Welcome to Sincerely Sophia!
Here's what to expect.
In this Substack, I’ll be providing updates about every month going forward.
Regular features will include:
Legislation station: Legislative updates, including priorities, votes, and legislation to watch.
Reasons to believe: A little dose of hope, because we all need that right now!
How can I help you?: Highlighting ways our office can support you.
Loud and clear!: What’s blowing up my inbox, and where I stand on those issues.
Not buying it: What I’m calling out.
So on the Go: Where I’ve been, and how I expect to spend my time this week.
More on upcoming events, musings, and what’s happening in Raleigh.
Book time with me at Durham’s Main Library on June 26th!
Want to talk through an issue, advocate for a policy, or just say hello? Book a 15 minute session with me on June 26th, when I will be holding office hours from 3-5PM.
If that date doesn’t work for you, save the date for July 29th at North Regional Library. You can also request a meeting at the General Assembly. I am there most weeks Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday by emailing me at sophia.chitlik@ncleg.gov.
Legislation station | My top three
This session I was the primary sponsor (author or co-author) of 53 bills, including two with Republics and the co-sponsor (co-signer) of 81 bills, all which you can find here..
Many of these reflected my top three legislative priorities:
Solving the childcare crisis
Safeguarding public education
Ending maternal mortality
We can solve the childcare crisis by:
Saving COVID-era stabilization grants (which expired in March)
Creating a $25M matching program with counties to incentivize the creation of more childcare seats.
Finally and meaningfully increasing state childcare subsidy rates.
Using state-owned buildings to offer childcare providers below-market space.
Chartering three onsite childcare centers for state employees.
Creating the nation's first Childcare Finance Agency to scale local, proven childcare small businesses.
Providing categorical childcare subsidy eligibility and income tax exemption for everyone working in a school or in public safety.
We must safeguard public education by:
Placing a moratorium on the disastrous school voucher scheme
Halting the authorization of schools that chronically fail our kids
We can end the maternal mortality by:
Reasons to believe | I passed my first amendment!
One of the provisions in a childcare bill above (SOS for Childcare) was sparked by a childcare provider in our district who faced a TON of red tape in opening her center; the building inspector told her one thing, the city, another, the fire marshal yet another. This led to expensive delays, both for her, and for parents.
A part of that bill tackles this challenge by bringing stakeholders together to figure out how we can streamline regulatory requirements for childcare centers. It gets everyone in the same room and asks them to bring their experience to the table to make things easier for childcare entrepreneurs, who already face innumerable hurdles to opening and sustaining their businesses. It also paves the way for thoughtful changes -- done in a way that's safe, clear, and intentional. I figured these professionals would have much better recommendations than we could come up with alone at the General Assembly.
I drafted a part of this bill as an amendment to another childcare bill, S528, when it came up for a vote. I eventually got the go-ahead to run this amendment on the floor, where it passed unanimously, making me only the second Democrat this year to pass an amendment!
Here’s why this gives me hope:
It increased belief in what was possible. Democrats passing anything (or being allowed) to pass anything is a big deal. It shouldn’t be that way, but it’s true. So if a freshman in the superminority can do it, we ALL can!
It showed that there is a good faith to work together on childcare. This IS a bipartisan issue – we all agree it’s a problem. I hope we can all agree that it’s the people with lived experience on this issue who have the best answers.
It created a playbook to try to do it again. I’m a process person, so now that I understand the process, you BET I will be trying this again (I already have a few things in the works!).
How can we help you?
Having an issue with a state agency? Don’t know where to go for support? Our office might be able to help!
Here are some things we can support with:
Vital records, including birth certificates
Unemployment benefits, including filing and delays
DMV issues, including appointment expediting
Connecting you with Federal support on passports or immigration issues
Getting you connected to City and County agencies and services
…and more!
Please email me at sophia.chitlik@ncleg.gov with details about your issue, and we will work with our agency liaisons to get you answers.
Loud and clear!
For the past few weeks, we’ve been getting inundated with emails about the following. Read more to know where I stand.
Anti-immigrant legislation: A slew of bills have been sent from the House, and I will continue to stand up for immigrant families, just as I did in the fight against SB153.
Book banning in H636: Not surprising, Durham believes that teachers, parents and librarians – not legislators – should decide what books our kids should have access to. I think H636 reeks of fascism; this bill will have my strong opposition if we see it in committee.
Sports betting in the budget: I’ve been getting lots of emails against the doubling of taxes on sports betting revenues from 18% to 36% in the Senate budget, which I voted against. I want an equitable tax policy – which means a freeze on lowering the corporate and personal income tax rates.
Changes to the Early Learning Sensory Support Program: The budget reallocates this program, which works to prevent hearing loss and to support dead infants and toddlers and their families, from the Department of Public Instruction to residential schools. Experts are united in their opposition, and keeping this funding in DPI is a priority for me.
SHIIP Funding: The Senate budget eliminates the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program, which helps North Carolinians in all 100 counties navigate and apply for Medicare. Cutting this program, which saves money overall, is ridiculous. I will be fighting for its restoration.
Safe drinking water: I’m getting a lot of emails in favor of S666, which will protect against PFAS. This bill didn’t make crossover, but the budget surprisingly does have some PFAS protection measures in it! We are hoping those will stay in there.
Not buying it | H402
H402, or the “REINS Act,” at first glance seems like an effort to fight against unnecessary regulation. However, it’s actually just another effort to strip the executive branch of its last remaining powers by making it impossible for state agencies to make new rules. In the Regulatory Reform Committee, I asked about rule-making that saves money and saves lives. I’m not buying that this bill will actually help North Carolinians, and neither should you.
So on the Go
Last week, the Senate was not in session. I took a slow week to be with my family (including making my son’s first Bulls Game). I caught up on email, made it to Merck to visit their Traeburn facility to discuss onsite childcare, and celebrated my 36th birthday!
This week, the Senate is in session. On Monday, I audited a meeting of the Governor’s Childcare Taskforce (I haven’t missed one yet!). Tuesday I attended Housing for New Hope’s annual breakfast. This week and next week, the General Assembly is in session, and I anticipate a heavy committee schedule as we finally hear bills from the House. This Friday, the Durham Delegation and I will meet with the Durham County Commissioners for a check-in.
That’s all for now! Thank you for following along, and for the honor of representing you and our community.
Sincerely,
