In 1996, Becky Carney was elected to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners, where she served three consecutive terms. As a county commissioner, she served on the Smart Start Board, helped establish the Education Budget Advisory Commission and served as the Education Liaison to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. As a result of her outstanding service, Representative Carney was named North Carolina’s County Commissioner of the Year in 2000.

 

After suffering sudden cardiac death in 2009, Rep. Carney became passionate about heart health issues in her work at the General Assembly. She works closely with the American Heart Association and received the 2011 Heart of Change Award at the 26th Annual Triangle Heart Ball. She was also the recipient of the 2012 Heart of a Champion Advocacy Award.

 

Representative Carney believes arts education is key to success in school and life and should be accessible for all students. She has sponsored major legislation concerning Study Committees and the Arts Education Task Force. She sponsored legislation establishing arts education as a graduation requirement, which passed in the House in 2013, 2015 and 2017. 

 

Becky and her husband, Gene, are members of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Charlotte. They have 6 children and 14 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild.