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19 <br /> of Commissioners may want to consider modifying the list, exchanging an item for another <br /> item, or other potential revisions. Attachment 1 is the draft list of seven potential 2019 <br /> Orange County Priority Legislative Issues. <br /> While the LIWG wanted to focus on the seven priorities in Attachment 1, it also decided that <br /> the County should continue to express its positions on multiple other topics that were <br /> relevant in previous years and continue for 2019. Attachment 2 is a draft listing of Other <br /> Orange County Legislative Interests. It includes legislative issues the Board has submitted <br /> in past years to the County's legislative delegation. <br /> The Board will need to discuss and consider Attachments 1 and 2 as provided by the <br /> LIWG. The work of the Legislative Issues Work Group to this point is based on the current <br /> information available for the 2019 General Assembly Session. The issues addressed by the <br /> Group may evolve and change over the session and require additional attention by the <br /> Group and Board of Commissioners. New issues may also arise necessitating additional <br /> review. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said he and Commissioner Price worked on this work group <br /> who reviewed attachment 2, and prioritized 7 top priorities (attachment 1). He said the list <br /> is open for review and edit. He reviewed these top priorities below: <br /> 2019- Orange County Priority Legislative Issues I <br /> Broadband/Digital Infrastructure— Support legislation, funding, and other efforts that provide <br /> counties with flexibility and opportunities to support options for increasing access to high-speed <br /> internet connectivity and expanding digital infrastructure/broadband capability to the un-served <br /> and under-served areas of the state. Access to high speed internet connections will reduce <br /> disparities, enhance quality of life for all the State's residents, and broaden opportunities in <br /> areas such as education, jobs creation, small business development, health care, civic <br /> participation, and growth in farm enterprises. <br /> Priority School Issues — Support legislation to address the following issues related to schools: <br /> a) Provide local school systems with calendar flexibility, including the opportunity to align with <br /> nearby community college schedules; <br /> b) Provide full funding for State allotments including Average Daily Membership (ADM) growth, <br /> and support legislation to provide for an overall increase in funding based on average daily <br /> memberships outside of the current formula system; <br /> c) Impose class size reductions commensurate with State funding for staffing; and <br /> d) Provide additional revenue options, including a statewide bond and lottery proceeds, to <br /> equitably address statewide public school and community college capital challenges and meet <br /> identified needs. <br /> Expansion of Medicaid Program — Support legislation to increase access to the Medicaid <br /> program to make health insurance available to approximately 500,000 more North Carolina <br /> residents and as additional support for rural hospitals. <br /> Minimum Wage Increase— Support legislation to raise the minimum wage to enhance people's <br /> economic security, improve access to safe and secure housing, boost the economy with <br /> increased spending, decrease dependence on government assistance programs, and improve <br /> the lives of families. <br />