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Legislative Black Caucus Priorities
2005 Session
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Living Wage – support a phased-in minimum wage increase to $8.50 per hour (HB 330)
- NC law currently adopts the federal minimum wage rate by reference, which it $5.15 per hour. This rate was last adjusted in 1997, but was not tied to inflation, and therefore the value of the 1997 increase has virtually disappeared.
- A full time worker on earning minimum wage makes about $10,700 per year – that's over $4000 below the US government's poverty line for a family of three, and over $8000 below the poverty line for a family of four
- Recently several states (i.e. Florida, New York, Nevada) have taken steps to improve the lives of their “low-wage” workforce by increasing minimum wage rates.
- An increase in minimum wage rates would stimulate the economy and help to protect low-wage workers, many of whom are African-American, and allow them the opportunity to achieve greater quality of life by giving them greater resources to face the rising cost of living in the US.
Payday Lending – monitor legislation regarding the payday lending industry in NC.
- Payday lending has been illegal in North Carolina since 2001, however, businesses continue to operate by becoming affiliated with out-of-state banks.
- African-American neighborhoods in NC have three times as many pay day lending stores per capita as white neighborhoods, and supporters of the industry argue that they are performing a vital service to the communities they serve by filling a void in the market. However, high interest rates and the practice of “flipping” loans are dangerous to consumers and often becomes a long-term debt trap.
- We support efforts to encourage both traditional and non-traditional banking institutions, as well as business and industry, to invest in minority communities, to create and enhance alternative lending opportunities, and to provide greater access to consumer/debt counseling.
Minority Contracting – support efforts to increase opportunities for historically underutilized businesses to work in the state.
- Certified Minority Contractors (SB 907 & SB 909) – requires the Sect. Of Administration to adopt rules and procedures to certify underutilized and minority businesses and to maintain a database of those businesses
- Support measures that require DOT and other state agencies to report to the General Assembly on minority contracting goals and achievements (i.e. HB 237 & SB 1127, as amended)
Financial Education – support efforts to improve and empower minority consumers and business (i.e. SB 1071, which appropriates funds for the NC Minority Support Center to further statewide program of lending for homeownership and wealth creation in disadvantaged communities)
- Work the Treasurer's office to improve fiscal and financial literacy in minority communities, and solicit support for minority lending and investment initiatives
- Support efforts on the campuses of HBCUs to educate students (90% of whom are on financial aid) about finance/debt issues.
HEALTH CARE
Basic Facts: According to the 2005 Update of Health Profiles of North Carolinians, in 2003, 22 percent of North Carolina's population was African American. This compares with only 12 percent of the population nationally. North Carolina's African Americans are more likely to live in poverty (32 percent) and more likely to have no health insurance (22 percent) than whites. Poverty and a lack of access to health care are two main reasons why North Carolina's African Americans are generally in poorer health than whites based on mortality and disease incidence patterns. North Carolina's African Americans, for example, have a much higher infant mortality rate than do whites (15.0 deaths per 1,000 live births for African Americans compared to 6.0 for non-Hispanic whites in 2001-2003). African Americans have higher death rates from heart disease, cancer, HIV, diabetes, homicide, and stroke, compared to whites. According to the 2003 North Carolina BRFSS, African Americans are less likely to smoke and binge drink than most other racial/ethnic groups, but are more likely to be obese, have high blood pressure, and have inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption.
Preventative Care
- HIV/AIDS Prevention Education – $3.3M (FY 06-07)
These monies will be used to increase risk reduction, prevention, counseling and testing activities in the state through local health departments and community based organizations that have the power to reach populations disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS.
- Diabetes Prevention and Control - $250,000 (FY 06-07)
Diabetes is the 5th leading cause of death in North Carolina. Additionally, it a significant contributing cause of death in incidents of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure – all of which disproportionately affect African-Americans. In fact, the prevalence of diabetes is 1.5 times greater in African-America communities.
