Rachel Hunt is currently state Senator for District 42 (Mecklenburg), elected five years ago. She earned a B.A. in English and political science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 1987, and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law. According to Ballotopedia, Hunt worked as a private practice attorney and owner of an educational consulting business. Her father is former Gov. Jim Hunt, known for his education platform. Hunt lives in Charlotte.
The job
The Lieutenant Governor is the second-highest elected official in NC, and presides over the Senate. They also serve on the Council of State, the North Carolina Board of Education, the North Carolina Capital Planning Commission and the North Carolina Board of Community Colleges, as well as Chairman of the eLearning Commission.
Our Q&A with Hunt
Do you have a plan to help control health care/ pharmaceutical costs?
Absolutely, I’m honored to have fought alongside Governor Roy Cooper and my colleagues to deliver Medicaid expansion which has worked to lower costs overall. If elected Lieutenant Governor I’ll continue to work with the legislature to lower costs for all North Carolinians.
Where do you stand on time limits for Medicaid and work requirements for the program?
I oppose adding burdensome requirements as a condition to receiving Medicaid because it adds additional expenses to the program and can end up denying care to people who are otherwise eligible.
What can North Carolina do to support rural hospitals?
Medicaid expansion was a good first step but we must continue to find ways to fund rural hospitals. Small towns will continue to empty out if we don’t work with the legislature to ensure that rural hospitals have the resources they need to stay open.
PFAS contamination is a state-wide issue; How do you plan to address this issue?
In my role as a state Senator, I have visited the small towns directly impacted by this. I co-sponsored SB681 which would make the polluters who put PFAS in our water, pay to clean it up. As Lieutenant Governor I’ll continue to work across the aisle to find a solution to our PFAS contamination problems.
Is North Carolina ready for the next pandemic?
Gov. Cooper was a steady leader when we needed it most and I’m thankful for that, but we need to ensure we remain prepared for the next disaster. We do that by electing Governor Josh Stein. I’ll serve by his side to make sure no elected official undermines our state’s public health.
In 2009, Congress required more transparency from hospitals on their charitable work. What role, if anything, can the state do about requirements for nonprofit hospitals to justify their tax exemptions?
Nonprofit hospitals are a critical part of the healthcare system and I would support reasonable disclosure requirements on how they’re spending their money to justify nonprofit status.
What would you do if the legislature were to keep current abortion rules in place/What would you do if the legislature were to pass a heartbeat bill?
I’ll always keep fighting for women and girls. Earlier this year, I introduced SB 909, Protect Women’s Healthcare, to prohibit the State from restricting safe and legal abortion , access contraception, and fertility treatment. As Lieutenant Governor I’ll work with the legislature to put access to abortion on the ballot for all NC voters instead of allowing it to be decided by politicians in Raleigh.
What can the state do to improve access to child care?
The child care cliff is a major issue for many families in North Carolina. I have consistently voted to support Child Care Stabilization Grants and will continue to support similar policies that make North Carolina the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
What steps would you take to improve access to mental health services and to address the opioid overdose crisis?
Mental health services are essential to the overall health of our state. I recently introduced a budget amendment that would increase pay for school psychologists in order to attract high quality mental health professionals to our state. As Lieutenant Governor I’ll work with members of both parties to expand funding for mental health services.
Any other issues you’d like to weigh in on?
No answer provided.