Ray Russell

Voted to award opioid-settlement funding of $97,352 to a recovery partnership, $75,000 to AppHealthCare, and $63,824 each to the Children's Council and an App Family Medicine partnership.

July 18, 2023Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Voted to authorize AppHealthCare to administer Watauga County's opioid-settlement grant process and funds.

March 7, 2023Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for S808, the Medicaid Funding Act, on third reading; the measure passed.

June 25, 2020Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for S704, the COVID-19 Recovery Act, on second reading; the measure passed.

May 2, 2020Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for H555 to modernize Medicaid telemedicine policies on second reading; the measure passed.

May 3, 2019Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for a bill letting people wear masks for health or safety reasons and repealing confidentiality for certain death-investigation records (Senate Bill 232). The House passed it 102-2.

July 7, 2020Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted against overriding the governor's veto of H594, which would temporarily reopen gyms and fitness centers; the override failed.

June 24, 2020Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a lead sponsor of House Bill 1110 in 2020, proposing studies and funding on PFAS, long-lasting industrial chemicals that build up in drinking water. The bill was referred to committee on May 18, 2020 and went no further.

May 18, 2020Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a bill to ban hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, statewide in North Carolina. The bill stalled in the House Rules Committee after its first reading (House Bill 632).

April 9, 2019Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Served as a primary sponsor of a bill proposing to make polluters pay for cleanup and for replacement water for people whose water supply they contaminated. It also proposed barring electric utilities from charging customers for coal ash costs (House Bill 566).

April 4, 2019Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a lead sponsor of a 2019 North Carolina bill to ban drilling for oil and natural gas in the state's coastal and ocean waters and to bar offshore fossil-fuel facilities there (House Bill 545). The bill was sent to committee and went no further.

April 3, 2019Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a lead sponsor of a bill to open up the North Carolina legislature: live video of sessions, 24-hour notice before votes, and limits on late-night meetings (House Bill 341). It stalled in committee.

March 13, 2019Supports Government Efficiency

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Seconded and voted to award a $905,128.32 furniture bid for the new Valle Crucis Elementary School.

November 19, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Seconded and voted to award an $11,550,194 bid for construction of a new county Emergency Services building.

November 19, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Moved and voted to reallocate $1.8 million from the school capital reserve account to current school expenses.

November 19, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Moved and voted to approve $86,250 for WAMY's pilot Rental Repair Program from the county administrative contingency fund.

October 17, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Moved and voted to allocate up to $50,000 for a Watauga County child-care study.

October 3, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Seconded and voted for awarding a $4,992,202 construction bid for the Queen and Water Street parking deck; the motion passed 3-2.

June 6, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for S808, the Medicaid Funding Act, on third reading; the measure passed.

June 25, 2020Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for S284 providing county cybersecurity and satellite-broadband grants on second reading; the measure passed.

June 23, 2020Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for H1105 providing supplemental COVID-era Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology broadband support; the measure passed.

June 23, 2020Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted yes on the final House vote, 115-0, for a law letting state money pay for associate-degree community college courses for people in state prisons (House Bill 463).

June 23, 2020Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a bill directing the State Board of Education to create at least five online training courses for teachers, with $350,310 for the 2020-21 year (House Bill 1116).

May 18, 2020Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a bill proposing $139.2 million for North Carolina schools, including $30 million more for disadvantaged students and $37 million for instructional support staff (House Bill 1130).

May 18, 2020Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a bill proposing emergency grants to help college students pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, paid directly to landlords (House Bill 1127). The bill died in committee.

May 18, 2020Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for S704, the COVID-19 Recovery Act, on second reading; the measure passed.

May 2, 2020Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Offered and voted for the Russell amendment to H372 concerning UNC Advanced Placement scores and related education funding; the amendment failed.

July 31, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a lead sponsor of a bill proposing to expand the NC Teaching Fellows program, which gives future teachers loans erased by classroom service, and add $1.65 million a year (House Bill 978, 2019).

April 26, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Signed on as a primary sponsor of a North Carolina bill proposing to appropriate $8,556,922 a year from the Highway Fund to the State Maintenance Assistance Program, which helps cover operating costs for urban fixed-route transit systems (House Bill 666). The bill was referred to committee in April 2019 and advanced no further.

April 10, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Seconded and voted to award an $11,550,194 bid for construction of a new county Emergency Services building.

November 19, 2024Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Voted to authorize AppHealthCare to administer Watauga County's opioid-settlement grant process and funds.

March 7, 2023Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Voted yes on the final House vote, 115-0, for a law letting state money pay for associate-degree community college courses for people in state prisons (House Bill 463).

June 23, 2020Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted to concur in H75 providing school-safety funds, programs, and reports; concurrence passed.

September 16, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted yes as the North Carolina House passed a school safety bill 112-0 in March 2019. It required threat assessment teams at every public school, trained school resource officers, and yearly building vulnerability checks (House Bill 76).

March 7, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Moved and voted to approve $86,250 for WAMY's pilot Rental Repair Program from the county administrative contingency fund.

October 17, 2023Supports Housing Affordability

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Voted to award $63,824 in opioid-settlement funding for the Family Connects program directly to AppHealthCare.

August 15, 2023Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Voted to award opioid-settlement funding of $97,352 to a recovery partnership, $75,000 to AppHealthCare, and $63,824 each to the Children's Council and an App Family Medicine partnership.

