PAIRING WITH THIS EXTERNAL FIRM WAS ALSO NORTH CAROLINA EXPERTS, SO IT'S REALLY A POWER GRAB AND IT MIGHT MEAN A TANTRUM TO SAY WELL WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED.

WELL YOU WERE, AS SOON AS THE RESEARCH WAS BROUGHT TO YOU.

THAT'S WHAT WE DO IN ACADEMIA.

WE PROVIDE THE RESEARCH, THAT STATISTICAL DATA AND ANALYSIS OF WHAT MONEY DO WE NEED TO WHERE AND WHY, WHO IT NEEDS TO GO TO MOST, AND THEN IT'S PRESENTED.

THAT SEEMS LOGICAL AND SECURE AND SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES THEY HAVE IS THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE AN OFFICE OF EQUITY AFFAIRS AT THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION THAT WILL BE INSTITUTING IN THIS LEANDRO BUDGET.

THEY THINK THAT'S A CONCERN.

SO YOUR CONCERN IS THAT WE WANT EQUITY AND ACCESS WE WANT EQUITY ACTUALLY AND TEACHERS.

BLACK TEACHERS ACCOUNT FOR 16% OF NORTH CAROLINIAN TEACHERS EVEN A 54% OF ALL STUDENTS ARE NON-WHITE.

>> I HAVE TO ASK.

AS FAR AS THE NEXT STEP.

AND THIS JUDGE'S MANDATE SO TO SPEAK, SENATOR MURDOCH, WHAT IS YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL THAT THIS IS GOING TO PUSH THINGS FORWARD SO THAT WE ACTUALLY GET SOMETHING ENACTED, THE KIDS WHO WERE WHO WERE IN SCHOOL AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT HAVE LONG GRADUATED AND ARE IN JOBS AND PROBABLY HAVE CHILDREN OF THEMSELVES.

>> YES, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE JUDGE HAS PROVIDED A DEADLINE OF NOVEMBER 8TH, AND SO I THINK AS WE GET CLOSER TO NOVEMBER 8TH, WE WILL HAVE TO SEE WHAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE GOING TO DO WAS WE ALL KNOW WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUDGET CYCLE, WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW STATES IN THE NATION THAT HAS NOT PASSED A BUDGET BUT THAT PUTS US IN A POSITION TO STILL CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE.

WE HAVE HEARD THE JUDGE'S RECOMMENDATIONS, LOUD AND CLEAR AND HE IS SERIOUS AND THERE'S A PRECEDENT FOR THIS AND HAS HAPPENED IN OTHER STATES.

HE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO DO WHAT HE'S DOING AND ALSO WANT TO ADD IF WE ARE ENTERTAINING THINGS SUCH AS REDUCING CORPORATE TAXES TO 0%.

THEN SURELY, THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS FIND FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN FULLY FUND LEANDRO AND IMPLEMENT THIS REMEDIAL PLAN.

>> I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT AS WELL WE HOPE HOPEFULLY THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME MOVEMENT ON THIS LA WHAT'S YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS.

YOU KNOW THIS THIS JUDGE'S DECISION.

>> WELL, WHAT MY CONCERN IS STATE BUDGET SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STATE BUDGET AND THE INCLUSION OF EDUCATION, THE STATE BUDGET HASN'T BEEN PASSED IN 3 YEARS.

AND SO THE ABILITY FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION FOR THE ABILITY OF WHAT IS A CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE AND SENATOR MURDOCH ALREADY STATED TO MAKE SURE THAT RESOURCES AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ARE PROVIDE FOR ALL STUDENTS.

OKAY FOR THAT TO BE TIED IN A STATE BUDGET THAT IS NOW BEING DELIBERATED, DEBATED, THAT'S CONCERNING BECAUSE AGAIN WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE IMPACT AND THE DELAY, WHAT WE'RE SEEING THE FUNDING FOR OUR SCHOOLS.

THE ORIGINAL 5 SCHOOLS ARE LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST, THE ORIGINAL 5 THAT FILED THIS COMPLAINT, 24 YEARS AGO THOSE ARE THE SAME AREAS THAT HAVE DISASTERS RIGHT THOSE 500 YEAR STORMS THAT COME EVERY YEAR NOW.

THOSE ARE THE SAME COMMUNITIES OF PFAS IN THE WATER THAT WE HEARD ADMINISTRATOR REGAN SPEAK ABOUT LAST MONDAY.

THESE ARE THE SAME INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE THE LARGEST NATIVE AMERICAN POPULATION EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND THE LARGEST BLACK BELT WE ARE ALREADY UNDERFUNDED AND BEHIND THAT WE DON'T NEED POLITICS PLAYING GAMES WITH OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> WE DEFINITELY NEED TO GET SOME DECISIONS MADE ON THE BUDGET FOR EDUCATION, BUT ALSO FOR ENERGY AND FOR CLIMATE CHANGE.

WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND EFFORTS TO CHANGE OVER TO CLEAN ENERGY.

HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, GOVERNOR COOPER RECENTLY SIGNED ENERGY BILL 9.51 INTO LAW THAT RECEIVED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND WILL LIKELY IMPACT UTILITY BILLS INTO THE FUTURE AS WELL AS EMISSIONS STANDARDS.

SO THIS WAS CONSIDERED A COMPROMISE BILL SENATOR MURDOCH.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE POSITIVES AND AND WHO HAD TO COMPROMISE ON THIS?

>> YES, YOU DEFINITELY SAID IT BEST IT IS A COMPROMISE BILL MEANING THAT A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS DID NOT GET EVERYTHING THEY WANTED MYSELF INCLUDED, AND I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IN THE SENATE THAT IS WHERE WE SAW THIS BILL CHANGE A LOT, SO THERE WERE 4 KEY SENATORS AND MY CAUCUS, THAT WORKS WITH THE MAJORITY AND IT REALLY TRULY WAS WAS A COMPROMISE.

IT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST BIPARTISAN PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT HAS MADE IT TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK THIS SESSION.

GOVERNOR COOPER WAS ALSO VERY VERY HEAVILY INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATIONS, SO THAT WAS A STARK CONTRAST TO THE PROCESS YOU SAW IN THE HOUSE WHERE EVERYTHING WAS REALLY QUIET AND BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

THE PROCESS WAS A LOT MORE COLLABORATIVE ONCE THE BILL CAME TO THE SENATE, BUT TO BE CLEAR, I'M A SELF-PROCLAIMED ENVIRONMENTALIST AND WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF GETTING SOMETHING DONE THIS YEAR.

BUT I DO THINK THAT WE STILL MOVED VERY QUICKLY THROUGH THIS PROCESS WE DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A LOT OF ROBUST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, A LOT OF ROBUST ENGAGEMENT WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, STILL COULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO REALLY KIND OF SORT THROUGH A LOT OF THOSE DETAILS, SO VERY EXCITED THAT OUR CARBON REDUCTION GOALS WILL BE CODIFIED IN STATUTE AND THAT IS SIGNIFICANT.

I WILL NOT UNDERSTATE THAT I BELIEVE WE WILL BE THE ONLY STATE IN THE SOUTH WHERE THOSE CARBON REDUCTION GOALS WERE CODIFIED IN LAW GOALS THAT WERE SET FORTH BY GOVERNOR COOPER.

BUT BY AND LARGE WHERE THE BILL FALLS SHORT, IS WE CANNOT HAVE THAT COMPROMISE ON THE BACKS OF OUR LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY THEIR ENERGY BILLS HAVING ACCESS TO ENERGY AND UTILITIES.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

THAT MEANS THE ABILITY FOR OTHERS TO TURN THEIR LIGHTS ON AND TO WARM BOTTLES FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

IT MEANS OUR ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A STABLE POWER GRID SINCE WE KNOW THAT BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE LOW INCOME PEOPLE ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO HAVING TO MOVE IN THE EVENT THAT THERE IS SOME EXTREME WEATHER EMERGENCY.

SO WE NEED MORE REDUNDANCY IN OUR SYSTEM WE NEED A MORE STABLE ENERGY SYSTEM AND PORTFOLIO BUT AGAIN WE CANNOT DO THAT ON THE BACKS OF THOSE THAT DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY THEIR UTILITIY BILLS.

WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDST OF THIS PANDEMIC AND THE BILL LEFT OUT 2 HUGE THINGS ARE SOMETHING WE CALLED A JUST TRANSITION, WHERE IF YOU ARE THAT INDIVIDUAL WORKING AT THAT COAL PLANT WE ALL AGREE THAT WE NEED TO INVEST IN MORE RENEWABLE ENERGY OPTIONS.

