Our hearts remain with the communities in Western North Carolina devastated by Hurricane Helene. On Wednesday, lawmakers unanimously passed “The Disaster Recovery Act of 2024” allocating $273 million to meet immediate needs and begin the recovery process. The bill also contains provisions for a recovery fund for Brunswick County and the Carolina Beach area after major flooding during a storm in September, and a similar fund for Rocky Mount to assist with recovery after a tornado caused by Helene damaged buildings and caused injuries. Notable provisions of the bill expand eligibility for serving as a volunteer poll worker and for submitting absentee ballots, and authorize the Governor to waive certain DMV fees, such as duplicate license/identification card fees and late fees for motor vehicle registration renewals. Additionally, the bill temporarily extends the deadline for preliminary hearings for post-release supervision and parole violations once a supervisee has been arrested from seven to twenty-one working days. Governor Roy Cooper signed the bill into law Thursday morning. Read on for more criminal law news.
SCOTUS starts a new term. The first Monday in October was this week, which signals the start of a new term of the U.S. Supreme Court. On the docket are two significant gun cases. One involves so-called “ghost guns” that are made from build-it-yourself kits bought online. The central question is whether or not these purchases are subject to the same laws that apply to firearm sales and licensed gun dealers. The Biden administration argues the definition of a firearm includes ghost guns as “any weapon that is designed to or may readily be converted into a functional firearm,” while kit sellers argue that a collection of parts is not a firearm. Oral arguments were held on Tuesday. The second gun case has international implications – whether the Mexican government can sue U.S. gun manufacturers for allegedly aiding and abetting illegal gun sales to traffickers for drug cartels.
