PR: NC Values supports bills protecting minors from obscenity and providing restitution for victims
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
laura@ncvalues.org
NC VALUES SUPPORTS BILLS PROTECTING MINORS FROM OBSCENITY AND PROVIDING RESTITUTION FOR VICTIMS
NC Values Coalition Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald praised the passage of both HB 8 and SB 579:
“North Carolina has made significant steps to protect minors from pornography and other obscene material with passage of HB 8 and SB 579, and we encourage Governor Cooper to sign these bipartisan bills which received almost unanimous support. Children are easy targets for sexual predators, and this legislation allows victims to seek legal and financial restitution from those pushing porn to children and will serve as a deterrent.
“Senator Amy Galey introduced her amendment to HB 8, Pornography Age Verification Enforcement Act, which requires commercial pornography websites to verify the user is 18 years of age or older before allowing access to the site. The bill prohibits commercial entities from publishing or distributing obscenity to minors online, protecting young minds from violent, explicit images which could result in internet addiction, normalization of sexual harm and aggression towards women. Similar legislation in Louisiana has resulted in a reduction in Pornhub’s site traffic by 80%, and in Utah, Mississippi, and Virginia Pornhub has stopped their business entirely because of laws similar to HB 8.
“Prevent Harm to Children, SB 579 sponsored by Senator Buck Newton and promoted by Representative Jeff Zenger, will also strengthen protections for children by increasing criminal penalties for disseminating obscenity to minors, affording victims restitution for the full amount of the victim’s losses, including medical services, physical and occupational therapy or rehabilitation, transportation, temporary housing, and child care expenses, loss of income, and attorney’s fees.
“Senators Galey and Newton, and Representative Zenger have led the charge to protect our children from sexual predators. Their bold actions will save millions of children across our state from obscenity and pornography, as well as providing full restitution for victims. NC Values appreciates all the lawmakers who supported both HB 8 and SB 579, and we will continue to help further legislation to protect children from pornography and obscenity, which lead to sexual grooming and a lifetime of addiction.”
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PR: Funding for pregnancy care centers in state budget will help women choose life
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
laura@ncvalues.org
FUNDING FOR PREGNANCY CARE CENTERS IN STATE BUDGET WILL HELP WOMEN CHOOSE LIFE
The General Assembly approved $17.15 million today to help pregnant women in crisis, including $12.5 million for the Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship (CPCF), an organization which provides support to 75 pregnancy care centers in North Carolina. The CPCF funding will benefit pregnant women who need free ultrasounds, supplies, shelter, counseling and other resources.
“Pregnancy care centers are a vital resource supporting pregnant women and their babies. Seventy-six percent of women who had abortions say they would have chosen life if their situations were different, and this funding totaling $6.8 million per year will help women choose life,” said NC Values Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald. “The ability to see your child on an ultrasound before making a life and death decision for your child is imperative, so funding ultrasound machines was an important component of this appropriation.”
Pregnancy care centers provide supplies to pregnant women and new mothers in need, including diapers, maternity clothes and important medical services like ultrasounds, pregnancy and STD testing. CPCF also has a Circle of Care program, which supports pregnant women in need of funds for car repairs, housing, groceries, and other essential living expenses for a healthy start for mother and baby. Besides advocating for pregnancy care center funding, NC Values also supported funding for The Human Coalition, a pro-life advocacy group serving abortion-determined women. The organization received $1.5 million in the state budget. Another $3.15 million was appropriated to individual pregnancy care centers as well.
“We are thankful the General Assembly not only passed pro-life legislation this session to save the lives of thousands of unborn babies from death but for funding pregnancy care centers so that more women feel confident and equipped to choose life,” said Fitzgerald. “As pro-life advocates, NC Values will continue to advocate for the unborn, pregnant women, and their babies once they are born.”
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PR: NC budget affords families the freedom to choose the best educational path for their children
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
laura@ncvalues.org
NC BUDGET AFFORDS FAMILIES THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THE BEST EDUCATIONAL PATH FOR THIER CHILDREN
North Carolina’s newly approved budget expands Opportunity Scholarships to all families in NC, empowering parents to choose the school which best fits their children. Education funding will now allow every child to break away from our current one-size-fits-all approach to education, regardless of household income.
“Parents know what’s best for their own children, and now economics will no longer be a stumbling block for families who want to escape failing public schools rife with indoctrination,” said NC Values Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald. “Public schools also now have incentive to put learning ahead of the far left’s radical agenda which does not reflect the values of most North Carolinians. An overwhelming majority of people in our state want choice so that every child gets a chance for a quality, unbiased education.”
NC Values Coalition and NC Faith & Freedom Coalition conducted a statewide poll which showed almost 70% of North Carolinians across the board wanted Opportunity Scholarships. The January 2023 survey found almost 69% of black and white residents supported opportunity scholarships, along with 80% of Hispanics and Asian Americans.
The most recent findings on “The Nation’s Report Card” published by the US Department of Education show that only 35% of North Carolina fourth grade students were proficient in math, and only 32% were proficient in reading. Parents across North Carolina have been scrambling for alternatives to public education because of performance rates, indoctrination and pornographic books in school libraries. School board meetings around the state have been packed with concerned parents who are outraged at the politically driven curriculum and vulgar language, sexually graphic images, and racially divisive tone of assigned and available books in schools.
“Students will no longer be trapped in schools not serving their best interests,” said Fitzgerald. “NC Values worked with other school choice advocates and organizations to advance measures which allow money to follow the students, every one of them. We are thankful for the legislators who recognized the overwhelming popularity of school choice and fought for this funding.”
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