Legislature convenes for long session

Paul B. Johnson, The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
·4 min read

Jan. 11—TRIAD — The N.C. General Assembly session kicked off Wednesday as legislators prepared for a session that promises to stretch into the late summer and maybe into the fall addressing topics including from the state budget, the integrity of the power grid, redistricting and possibly abortion.

For residents of Randolph County, the 2023 session also brings a change in their House representation.

Freshman Rep. Brian Biggs, R-Randolph, is the new legislator for the 70th House District, which covers the northern part of the county and includes Archdale, Trinity, Sophia and Glenola. Biggs, a former vice chairman of the Randolph County Board of Education, edged out longtime GOP Rep. Pat Hurley in last May's Republican primary, then handily defeated Democrat Susie Scott in the November general election.

Freshman Rep. Neal Jackson, R-Randolph, is the new legislator for the 78th House District, which covers southern, central and northeast Randolph County. Jackson won a three-candidate GOP primary, then comfortably beat Democrat Erik Davis in the general election. Jackson succeeds former GOP Rep. Allen McNeill, who retired at the end of the previous legislative session.

Republicans increased their majorities in both chambers in the 2022 elections, gaining a veto-proof majority in the Senate and coming just one vote short of a veto-proof majority in the House.

But House Republicans pushed through temporary operating rules Wednesday that omit a longstanding requirement that chamber leaders give at least two days' notice before conducting a vote to override a veto by Gov. Roy Cooper. That requirement has helped House Democrats marshal their forces before an override attempt.

The change, which probably will be debated heavily if the omission remains in proposed permanent rules, could allow Republicans to complete an override simply because one Democrat is absent or must leave to take a phone call.

Among the issues that the 50 members of the state Senate and 120 members of the state House may tackle:

—Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican leaders of the General Assembly will try to hash out a 2023-24 fiscal year budget by July 1, the start of the new fiscal year, said John Dinan, professor of political science at Wake Forest University. The state's current spending plan totals $26 billion.

"The focus of the session will be writing the two-year budget, which not only involves key decisions about spending and taxing but also provides a vehicle for making policy changes," he said. "One of the biggest questions every budget season is which policy provisions will be inserted in the budget bill."

—The 2023 session is the first full session of the General Assembly since last summer's U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, and Dinan said the legislature may consider revising the state's current ban on most abortions after 20 weeks.

"This question will certainly be taken up in some fashion," Dinan said. "But it is not clear how much of a priority this will be for Republican legislative leaders, or whether various groups of Republicans can reach a consensus on possible changes, or whether any proposed changes could attract the support of at least one Democratic House member." as would be necessary to override an almost certain gubernatorial veto.

—Legislators will take up redistricting again after crafting plans for the 2022 elections after N.C. Supreme Court rulings that sent the maps for congressional districts and the state Senate districts back to be redone. The legislature could possibly redraw the state House map as well, Dinan said. Revised maps would be used for the 2024 election cycle.

Republicans took the majority on the N.C. Supreme Court in the 2022 elections, possibly making it more likely that a court challenge to any new district maps would succeed.

—In the wake of the winter storm that led to rolling blackouts and extended power outages for customers of Duke Energy Corp. during the Christmas weekend, legislators may take up the state's power grid, Dinan said.

"Legislators generally respond to recent developments that are of concern to constituents, and there will likely be discussion of what if anything could be done to prevent future occurrences of the rolling blackouts that took place over Christmas," Dinan said.

pjohnson@hpenews.com — 336-888-3528 — @HPEpaul

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.