06/19/2008

Associated Press

HEADLINES:

_ NC Senate gives initial OK to $21B state budget; final vote to come Thursday

_ GOP senators perturbed by debate cutoff; Dems blamed Republican amendments

_ Grass-roots groups hold vigil to protest livestock waste lagoons

_ Senate wants to end land transfer tax authority

_ Plan to crack down on sex offenders earns unanimous approval of House

_ Immigration enforcement groups call on lawmakers to cut off access to public services

THE BRIEF:

SENATE BUDGET: The Senate gave tentatively approval to its $21.4 billion state budget proposal. Senate Democrats allowed a debate of a little more than an hour Wednesday before holding a vote on the spending plan. It was approved on a vote of 33-16. Three Republicans — Sens. Richard Stevens of Wake County; Stan Bingham of Davidson County; and Fletcher Hartsell of Cabarrus County — joined all Democrats present in supporting the bill. A final Senate vote was expected Thursday morning. The House and Senate want to negotiate and pass a compromise spending plan before the new fiscal year begins July 1. The University of North Carolina system would receive $68.6 million more than the House offered in its budget. The Senate also would borrow more money for state and university construction.

SHORT DEBATE: Republican lawmakers were more unhappy than usual with the budget debate on the Senate floor. Democrats ended debate before any Republicans actually spoke on the merits of the more than 200-page bill. Deputy Minority Leader Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson, likened it to Cold War-era Russia as Democrats used parliamentary maneuvers to turn back votes on several GOP amendments and then cut off all debate on the budget through Thursday's final vote. Senate leader Marc Basnight, D-Dare, said debate was cut off because Democrats believed Republicans were ready to offer amendments designed to catch Democrats off guard and possibly make them vote on a topic designed to put them on the record on a hot-button topic.

NO LAGOONS: Environmental activists and eastern North Carolina residents said a state law has not been successful at eliminating all hog lagoons. The protesters are staging a 51-hour vigil behind the Legislative Building to draw attention to their cause. They argued a landmark 2007 law designed to phase out the open pits used to manage livestock waste has a loophole that in some cases allows hog farmers to build replacement lagoons. Violet Branch of Warsaw said she lives close to a hog farm which produces such a strong odor that it's difficult for her to open the windows of her home or sit outside. The vigil is scheduled to end Thursday afternoon.

TRANSFER TAX REPEAL: The Senate tentatively approved a plan which would repeal a 2007 law which gives counties the authority to raise land transfer taxes if local voters approve it. The body voted 38-9 to eliminate the option to triple the transfer tax. A final vote on the plan could come as early as Thursday. Sen. David Hoyle, D-Gaston, said lawmakers should remove the authority because it's been defeated by voters in all 19 counties where it's been considered since last fall. Opponents said the power should stay on the books because county governments had asked for the authority for years. The legislation would need the approval of the House, which doesn't seem too interested in a repeal. Two weeks ago, Democratic leaders there rejected an effort to include a similar repeal amendment in the House's state budget bill.

SEX OFFENDERS: A plan to crack down on convicted sex offenders earned the unanimous approval of the House. Members voted 117-0 to approve a plan which would make it a low-grade felony for offenders to use social networking Web sites which are accessible to children. The bill prohibits offenders from changing their names to skirt the state's registered sex offender list, while boosting the charges for possessing, distributing and producing child pornography. Attorney General Roy Cooper praised the plan as a way to give law enforcement officers better tools to fight criminals who want to hurt children. The House vote sends the proposal back to the Senate, where members approved a similar plan last year.

IMMIGRATION RALLY: Citing fears that a new South Carolina law will drive thousands of illegal immigrants north, members of immigration enforcement groups rallied at the Legislative Building to ask Democratic leaders to take action. Americans for Legal Immigration PAC President William Gheen said a newly approved South Carolina law targeting illegal immigrants may drive thousands north. North Carolina lawmakers must make sure illegal immigrants can't access public services, Gheen said. He called on lawmakers to approve bill to bar illegal immigrants from attending community colleges. Failing to pass such legislation means illegal immigrants will still have incentives to come to North Carolina, said Ron Woodard, the director of the advocacy group NC Listen. "Our community colleges and state universities should be focusing on helping our citizens improve their skills and education to get a better job, not helping illegal immigrants take jobs from North Carolinians," Woodard said.

WEDNESDAY'S SCORECARD:

In the House:

_ H2186, to increase the group of relatives which can use a confidential intermediary service to contact either birthparents or adoptees. Approved 116-1. Next: To the Senate.

_ H2487, to change the format of driver's licenses for people under the age of 21 to a vertical layout. Tentatively approved 115-1. Next: Final House approval.

_ H2492, to allow the release for identifying information of additional juveniles who escape from detention centers or custody. Approved 107-10. Next: To the Senate.

_ S1358, to direct county and state Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils to assess needs of juveniles who are at risk of gang activity and to review the level of gang activity through the state. Approved 117-0. Next: To the Senate for concurrence.

In the Senate:

_ S1952, to reduce tax assessments for certain small business industries that have been ordered to pay back sales taxes if they make a good-faith effort to comply with the law. Tentatively approved 49-0. Next: Final Senate vote.

_ S1755, to extend the sunset on tax credits for research and development, low-income housing, mill rehabilitation and the state ports. Tentatively approved 49-0. Next: Final Senate vote.

In the committees:

_ H2167, to increase the width of boats that can be towed without a permit on state highways from 8 1/2 feet to 10 feet. Favorable report, House Transportation. Next: To the House Finance Committee.

AROUND THE STATEHOUSE:

Advocates for women's issues who lobbied the Legislature say great improvements have been made over the last generation to address inequalities, but lawmakers can do even more. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall said at a news conference she remembers lobbying about 20 years ago at the General Assembly in support of requiring coverage for mammograms in North Carolina health insurance plans. This year, NC Women United wants new laws passed to broaden abstinence-based sex education curriculum in public schools and to strengthen enforcement of domestic violence protection orders.

OVERHEARD:

"Sen. Rucho, that's no disrespect to you. If you sat up here and heard some of this, you'd stop listening too." — Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, who presided over the Senate during the budget debate and acknowledged she wasn't paying attention while Sen. Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, was speaking on the floor. Then she misidentified him as another senator.

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By Gary D. Robertson and Whitney Woodward.