HB548-09

Facebook and the Fourth Estate

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:10:47 -0400

Carin Savel thinks Facebook is just another media outlet.

The legislative assistant joined a social networking group called Prevent School Violence North Carolina, which is advocating for an anti-bullying bill sponsored by her boss, Democratic Rep. Rick Glazier of Fayetteville.

She's since used the group to spread updates on the bill's passage through various committees and links to editorials about it.

"It's just getting the information out there," she said. "If people are sitting on Facebook and that's their only means of communication — which for some people it is — they get a chance to learn about the bill."

The group currently has 466 members, but Savel said she did not judge its success based on that number. She said many of those members have hundreds more friends, so when they comment on a item it gets further exposure.

She said Facebook is a very effective public relations tool.

"In the old days, you sent out a press release, and the general public would only see what the newspapers chose to write about," she said. "This way they get to hear it from the horse's mouth."

Facebook groups on state bills

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:44:06 -0400

Do you want to "friend" a bill in the General Assembly?

You can't exactly do that, but you can join a group for or against a piece of state legislation, another step in the evolution of online politics.

Here's a running list of Facebook groups on state bills:

* Support NC House bill 223, ditch the graduation project: Supports this bill to end the high school graduation project. 8,257 members.

* I Oppose NC Senate Bill 272: Opposes this bill for a referendum to ban gay marriage in the state constitution. 6,635 members.

* North Carolina State Sovereignty Movement: Supports this resolution to declare North Carolina a sovereign state under the 10th Amendment. 849 members.

* Ban Smoking in N.C.'s Public Places: 717 members. I'M FOR A SMOKE-FREE NORTH CAROLINA: 107 members. NC FOR Smoking Ban in Resturants (sic) and Bars: 92 members. All support this smoking ban bill.

* I support NC Senate Bill 272: 703 members. I support NC Senate Bill 272 - Defense of Marriage: 64 members. Say yes to NC Senate Bill 272: Defense of Marriage: 5 members. All support gay marriage ban referendum.

* Davie's Law / Humane Euthanasia in NC Shelters: Supports this bill to end gas chambers at state animal shelters. 577 members.

* Support Sunday ABC Sales in NC! Supports this bill to end prohibition on Sunday sales of liquor. 491 members.

* Prevent School Violence North Carolina: Supports this bill to reduce bullying in school. 461 members.

* Oppose the NC Smoking Ban: Opposes the smoking ban. 121 members.

* Pass the NC Racial Justice Act: Supports this bill to allow courts to review death sentences for racial bias. 100 members.

* NC Citizens Against Anti-Competition Bills HB1252 and S1004: Opposes bills that would prevent municipal Internet providers. 49 members.

* I oppose NC Senate Bill 138 (Salvia Ban): Opposes this bill to make a hallucinogenic mint a Schedule I drug. 49 members.

Are we missing one? E-mail dome@newsobserver.com.

Fisher: Good title can't hurt

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:48:59 -0400

Rep. Susan Fisher thinks a good title can't hurt.

In 2007, the Asheville Democrat pushed a bill to move North Carolina schools to comprehensive sex education, away from abstinence-only.

It's title: "Modify School Health Education Program."

The bill went down to defeat, but Fisher kept at it. She wrote a new bill that would allow parents to opt out of the classes and gave it a new title: "The Healthy Youth Act."

Though the new title is more vague, Fisher said it's not misleading.

"It wasn't to hide its purpose, it was really to emphasize its purpose," she said.

Over the years, she says she's learned to be skeptical of positive-sounding bill titles. She took issue with this title: "No Bullying Anyone at Public Schools."

"On its face, that sounds very all-inclusive," she said. "But if you read further into the bill, you will find that it skirts an issue or two."

The bill is a Republican alternative to Fisher's "School Violence Protection Act," which calls for students to be protected against bullying or harassing because of real or perceived sexual orientation. The GOP bill makes no mention of sexual orientation.