Thursday wrap: Safer schools, shorter voting periods

The school safety bill, which has bipartisan support, includes money for school resources officers, school psychologists and social workers and calls for placing panic buttons or similar alarms, directly connected to local law enforcement, in every classroom.

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers filed companion bills that would eliminate a week of early voting – and possibly Sunday voting – and straight-ticket voting.

The House also passed a bill that would prohibit Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina from inserting provisions into their contracts with hospitals and other health care providers that prevent the providers from charging lower rates of other insurers.