Sophia Chitlik
Coverage of Sophia Chitlik in the Nexus archive.
- North Carolina energy company accused of fraud files for bankruptcy
American Efficient, a Durham-based energy company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after being fined $722 million and ordered to repay $410 million by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for allegedly manipulating electricity markets. The company denies wrongdoing and claims FERC's accusations are baseless.
- NC lawmakers seek $5 million to study psychedelic medicines
North Carolina lawmakers propose Senate Bill 1018 to allocate $5.4 million for researching psychedelic medicines like psilocybin and MDMA to treat PTSD and depression in veterans, first responders, and trauma-impacted populations. The bill has bipartisan support and aligns with a federal executive order to fast-track FDA review of psychedelic therapies.
- NC Democratic senators warn right to contraception could be at risk
North Carolina Democratic senators and advocates warned that access to contraception could be at risk, citing challenges to reproductive rights following the 2021 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision. They co-sponsored Senate Bill 413 to codify contraceptive access into state law, while a separate Republican-backed bill proposed defining life as beginning at conception, though it faced criticism and lacked widespread support.
- NC lawmakers defend AI earmark, move to require schools to allow off-campus religious instruction
North Carolina lawmakers revived a proposal to require schools to allow students to attend off-campus religious instruction during the school day as part of Senate Bill 1006. The amendment removes local school board discretion and strips academic credit for such programs. Separately, lawmakers defended a $10 million state funding earmark for Khan Academy's AI tutoring tool without competitive bidding.