New laws include license-free hunting for military

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A new budget year starting in North Carolina brings with it several new laws.
    The fiscal year starting Tuesday doesn’t yet have a state budget, but from this day state government takes over completely the Medicaid cost-sharing payments that counties paid for decades. The state gasoline tax that was supposed to drop by 2 cents a gallon on Tuesday will remain the same.
    A $675 million-plus bailout of the health insurance plan for teachers and state employees takes effect Tuesday. The state also expands property tax breaks for completely disabled veterans, the elderly and people with “working waterfront” property such as fisheries.
    State residents serving active military duty and home on leave can hunt or fish without a license.