BUT IF YOU DO BECOME UNEMPLOYED AS A RESULT OF THAT COAL PLANT SHUTTING DOWN, IN OTHER STATES THEY HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK TOWARDS SOMETHING CALLED A JUST TRANSITION WHERE IN THE EVENT THAT YOU LOSE YOUR JOB, WE SPELL OUT HOW WE WILL ASSIST YOU HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE PROVIDED WITH OTHER SKILL SETS THAT THEY GET JOBS AND BE CLEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTOR WE NEED THAT REALLY NEED TO SPELL OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

AND WHAT'S MOST CONCERNING IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR DUKE ENERGY TO HAVE ACCESS TO MULTI YEAR RATE MAKING UPWARDS OF 3 YEARS.

WHERE WE DO KNOW THOSE ENERGY BILLS COULD GO UP AS MUCH AS 4% IN A SINGLE YEAR.

SO THAT IS CONCERNING THAT NOT ONLY ARE THE UTILITY BILLS GOING UP, BUT WE HAVE NOT SPELLED OUT IN LAW AND STATUTE HOW WE WILL ASSIST THOSE RATE PAIRS AND AGAIN ENERGY IS NOT OPTIONAL.

THAT IS SOMETHING WE ALL NEED IT IS ONE OF THE MOST BASIC UTILITIES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE PEOPLE, SO FOR THAT REASON I WAS UNABLE TO SUPPORT THIS BILL.

BUT AGAIN COMMEND MY COLLEAGUES FOR WORKING REALLY REALLY HARD BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THAT WE CAN DO BETTER I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST STEP AS WE NOT ONLY GO THROUGH THIS CURRENT BUDGET PROCESS BUT RETURN EVEN FOR SHORT SESSION.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO STRESS THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

FOR LOW INCOME ENERGY USERS.

>> SO IT'S NOT COMPLETELY FINISHED IT'S A SIGNED LAW BUT STEVE LET ME BRING YOU IN HERE BECAUSE THE SENATOR CERTAINLY LAID OUT A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN THE COMPROMISE, BUT SOME GAINS THAT WERE MADE, WHAT IS YOUR ASSESSMENT?

>> WELL FIRST OF ALL I AGREE WITH SENATOR MURDOCH THAT WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT HIGHER UTILITY BILLS FOR OUR CITIZENS IN NORTH CAROLINA, PARTICULARLY IN DURING A PANDEMIC.

WHERE JUST WATER ELECTRICITY, JUST TO KEEP FAMILIES FED AND HEALTHY DURING A PANDEMIC TO PREVENT INFECTION.

SO THAT IS A CONCERN THAT I HAVE AND I THINK THAT THE ONLY POSITIVE TO ME IS THE REDUCTION OF CARBON EMISSIONS I THINK THAT'S A HUGE WIN FOR BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES IN NORTH CAROLINA THAT THIS BILL WILL ACHIEVE GOVERNOR COOPER'S OBJECTIVE, A GOAL OF 70% REDUCTION OF CARBON EMISSIONS BY 2035 AND NET 0 CARBON EMISSIONS BY 2050.

THAT'S BIG BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE TAKING A HUGE STEP FORWARD IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY THERE ARE CHALLENGES WITH HIGHER RATES ALSO INDUSTRIES LIKE COAL AND FOSSIL FUELS BEING THREATENED JOB LOSS, MY HOME STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.

BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF NEW JOBS TO BE CREATED TO RENEWABLES, THROUGH WIND, SOLAR POWER.

AND THE NEW GREEN DEAL TALKED ABOUT 18 MILLION NEW JOBS OVER THE NEXT 10, 12 YEARS, MAYBE EVEN SOONER SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES.

AND THE FINAL THING I'LL SAY IS THIS BILL DOES LOOK AT LOWER COST OPTIONS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY.

SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN LEVERAGE INNOVATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE WAYS WE CAN REDUCE THESE RATES AND COSTS FOR OUR CONSUMERS BUT ALL IN ALL I THINK IT WAS A WIN AND A GOOD STEP FORWARD FOR THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

>> YES, A POSITIVE SOME CHALLENGES, LA WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THIS?

>> SO AS ENERGY ADVOCATES WE ARE EXTREMELY ARE -- THIS BILL.

AND FOR MOST OF HER REASONS, SENATOR MURDOCH ELEVATE IT.

