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Good evening,

Last week, members of North Carolina’s General Assembly introduced the REINS (Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny) Act ([link removed]) , with companion bills in the state House and Senate.

The John Locke Foundation has advocated ([link removed]) for the policy changes that are included in this bill for more than a decade ([link removed]) . These changes would be a big step towards reducing regulatory red tape and bureaucracy.

But first, what does the REINS Act actually entail?

It is a simple, yet powerful reform: it requires the legislature to approve any regulation created by the bureaucracy with an economic impact of over $1 million dollars annually.. The agency proposing the rule will be required to produce an estimate of the rule’s economic impact.

It’s hard to believe, but North Carolina currently has over 109,000 regulatory restrictions ([link removed]) , making it impossible for the average citizen to navigate all the red tape of a bloated bureaucracy.

For decades, the legislature and governor increasingly granted bureaucrats the power to create and enforce laws without oversight or constitutional limits. These regulations are a textbook example of where the separation of powers of branches of government have become blurred (see Article I, Sec. 6 ([link removed]) of the North Carolina Constitution)

It's time for North Carolina to rein in the bureaucrats and return power to the legislature.

Passing laws is a difficult, complicated process. But that’s the point; it’s hard on purpose.

The division of powers in our constitutional system was designed to protect your freedoms and ensure proper oversight.

Unfortunately, it is sometimes impractical for the legislature to include every single detail necessary for a law to work, which is where state agencies come in. They fill the gaps by promulgating regulations.

But the problem starts when agencies aren’t filling in the details. But instead creating the laws.

The rise of the administrative state is not an insurmountable problem - but it does require action.

Other state legislatures already started taking action. They are reclaiming their constitutional authority by adopting REINS Acts. Florida and Wisconsin have had REINS Acts for years, and Indiana and Kansas joined them last year in passing their own reforms.

The North Carolina General Assembly should take back its policy-making power from state agencies. Let’s ensure that our laws are created by those we elect, not by bureaucrats, and pass the REINS Act.

You can read more about fighting regulation in North Carolina here ([link removed]) , here ([link removed]) , and here ([link removed]) .

Esse quam videri,

Donald Bryson

New Carolina Journal Poll!
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More from Locke
1) 📝📝📝 Push for independent election audits in NC gains momentum ([link removed])
* North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek recently appeared on Carolina Journal’s weekly online news show, “The Debrief" ([link removed]) , where he explained support for independent election audits
+ Boliek believes that an external review would help assure the public that elections are run fairly and transparently
+ He also welcomes the idea of conducting a thorough review of the State Board of Elections' procedures, to ensure they are up to standard
* What would a procedural election audit include?
+ A procedural election audit would involve more than just verifying the accuracy of vote counts; it would examine the entire election process
o The audit would check critical elements like ballot custody, voting equipment security, compliance with election laws, and the reconciliation of voting data
o The audit would also verify voter eligibility by reviewing registration records, and confirm that all legal voting procedures were followed
+ The audit system would be inspired by Utah’s approach, incorporating a two-year review period, conducted by an independent entity, and would include responses from the the state’s chief elections officer
* If North Carolina were to implement procedural election audits, the process would likely involve several key steps
+ The General Assembly would first need to approve the move to transfer authority for election audits to the State Auditor’s office
o The Office of the Audit will soon have budgetary and appointment power over the State Board of Elections (contingent upon an existing lawsuit)
* Both sides of the election security debate would stand to benefit from an independent audit, as it would verify the system’s integrity and ensure transparency in the process

Read the full article here ([link removed]) .

2) 📚📚📚 Poll results reveal strong support for open enrollment in North Carolina schools ([link removed])
* In a recent poll, nearly 75% of North Carolina respondents said they would support a policy of allowing students to transfer to the public school of their choice
+ This kind of policy, often known as open enrollment, provides choices among traditional public schools
* Despite thriving private schools, charter schools, and virtual schools, NC currently lacks choice for public school students
+ Additionally, polling suggests dissatisfaction with local public schools
o 55% of residents are unhappy with K-12 education quality
o 37% would feel uncomfortable sending their child to an assigned public school due to concerns over curriculum, academic quality, safety, and educational values
+ North Carolina is one of 33 states with poor open enrollment policies, earning an “F” grade in a 2024 study
o NC is one of only 4 states that failed to earn any points for open enrollment
o Local districts like Pitt and Union County have some open enrollment policies but with limitations, such as only allowing students to transfer within the district or in very specific cases
* Open enrollment could serve as a solution to concerns over declining school enrollment in public schools
+ Traditional public school enrollment has dropped 3% since 2019
o The policy would help districts that are facing declining enrollment, ensuring schools remain sustainable
+ Open enrollment would provide a way to market traditional public schools as viable choices for families looking for more options
+ That being said, practical questions about transportation and school capacity would need to be addressed, drawing lessons from states like Wisconsin with established open enrollment policies
* 75% of K- 12 students in North Carolina attend a traditional public school - don’t these students deserve the chance to choose the one that works best for them?

Read the full report here ([link removed]) .

3) 🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳 Confucius Classrooms in NC? ([link removed])
* The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long used education as a tool for expanding its soft power abroad
+ Through Confucius Institutes (CIs) in universities, and Confucius Classrooms (CCs) in K–12 schools, the CCP funds programs that promote a pro-China narrative
* U.S. lawmakers and experts have raised concerns that these programs undermine academic freedom, spread CCP propaganda, and even present national security risks
+ A 2024 report from the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce, chaired by NC’s Virginia Foxx, chronicled CCP efforts to infiltrate K-12 schools
o Their report revealed $17 million funneled into 143 school districts across 34 states (plus Washington, D.C.)
o More than 170,000 students in 182 schools (including ones on military bases!) have been exposed to CCP-funded education
+ In response, legislation (H.R. 5567) was introduced, aiming to reduce foreign influence in U.S. education
* Despite growing scrutiny at the national level, North Carolina’s education system has continued partnerships with the CCP’s programs
+ During a March 5, 2025, State Board of Education meeting ([link removed]) , global education agreements were discussed, including one with Jiangsu Province, China
+ The NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) website ([link removed]) confirms the presence of Confucius Classrooms under its International Agreements section
+ Questions remain: how many NC schools are involved, what curriculum is being taught, and how much funding has NC received from the CCP?
* Until we have some answers to these questions, parents who have their children in Confucius Classrooms may want to take a closer look at what their children are learning

You can read more here ([link removed]) .

Donate ([link removed])

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