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Act of 2018.” The association supports this legislation and notes that NC’s accomplishments and successes, from mitigating Ebola outbreaks in 2014 to responding to Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and currently responding to the opioid epidemic can be directly attributed to the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act. NCALHD’s specific comment on this legislation is related to Improving efficiency and strategic planning for the use of PHEP and HPP funds. NCALHD feels this legislation would further the work of local public health if it included the allowance of pre-preparedness training for all staff, regardless of salary funding source, for emergency purposes. In alignment with recommendation from ASTHO, we offer for consideration the following amendment to the proposed legislation: Notwithstanding any existing provisions to the contrary, formally allow state, local, and territorial public health staff funded through federal categorical cooperative agreements and grants to allocate up to 5 percent of their time to participate in pre-incident preparedness-oriented training and exercises as well as be assigned to response activities. This will help promote an agency-wide culture of preparedness and would enable state, local, and territorial public health departments to more easily and quickly redirect, on a temporary and limited basis, existing, skilled staff to serve as a force multiplier without the impediment of funding source restrictions (e.g. General Funds vs. federal categorical grant funding), when needed and would serve an important purpose, especially during those smaller scale events when additional personnel are needed but the threshold for formal temporary redirection of personnel is not met. • NCALHD’s voted to support the NC Association of ABC Boards’ position to oppose privatization of our State control system for the sale of liquor. The decision was made based on the public health concern that access to minor’s could increase with no real enforcement. • During a press conference on October 15, 2018, Attorney General Josh Stein announced that he has launched an investigation into Juul, the e-cigarette company. He sent the company a civil investigative demand to ask for more information about Juul’s marketing practices, retailers, and contact with resellers, efforts to verify age before purchase, and any youth education and awareness programs. He also asked for information about the number of North Carolinians using Juul. Upcoming Events • October 25, 2018 – “Vision 2020: Together, We Can Vaccinate Our State Against Tobacco Use”; American Cancer Society Tobacco Partners Meeting in Raleigh, NC. • October 29, 2018 – NC Public Health Leadership Institute full day in-person session in Chapel Hill, NC. • November 2, 2018 - *Original Date Cancelled due to Hurricane Florence*Annual UNC PHield Trip – a way of introducing incoming public health students from UNC to local governmental public health; approximately 40-50 students will come to Hillsborough to learn from staff what local public health looks like in practice. Donna King serves as lead on this and has an afternoon of fun and engaging activities planned.