FIRST OF ALL THIS BILL WAS ACTUALLY PRIMARY AUTHORED BY SENATOR WHO WAS THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH CAROLINA DUKE ENERGY BRANCH.

NUMBER 2, IN THIS BILL WAS ACTUALLY DRAFTED IN SECRET BETWEEN FEBRUARY, MARCH WITH DUKE ENERGY REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS AND FEW PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS WHO WERE CHOSEN THROUGH A PROCESS THAT WASN'T ACTUALLY PUBLIC AND THEN IT DIDN'T BECOME PUBLIC FOR US UNTIL OCTOBER, THE ACTUAL BILL ITSELF.

THE BILL DOESN'T INCLUDE A REGULATED UTILITIES CUSTOMERS AND CO-OPS, SO IT'S STRICTLY A LITERALLY A DUKE ENERGY REGULATOR BILL.

IT DOESN'T INCLUDE ALL CUSTOMERS AND ENERGY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

THE OTHER CONCERN OF THE BILL FOR US WHAT'S THE CARBON EMISSIONS REDUCTION WAS A VISIONARY, THAT'S THE GOAL PERCEIVED OF THIS ACT, BUT THE LANGUAGE AND THE GOAL SAYS WHAT'S REASONABLE AND IT ACTUALLY ISN'T MANDATED TO ACHIEVE THE CARBON EMISSIONS REDUCTION BY THE GOAL SET BY GOVERNOR COOPER, SO IT'S NOT MANDATED.

THAT MEANS THERE'S FLEXIBILITY TO GO BEYOND THE REQUIRED LIMIT.

THAT'S CONCERNING BECAUSE WHAT'S NOT FLEXIBLE IN THIS BILL, WHAT IS MANDATED IS THE BILL RAISES THAT WILL GO UP FOR OUR PEOPLES ENERGY BILLS, SO, IN 3 YEARS AS SENATOR MURDOCH SAID BY 50% IN 3 YEARS, OUR BILLS IF YOU'RE A DUKE ENERGY CUSTOMER WILL INCREASE.

SO THAT ADDS $1000 PLUS ANNUALLY TO YOUR LIGHT BILL.

>> ONCE AGAIN MAKING HAVING THIS TO REST ON THE BACKS OF THE POOR PEOPLE WHO OFTEN ARE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE LOW EFFICIENCY ENERGY UTILITIES IN THEIR BUILDINGS AND SO FORTH SO THERE'S MORE WORK I WOULD SAY TO BE DONE EVEN THOUGH THERE'S REALLY STRONG AND POSITIVE NEWS COMING OUT OF THE FACT THAT A COMPROMISE WAS REACHED.

>> IN MANY RESPECTS OUR ECONOMY IS BOOMING BUT MORE AND MORE IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE LABOR SHORTAGE, IS REAL.

HOW CAN THAT BE?

HOW CAN IT BE SENATOR MURDOCH THAT WE HAVE A LABOR SHORTAGE AND HOW TO SHARE A REAL QUICK PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

COUPLE FRIDAYS AGO.

I WANTED A PIZZA I CALLED UP MY FAVORITE PIZZA SHOP, IT WAS ABOUT 8 O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING AND THEY SAID, "I'M SORRY.

WE ARE CLOSED BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WORKERS" AND I WAS SHOCKED.

ANY TIME YOU CAN'T GET A PIZZA ON A FRIDAY NIGHT, THERE'S A LABOR SHORTAGE.

>> YES, EVERYWHERE YOU GO, AND TO YOUR POINT, WHETHER IT'S YOUR LOCAL FAVORITE RESTAURANT.

BUT EVEN AS I TRAVEL THE STATE, I HAVE FAMILY ALL OVER THE STATE, HAVE SEEN THIS IN RURAL AREAS, URBAN AREAS, SUBURBAN NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO.

YOU WILL SEE A HELP WANTED SIGN, YOU WILL SEE AMENDED HOURS FOR THEM SIMPLY NOT HAVING THE WORKFORCE THAT THEY NEED.

SO THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM AND I ALSO WANT TO CENTER THIS CONVERSATION ON FIRST AND FOREMOST ACKNOWLEDGING.

THE LIVES WE HAVE LOST THAT I THINK THAT SOME OF IT THAT WE FAILED TO REPORT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DIED AS A RESULT OF COVID-19 SO A LOT OF THE WORKFORCE ISSUES ARE, WE HAVE LOST POPULATION.