- Support efforts to increase health screening and patient placement – increase and enhance partnerships with hospitals, doctors, public health clinics, and primary care centers to educate, monitor and care for individuals that may not otherwise receive healthcare services (i.e. Governor's project in Wilson, NC)
Addressing Health Disparities
- Community Focused Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative (CFEHDI) - $975,000 (FY 06-07)
Funds to support Community Focused Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative (CFEHDI) to build the capacity of faith-based and community based organizations to close the gap in health status of African-Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and American Indians as compared to whites in the following areas: infant mortality, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, cancer, diabetes, and homicides and motor vehicle deaths. The CFEHDI will provide competitive grants to organizations for micro development grants ($7,000- $10,000) and intervention grants ($30,000- $40,000). One FTE will be created to develop, monitor, track and evaluate the grantees' progress in meeting performance based standards and outcomes of the Department of Health and Human Services. (HB 408)
- AmeriCorps Project Matching Funds - $225,000 (FY 06-07)
Provide matching funds to meet the non-federal match requirements for the AmeriCorps Project awarded to the DHHS Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities by the NC Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service to focus on eliminating health disparities. The initiative supports 21 full-time AmeriCorps members and makes them available to work on teen tobacco use prevention, diabetes care management and outreach, Hispanic/Latino health, American Indian health and other public health issues. The AmeriCorps members are placed in 15 locations including local health departments, community-based organizations, educational institutions, etc. The total budget for FY 2004-05 is $474, 495. The federal share is $258,956 and the grantee share is $215,539.
- Support efforts and initiatives identified in the 2004, “Racial and Ethnic Differences in Health in North Carolina” Report published by the NC Department of Health and Human Services.
Access
- Support efforts to increase health screening and patient placement – increase and enhance partnerships with hospitals, doctors, public health clinics, and primary care centers to educate, monitor and care for individuals that may not otherwise receive healthcare services (i.e. Governor's project in Wilson, NC)
- Earlier this year, The Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce reported that the lack of racial diversity in the healthcare professions directly threatens the health of at least one-third of the US population and indirectly hurts millions more. The report goes on to state that “[w]e know that minority physicians, dentists and nurses are more likely to serve minority and medically underserved populations [and] … without more diversity in the health workforce, minorities will continue to suffer.” For these reasons, we support funds for scholarships and grants specifically targeted to the retention and recruitment of minority health care professionals. We also support mandates to the Board of Governors and the State Board of Education to report to the General Assembly on their recruitment and retention efforts. (i.e. HB 531 – funds for minority pharmacy scholarships)
EDUCATION/YOUTH
Historically Black Colleges and Universities – ensure that HBCUs are given the same opportunity to have premier programs and curricula as other universities in the UNC system.
- Continued support of Pharmacy School at Elizabeth City State University
- Support for Budget Priorities for HBCUs
- Continued monitoring and support of HB 1264 study which charged the Board of Governors and Community colleges with developing a long range higher education strategy, with “special emphasis on the development of signature programs for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the UNC Pembroke.”
Public Instruction – support increased funding, accountability and additional assistance for at-risk students, who are disproportionately minorities.
- Support efforts to recruit and retain African-American teachers and principals, especially African-American males, who are particularly absent from the profession. (SB 1053/SB 569)
- Support funding for tutoring and after-school activities for at-risk/underachieving students who are disproportionately African-American
- Alternative schooling – when students are excluded from regular classes, there should be an alternative medium for education. We support efforts to provide that medium to students, free of charge
- Support Education Lottery
Youth Gangs – support recommendations of the Select Committee on Street Gang Prevention embodied in HB 50 and SB 733
**** (Should calendar for week of press conference for kick-off)
STATE/LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Address disparities in wages and representation of African-Americans in state government
- Support Election Law Reform measures
JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
- Support a moratorium on the death penalty, which studies suggest is applied unfairly (HB 4)
- Study effects of habitual felons law and its application and effect on minority offenders. According to the NC Dept. Corrections 492 of 677 persons sentenced as “habitual felons” between 2002-2003 were African-American
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