North Carolina Democrats are committed to improving the lives of all who call our great state home.

In the past year, we’ve made great strides in health care, education, public safety and ethics reform.

Here’s a summary:

Health

- Legislators are concerned about the dangers of secondhand smoke. We passed a bill (HB 24) that bans smoking in buildings owned, leased, or occupied by state government. Under the new law, local governments have the authority to regulate smoking in buildings and vehicles they use.

- Another new law prohibits smoking in long-term care facilities. The law (HB 1294) prohibits smoking in adult care homes, nursing homes, and any other facilities that provide long-term care.

Speaker Joe Hackney of the North Carolina House of Representatives has appointed Rep. Mickey Michaux to lead a 14-member select committee that will study street gang prevention.

Rep. Michaux has been a leader in the state’s gang prevention efforts for years. This past session he was the lead sponsor of the Street Gang Prevention Act that passed the House and is still eligible for consideration in the 2008 session of the General Assembly. Rep. Michaux was also the lead chairman of the House Budget Committee that appropriated $4.8 million to the Governor’s Crime Commission for gang suppression.

“As our population grows, so does the number of gang members in North Carolina,” Speaker Hackney said. “We cannot allow this increase to continue unchecked. Not only must we invest our money into this problem, but we must uncover better ways to prosecute gang criminals and to protect our communities from them.”

“Hopefully we can fashion a deal this time that will pass the General Assembly and make the appropriations necessary to address gang prevention, intervention and suppression,” Rep. Michaux said.

Speaker Joe Hackney of the North Carolina House of Representatives will lead a delegation of Democratic state lawmakers visiting the nation's capital Wednesday to meet with Congressional leaders.

The group is scheduled to meet with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, both Democrats. They are expected to discuss the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP; the severe ongoing drought in parts of the nation, including North Carolina; transportation and other federal budget matters.

"State and federal leaders must work together and have good cooperation if we are to overcome the challenges we face in this nation and in our states," said Hackney, president-elect of the National Conference of State Legislatures. "Meetings such as these allow for important exchanges of ideas and help all of us do better jobs for our constituents."

Governor Mike Easley, Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight and House Speaker Joe Hackney today announced the members of a blue-ribbon committee to examine the condition and needs of North Carolina’s transportation system and make recommendations to the General Assembly.

The 21st Century Transportation Committee is a cross-section of 24 elected officials, transportation and engineering experts, business leaders and citizens who will make a preliminary report to the General Assembly by May 1, 2008, and a final report by the end of next year.

Rep. Parmon to co-chair committee with Sen. Malone

House Speaker Joe Hackney has appointed eight representatives to the newly created Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation.

Rep. Earline W. Parmon will co-chair the committee with Sen. Vernon Malone. The Speaker also appointed Reps. Dan Blue, Angela Bryant, William Current, Susan Fisher, Bryan Holloway, Pat Hurley and Cullie Tarleton to the committee. The Senate members are Sens. Joe Sam Queen, Charlie Dannelly, Julia Boseman, Clark Jenkins, Katie Dorsett, A.B. Swindell and Jerry Tillman.

The commission is the result of the Speaker’s initiative to help improve high school graduation rates in North Carolina. Earlier this year, Reps. Parmon and Fisher conducted a series of public hearings about dropout prevention around the state. The hearings drew educators, parents, students and community activists eager to help with the problem.

As the new speaker of the North Carolina House, Joe Hackney is credited with restoring integrity in a chamber tarnished by the actions of its previous leader. On Aug. 7, he received the nation's top state legislative honor—the 2007 Excellence in State Legislative Leadership Award.

Speaker Hackney, president-elect of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), accepted the award at the NCSL 2007 Legislative Summit in Boston. More than 9,000 people attended the event.

 "Each year, NCSL and the State Legislative Leadership Foundation (SLLF) honor a leader who has shown commitment to protecting and strengthening the institution of the state legislature. Speaker Hackney has truly done that. His leadership has reinforced the foundation of the North Carolina House and it is now a more effective body," said NCSL Executive Director Bill Pound. "We are pleased to spotlight his diligence and statesmanship with this award."

Speaker Hackney to receive award at NCSL Annual Meeting in Boston

As the new speaker of the North Carolina House, Joe Hackney is credited with restoring integrity in a chamber tarnished by the actions of its previous leader. Now he will receive the nation's top state legislative honor-the 2007 Excellence in State Legislative Leadership Award.

Speaker Hackney, current vice president of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), will receive the award at the NCSL 2007 Legislative Summit in Boston. He will also ascend to NCSL president-elect.

"Each year, NCSL and the State Legislative Leadership Foundation (SLLF) honor a leader who has shown commitment to protecting and strengthening the institution of the state legislature. Speaker Hackney has truly done that. His leadership has reinforced the foundation of the North Carolina House and it is now a more effective body," said NCSL Executive Director Bill Pound. "We are pleased to spotlight his diligence and statesmanship with this award."