>> YOU CAN'T COME TO WORK IF YOU'RE NOT THERE.

>> IF YOU ARE SICK, IF YOU ARE ILL, IF YOU HAVE UNFORTUNATELY DIED THAT IS A BIG FACTOR AND WHAT WE FOUND NOW IS EVEN AS STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS ARE WINDING DOWN AND STIMULUS CHECKS ARE DRYING UP, YOU ARE STILL SEEING FOLKS THAT WILL NOT RETURN TO THE WORKFORCE AND I THINK IT'S ALSO BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN COVID UNDER CONTROL WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRIES OR RESTAURANTS, A LOT OF THOSE INDUSTRIES WHERE YOU HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH PEOPLE EVEN IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, YOU HAVE TEACHERS THAT ARE QUITTING A LOT OF EMPLOYEES SIMPLY DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WORKING AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO RISK THEIR LIVES BY PHYSICALLY GOING INTO JOBS EVERY DAY.

UNFORTUNATELY AS A LEGISLATIVE MEMBER WE'VE CONTINUED TO BE VERY VISIBLE AND PRESENT IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

I MYSELF PUT MY LIFE ON THE LINE EVERY DAY SO I THINK THAT'S ALSO A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, IS WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDST OF THIS PANDEMIC.

>> IT JUST SEEMS AS THOUGH STEVE THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES CONVERGING AND CERTAINLY COVID IS STILL OUT THERE, I THINK ABOUT IMMIGRATION AS WELL THOUGH.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY INDUSTRIES -- FIRST OF ALL I THINK PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO GO BACK TO WORK IN PERSON LIKE CENTER MURDOCH SAID IN JUST A PSYCHOLOGICAL FEAR WITH DELTA VARIANT AND THESE THINGS GOING ON NOW, BUT I THINK YOU KNOW THE INDUSTRYS EFFECTED IN ADDITION TO RETAIL ARE MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY WERE ABOUT $12,000 DOWN IN MANUFACTURING.

AUTOMATION WILL CONTINUE TO PUT PEOPLE OUT OF WORK.

THAT'S ONE ISSUE, BUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY, IMMIGRATION IN NORTH CAROLINA AND THE UNITED STATES IS CRITICAL.

TODAY IN NORTH CAROLINA TRIANGLE THERE ARE 40,000 IMMIGRANTS, MANY FROM SOUTH ASIA AND INDIA THAT ARE WAITING FOR THEIR GREEN CARD THEY'RE ON THE H ONE B SKILLED IMMIGRANT VISA, AND THEY ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE FILLING JOBS THAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF SHORTAGES FOR EVERY I.T.

JOB OPEN THERE'S 2 OPENINGS, I MEAN THERE'S JUST A LACK OF PEOPLE TO FILL THESE JOBS, AND OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM TODAY I'VE BEEN IN MORRISVILLE AND I TALK TO PEOPLE IN MORRISVILLE AND CARY THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 12 YEARS TO BECOME A CITIZEN.

THEY'RE INNOVATING IN UNIVERSITIES THEY'RE STARTING COMPANIES, AND NOW SOME OF THEM ARE LEAVING TO CANADA.

>> AND AT EVERY LEVEL AT EVERY SKILL LEVEL I WOULD SAY STEVE WE NEED IMMIGRANTS IN OUR WORKFORCE AND I'M SEEING POLICIES AND ACTIONS THAT PUSH IMMIGRANTS BACK OUT.

CASE IN POINT HAITI.

YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN WILLING TO COME TO NORTH CAROLINA AND FILL UP SOME OF THESE $21 AN HOUR JOBS?

>> ABSOLUTELY I MEAN IT'S BEEN PROVEN THAT YOU IMMIGRANTS ARE ALWAYS THE DRIVERS OF ECONOMIC GROWTH IN OUR NATION AND THESE IMMIGRANTS COMING IN FROM HAITI AND OTHER NATIONS ARE PRODUCING TO THE ECONOMY BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO OUR REVENUE, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WELCOMING THEM IF THEY WANT TO PROVIDE WORK AND THEY WANT TO PROVIDE SKILL TO OUR COUNTRY IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC, SO ABSOLUTELY.

