Washington D.C. is coming to Charlotte.
A subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee is holding a field hearing called Victims of Violent Crime. Political expert Eric Heberlig says what happens there could pave the way to new legislation impacting the entire country.
READ MORE: House committee to hold hearing on Charlotte crime following light rail stabbing
“They have their ideas already for what they want in the legislation,” he said. “This is a matter of developing sound bites, developing testimony from particular people that they can then cite to promote whatever policy solutions they’ve already settled on.”
The hearing comes as Gov. Josh Stein weighs whether to sign Iryna’s Law. The bill passed in response to the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska cracks down on cashless bail. The governor says he is still undecided.
READ MORE: North Carolina legislature passes ‘Iryna’s Law’ after refugee’s stabbing death
“We need to address pre-trial issues to make sure that people who are repeat offenders and engaged in violence are held if they pose a risk to society, and we really need to do a lot of work on mental health,” he said.
A spokesperson says the committee on Monday will examine violent crime in Charlotte and the surrounding areas looking at repeat offenders and lenient pretrial release policies and decisions.
Heberlig says the hearing will put Charlotte’s leadership and controversies in the national spotlight.
>>CLICK HERE for complete coverage of the light rail stabbing
“Being in the news for negative things is never good,” he said. “So, the fact that they’re here and they’re playing to a negative story is not the headlines that Charlotte city leaders want to hear.”
The subcommittee will meet at 10 a.m. on Monday at the federal courthouse in Uptown.
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