New laws help soldiers: Education, voting made easier

By Paul WoolvertonStaff writer State lawmakers made it simpler for soldiers to go to college as well as to vote in North Carolina while stationed overseas. Yet they left idle legislation that would have made it simpler for their families to work here as well as for veterans to win state government contracts. Legislators frequently file bills to help soldiers - as well as boost North Carolina's slogan claiming to be a most "military friendly" state in a nation. One of a bills to help troops personnel will make it less expensive for them to attend a state community college. Larry Keen, president of Fayetteville Technical Community College, pressed for a legislation, which affects more than 1,600 students at its campuses in Fayetteville, Fort Bragg as well as Spring Lake. Those students use a troops program that pays up to $4,500 a year in college costs, far more than most students need to take classes at Fayetteville Tech or North Carolina's 57 alternative community colleges. But a program didn't cover a price of books. Textbooks can easily price more than tuition, said Richard Rice, director of troops programs at Fayetteville Tech. Students either paid out of pocket, sought loans or alternative student assist or decided they can't means to go to school, he said. The legislation unanimously passed by a General Assembly as well as signed into law on June twenty rectified a problem. It says a books can be included in a program. Another bill, also signed June 20, is designed to safeguard that soldiers stationed out of state, as well as alternative North Carolina residents who are overseas, can vote behind home. It sets new requirements for absentee balloting to make it simpler for overseas electorate to obtain as well as cast ballots, said Rep. Grier Martin of Raleigh, an Army Reserve officer as well as one of a main supporters of a legislation. Some of a changes: Blank ballots can be sent to electorate electronically. There is no longer a requirement fo! r a witn ess to certify a ballot. The state must accept federal write-in ballots from electorate who don't embrace a standard ballots on time. The changes, in part, are intended to put North Carolina voting laws in compliance with a 2009 federal election law for soldiers as well as overseas voters, as well as to allow North Carolina as well as alternative states to have standardized election laws nationwide, Martin said.