2006 Legislative Session Wrap-Up
8/9/2006 - The 2006 Session of the North Carolina General Assembly was an important one for our state, and for the LGBT community as well. While the headline issues this year included ethics reforms, raising the minimum wage, creating the first Innocence Commission in the country, and passing a strong state budget, Equality NC secured three important victories for the LGBT community before session ended early on Friday, July 28.
Increased Access to Life-Saving HIV Medicines Equality NC worked closely with the NC AIDS Action Network and others to double the eligibility level for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. That means North Carolina is no longer the worst in the nation in terms of providing medicine to low-income people living with HIV/AIDS. Click here for the full story.
Improved Sex Education Law Equality NC supported a coalition effort to update the "Teach Abstinence Until Marriage" sex education law, removing most of the medical inaccuracies and an anti-gay provision of the law. While this does not secure comprehensive, medically accurate, non-discriminatory sex education, it is an important step forward. Click here for the full story.
Stopped Anti-LGBT, Anti-Marriage Constitutional Amendment Most importantly, for the third year in a row, Equality NC was successful in blocking efforts to bring this divisive, discriminatory bill to a vote. While states around us face nasty, expensive ballot fights on similar amendments this fall, North Carolina has again stemmed the tide. Click here for the full story.
We're proud of these successes, and have used our work this year to build our political power in the legislature for next year's battles over anti-discrimination legislation and more. Now, our attention turns to the November elections, and Equality NC PAC's work to build a pro-equality majority in the legislature. With your help this fall and when the legislature convenes in January, we can make 2007 even more successful.
Charlotte Black Gay Pride
