ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — North Carolina Representative Bill Ward is running for reelection in the state’s 5th House District, and he has a new political ad on TV right now. But are the claims in that ad true?
Let’s verify using these sources:
The ad highlights the Republican's record on healthcare in North Carolina. It says, "Ward increased healthcare access in rural areas, cutting costs for patients, expanding coverage for families."
In 2023, Ward voted in favor of bipartisan House Bill 76 called “Access to Healthcare Options.” The bill expanded Medicaid, improving access to health care in rural areas and allowing rural hospitals to access federal funding. Democratic Governor Roy Cooper praised the bill as a “historic step toward a healthier North Carolina.”
So, we can verify that yes, Ward did vote to increase healthcare access in rural areas.
The ad also states: "Ward helped raise teacher pay, boost classroom funding, and expand opportunity scholarships.”
The state’s recent budget – in the General Assembly as House Bill 259 or the 2023 Appropriations Act – increased the budget for North Carolina public schools and expanded the opportunity scholarship program to give more families access. It also includes funding for the program which helps families pay for private school.
The bipartisan bill also gave teachers an average raise of 7% over two years, although most teachers would get raises of around 4%.
And yes, we can verify Ward voted in favor of this bill.
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