NC House passes resolution to support Israel as antisemitic attacks rise
Good morning and welcome to Under the Dome. I’m Sophia Bailly with the latest in North Carolina politics.
The Senate Health Committee will vote on two pieces of legislation today. Revisions to child welfare laws and adoption processes expanded definitions of abuse and outlined legal processes for biological parents to reinstate rights over a child, regardless of current adoption standing.
The adoption revisions spurred vocal critique from parents of adopted children, who argued the bill could open the door for families being separated.
Republican Sen. Todd Johnson, who said he and his wife had tried to adopt, responded to public opposition. The legislation outlines six scenarios in which a child’s biological father could still obtain custody up to three months after the child’s birth. Fathers who might not know they are a child’s biological parents until after the birth have constitutional rights, too, Johnson said.
HOUSE DISCUSSED HATE CRIMES, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AFTER COLORADO ATTACKS
After some lively discourse, the House adopted a “Support for Israel” resolution with 98 votes. The resolution symbolizes support of Jewish citizens and affirms the legislature’s unified efforts to prevent antisemitic attacks across the state.
House Speaker Destin Hall said the resolution was a direct result of last weekend’s attack on a group of Colorado protesters who were advocating for the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza. A man threw a Molotov cocktail into the crowd in Boulder, Colorado, injuring at least 12 people, one of whom had survived the Holocaust.
“It’s not so much a discussion about international policy as it is recognizing that there’s been a huge increase in antisemitic actions and crimes in this country over the course of the last couple of years,” Hall said after the resolution was adopted.
“I doubt any of the folks who are in the State Department, or over in Gaza or Israel, are paying much attention to what we’re doing on international matters,” Hall added. “But our effort is just simply to acknowledge the increase in antisemitism and do what we can to speak out against that.”
Before the vote, Republican Rep. Grant Campbell opened the floor, referencing both the Colorado attacks and the murder two weeks ago of Jewish couple who worked at an Israeli embassy in Washington, DC.
“Edmund Burke once said that the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. I am blessed to work amongst good men and women of all ideologies in this chamber, and I humbly ask you to join me and unanimously support this resolution,” Campbell said.
Democratic Reps. Marcia Morey and Renee Price announced they would abstain from voting. The resolution went beyond their jobs to focus on the people of North Carolina, Morey said, and appeared to unfairly pick a side in an international conflict. Both members addressed what they considered a lack of respect and understanding for Palestinian protesters.
WHAT ELSE WE’RE COVERING
- North Carolina’s first female senator, Elizabeth Dole, was recognized for her service to the state at Wednesday’s General Assembly House and Senate sessions. Dole, 88, will have a portion of Interstate 88 named after her, The N&O’s Capitol Bureau Chief Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan reports.
- House Republicans passed a major immigration bill Wednesday, with further statewide cooperation with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the forefront of the legislation. The N&O’s Kyle Ingram has the story about what’s next.
- UNC Asheville’s dean of students is out of a job. Accuracy in Media, which describes itself as an undercover media organization, posted a video Tuesday where Megan Pugh discussed “breaking rules” and maintaining diversity, equity and inclusion programming, higher education reporter Korie Dean reported.
- A Wednesday report from the State Board of Education found that most North Carolina students receiving new private school vouchers this year were already attending private schools. The taxpayer-funded Opportunity Scholarships have helped families afford private schooling since 2014 but this was the first year without any income limits. The N&O’s T. Keung Hui has more.
- And, President Donald Trump will make a trip to Fort Bragg next week. His agenda is under wraps, but this will be his second trip to the state in his second term, Danielle Battaglia reports from D.C. His first visit in January was to survey damage from Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina.
Today’s newsletter was by Sophia Bailly. Check your inbox Thursday for more #ncpol.
Not a subscriber? Sign up on our website to receive Under the Dome in your inbox daily.
This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
CORRECTION: This article has been corrected to say Sen. Todd Johnson and his wife previously explored adoption but are not doing so currently. Johnson was discussing a birth certificate bill at the time, which would allow local registers of deeds to print birth certificates.
