 |
|---|
| Home |
| Magazine |
| Interviews |
| Policy Papers |
| Donate |
| Story |
|
Redistricting Special Session Begins The first portion of the special session will likely consist of “skeletal sessions,” or sessions with little to no formal business, which will allow legislators to devote most of their time working at the committee level on the redistricting process. On Monday, July 18th, public hearings will be concurrently held around the state to allow for public comment and feedback on the redistricting proposals. See our previous story for more information and further details on redistricting. Toward the latter portion of the session, the legislative calendar is expected to include attempts to muster the necessary three-fifths majority votes to override the Governor’s veto. So far this session, the Governor has vetoed a record 15 bills, the most in the state’s history since a gubernatorial veto was approved in 1997. While legislators are not expected to attempt overrides for all of the vetoed measures, all of the vetoed proposals are possibilities, including:
HB 854—Abortion-Woman’s Right to Know Act was vetoed by Governor Perdue on June 27th. When the legislature passed the measure, it fell just one vote short in both chambers of having the needed three-fifths majority vote necessary for a veto override. With such a narrow margin, pro-life groups and individuals around the state are hoping that legislators will be able to secure the few votes needed for a veto override. Governor Perdue also vetoed four additional bills: HB 2—Protect Health Care Freedom, which the House failed to override on March 9. SB 13—Balanced Budget Act of 2011 was successfully overridden in the Senate, but has not been considered in the House. Governor Perdue also vetoed the state budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, HB 200—Appropriations Act of 2011, but both chambers were able to secure enough votes to successfully override her veto on June 15. The final vetoed bill, HB 383—Extend UI Benefits/Continuing Resolution included provisions relating to the state budget and the extension of unemployment benefits -- matters that have both since been resolved. For this first special session, legislators are expected to conclude their business by Friday, July 29th. Even so, legislators plan to begin the next special session sometime in September or October to consider proposals to amend the State Constitution, including a Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA). The MPA bill, SB 106—Defense of Marriage, seeks to place the definition of marriage as the union between a man and a woman in the State Constitution, and would allow North Carolinians to vote on the question on the November 2012 ballot. If a majority of voters approved the measure, North Carolina would become the 31st state to protect the definition of marriage through a state constitutional amendment.Related resources: Copyright © 2012. North Carolina Family Policy Council. All rights reserved.
|