July 18, 2023Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Voted yes on the final House vote, 115-0, for a law letting state money pay for associate-degree community college courses for people in state prisons (House Bill 463).

June 23, 2020Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a bill proposing $139.2 million for North Carolina schools, including $30 million more for disadvantaged students and $37 million for instructional support staff (House Bill 1130).

May 18, 2020Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a bill proposing emergency grants to help college students pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, paid directly to landlords (House Bill 1127). The bill died in committee.

May 18, 2020Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for S704, the COVID-19 Recovery Act, on second reading; the measure passed.

May 2, 2020Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a bill raising training and credential requirements for child care center staff and lead teachers. The House passed it 111-0, but the Senate never voted (House Bill 882, 2019).

May 6, 2019Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Seconded and voted to award an $11,550,194 bid for construction of a new county Emergency Services building.

November 19, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Seconded and voted for awarding a $4,992,202 construction bid for the Queen and Water Street parking deck; the motion passed 3-2.

June 6, 2023Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Moved and voted for a resolution supporting a future interstate designation for U.S. 421 from Boone to I-40; the motion failed 2-3.

June 6, 2023Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for S284 providing county cybersecurity and satellite-broadband grants on second reading; the measure passed.

June 23, 2020Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for H1105 providing supplemental COVID-era Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology broadband support; the measure passed.

June 23, 2020Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Served as a primary sponsor of H1122, Provide Affordable Broadband Access to NC.

May 18, 2020Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for H387 authorizing electric corporations' rural broadband services on second reading; the measure passed.

May 7, 2019Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Signed on as a primary sponsor of a North Carolina bill proposing to appropriate $8,556,922 a year from the Highway Fund to the State Maintenance Assistance Program, which helps cover operating costs for urban fixed-route transit systems (House Bill 666). The bill was referred to committee in April 2019 and advanced no further.

April 10, 2019Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted for H241, the Education Bond Act of 2019, on third reading; the measure passed.

March 14, 2019Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Joined a federal civil-rights lawsuit as a named plaintiff challenging state-imposed Watauga County voting maps and commissioner-election changes.

October 1, 2025

Source: dockets.justia.com · researched July 18, 2026

Moved and voted to adopt the amended resolution establishing a referendum on the structure of Watauga County commissioner elections; the motion passed 3-2.

June 18, 2024

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Seconded and voted to hire a professional map drawer and prepare a county referendum on electing three commissioners by district and two at large; the motion passed 3-2.

June 4, 2024

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

Moved and voted to direct the county attorney to seek a declaratory judgment interpreting ambiguities in state election law, including a filing-period extension if necessary; the motion passed 3-2.

November 21, 2023

Source: wataugacounty.org · researched July 18, 2026

The State Ethics Commission found no actual conflict of interest from his ownership of RaysWeather.Com but identified a potential conflict if the business sought to provide or market services to community colleges, advising appropriate caution.

January 21, 2021

Source: wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu · researched July 18, 2026

Was rated 0% by the National Rifle Association in its 2020 candidate-positions rating.

October 17, 2020

Source: justfacts.votesmart.org · researched July 18, 2026

Was rated 57% by the National Federation of Independent Business–North Carolina in its 2020 positions rating.

October 2, 2020

Source: justfacts.votesmart.org · researched July 18, 2026

Was rated 0% by Civitas Action in its 2020 positions rating.

September 24, 2020

Source: justfacts.votesmart.org · researched July 18, 2026

Voted against adopting the conference report for S250, which directed removal of foreign citizens from voting rolls; the report was adopted.

October 30, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted against concurring in H370, which required sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration detainers; concurrence passed.

August 20, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted against S681, the Rural Health Care and Local Sales Tax Flexibility measure, on third reading; the measure passed.

August 7, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a law setting how student and employee ID cards get approved as voter ID, and letting counties vary early-voting hours in odd-year elections. It was signed in June 2019 (House Bill 646).

June 3, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted against H966, the 2019 Appropriations Act, on third reading; the budget measure passed.

May 3, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Primary-sponsored a bill to ban pet leasing, the rent-to-own contracts that let a finance company repossess a family's dog or cat (House Bill 856). The House never voted on it.

May 1, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a bill to replace North Carolina's party primaries with one open primary sending the top four finishers to the general election (House Bill 994). It did not advance beyond committee.

April 26, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a bill restoring early voting on the last Saturday before an election, requiring county sites to open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (House Bill 893).

April 22, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a lead author of a bill proposing that a person barred from voting because of a conviction commit felony voting only when they intended to commit fraud (House Bill 819, 2019). It stayed in committee.

April 18, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of House Bill 395, proposing state safety rules for zip line tours, canopy tours, and other challenge courses. The bill stayed in committee and never became law.

March 21, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a bill tightening the rules for approving college and government employee ID cards as voter photo ID, requiring signed security pledges, clear frontal photos, expiration dates, and voting-rules handouts for students (House Bill 397). The bill died in a House committee.

March 21, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Co-sponsored a bill giving Ashe, Avery, Mitchell and Watauga county schools more flexibility to set calendars around bad weather; it died in committee (House Bill 207).

February 28, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Was a primary sponsor of a bill giving the State Board of Elections more time to approve tribal, student, and government employee ID cards for use as voter ID (House Bill 167). The bill stayed in committee and did not pass.

February 26, 2019

Source: ncleg.gov · researched July 18, 2026