>> ABSOLUTELY AND LA, LET ME GET YOU IN ON THIS WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SHORTAGE AND ARE WE KIND OF IN SOME WAYS HIDING FROM SOME REALITIES OUT THERE ABOUT WHAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE SHORTAGE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THESE LOW SALARIES AND ALSO THE MINIMUM WAGE EFFORT, THE MINIMUM WAGE HIKE EFFORT THAT VIRTUALLY GOT IGNORED.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT SO NEARLY 3 MILLION AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE LEFT THE LABOR FORCE OVER THE PAST YEAR DUE TO PANDEMIC.

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WHEN THEY CONSIST OF MORE THAN 15% OF THIS COUNTRY'S WORKFORCE RIGHT, BUT WHAT IN ADDITION CONTRIBUTES TO THAT EXODUS IS THE UNDERPAY.

THE LACK OF IN NORTH CAROLINA.

LAST YEAR CORPORATIONS WERE NOT MANDATED TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE.

CORPORATIONS DIDN'T PROVIDE MASK PPE FOR OUR FOLKS SO MANY OF OUR LOW WAGE WORKERS, MANY OF OUR INDUSTRIES THAT ARE BEING HIT THE HARDEST, GUESS WHAT?

THAT'S WHERE COVID-19 WAS CONTRACTED THE MOST.

SO ARE OUR PEOPLE ARE BEING FORCED TO LEAVE JOBS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN.

THAT'S A TOP PRIORITY FOR WOMEN THAT HAVE LEFT IS 'IF I'M GONE, WHO'S TAKING CARE OF MY BABIES?'

ROUGHLY 2 MILLION MORE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE ALREADY EARLY RETIRED BECAUSE IT'S TOO MUCH TO CONSIDER LOSING EVERYTHING IN A PANDEMIC.

THEY WOULD RATHER RETIRE.

THAT'S 2 MILLION.

OVER 700,000 ARE PEOPLE, TO SENATOR MURDOCH'S POINT, HAVE DIED FROM COVID-19.

MILLIONS HAVE LONG HAUL COVID ISSUES AND WHAT HEALTH INSURANCE, NO STATE BUDGET WHAT HEALTH INSURANCE AND OVER HALF A MILLION FOLKS LOST HEALTH INSURANCE LAST YEAR AND THEN BY OCTOBER 2020, GUESS WHAT?

IMMIGRANT AND NONIMMIGRANT VISAS ISSUED DURING THAT TIME OCTOBER 2020 WAS DOWN BY NEARLY 5 MILLION OR 54% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION FROM 2019.

WE HAVE NO PEOPLE.

IT ISN'T ABOUT DOESN'T WANT TO WORK IT'S ABOUT WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO PROVIDE QUALITY OF LIFE SO THAT FOLKS CAN TAKE CARE OF THE BABIES PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE AND BE CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN COME HOME AND NOT GIVE THEIR CHILDREN COVID-19 OR WORSE NOT BE HERE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN.

>> WHAT'S THE MAIN MESSAGE YOU'RE PULLING FROM THAT SENATOR MURDOCH WE'VE GOT ABOUT ONE MINUTE LEFT.

MAIN MESSAGE.

>> YEAH, THE MAIN MESSAGE IS I THINK ALSO DURING THIS TIME FOLKS HAVE REEVALUATED THEIR LIVES.

THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID, THEY'VE SAID THAT THEY DESERVE TO BE TREATED FAIRLY, THEY DESERVE WAGES, THEY DESERVE HEALTH CARE, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE PAID LEAVE.

SO FOLKS ARE NOT WILLING TO TO GO BACK AND CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME.

THEY WANT TO BE VALUED.

THEY DON'T WANT TO PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE AND TO NOT BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT AND SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING TABLE AND REALLY FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GETTING WRONG HERE SO THAT WE CAN ATTRACT THE BEST EMPLOYEES AND AS YOU ALL MENTIONED WITH IMMIGRATION, WHY CAN WE NOT WELCOME THEM INTO FILL A LOT OF THESE VACANCIES THAT WE SEE IN VARIOUS INDUSTRIES?

>> PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL THE DIGNITY AND THE RESPECT.

SENATOR NATALIE MURDOCK, STEVE RAO, LA WHITTINGTON THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU DEBORAH.

>> I WANT TO THANK TODAY'S GUESTS FOR JOINING US, WE INVITE YOU TO ENGAGE WITH US ON TWITTER OR INSTAGRAM USING THE HASHTAG BLACK ISSUES FORUM.

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