In the final week of early voting before the May 8th primary,  state Rep. Larry D. Hall says Amendment One is clearly a mistake for communities trying to attract new jobs and a talented workforce:

“Anytime we trying to write discrimination into our constitution, we’re going the wrong way,” explained Hall. “Many companies, given the choice, don’t want to come into an environment where they have to worry or not about whether their employees will be discriminated again lawfully.”

The Durham County representative joined N.C.Policy Watch last week on News & Views with Chris Fitzsimon to discuss the harms of the ballot initiative, as well as the impact of state budget cuts on North Carolina’s public schools and universities.

To hear a portion of the interview with Rep. Hall, click below. To hear the full segment, including out interviews with state Superintendent June Atkinson and UNC Health Care CEO Dr. Bill Roper, visit the Radio Interview section of the NC Policy Watch website:

Supporters of Amendment One are encouraging pastors to preach a marriage-themed sermon on April 29th and then encourage congregants to vote early. Opponents of the proposed constitutional amendment are quick to say the May 8th ballot initiative is not about protecting marriage, but about pure discrimination.

Pam Spaulding, editor and publisher of  the highly regarded blog Pam’s House Blend, says if the  broadly-worded amendment should pass next month, it would ensure that any legal recognition of civil unions or domestic partnerships are banned.

“The term ‘domestic legal union’ does not exist in any North Carolina statute. And what they are going to end up with if this passes is endless litigation,” said Spaulding in an interview with N.C. Policy Watch.

A recent survey by Public Policy Polling found despite confusion about the consequences of Amendment One, 51 percent of North Carolina voters support some legal recognition for same-sex couples.

To hear an excerpt of  Pam Spaulding’s interview with Chris Fitzsimon, click below. To hear the full segment from News & Views, visit the radio interview section of the N.C. Policy Watch website – where you will also find our interviews last week with gubernatorial hopeful Pat McCrory and the EDF’s Jane Preyer.

Race to the Ballot wraps up this Friday afternoon with a voter registration drive and rally on the UNC-Wilmington campus.

Jen Jones, who has spent the past five weeks running 322 miles across the state to raise awareness about Amendment One, says the effort has been well worth it.

Jones, with the Coalition to Protect All NC Families, says they have literally talked to thousands of people along the way about the harms caused by the proposed constitutional amendment that would ban civil unions and define marriage as only between one man and one woman.

She says people on both sides of the marriage issue have had reservations after learning that the broad, untested language of the May 8th ballot initiative could affect employment benefits for domestic partners, domestic violence protections, child custody rights, and even end-of-life decisions  for unmarried couples as well as same-sex couples.

Jones joined us last week on News and Views with Chris Fitzsimon. Click below to hear part of her comments about her statewide trek. For the full interview visit the radio interview section of the N.C. Policy Watch website: