Wednesday, July 5, 2017
North Carolina lawmakers have headed home for the summer, leaving behind a legislative session dominated by vetoes and court challenges. Guest host Michael Bitzer and a panel of reporters discuss a divisive six months in Raleigh.
The gavel has dropped on the North Carolina General Assembly's "long-session," ending nearly six months of work that was dominated by tension between Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and the Republican supermajority in the legislature.
Cooperation between the two branches of state government was all but limited to the March rollback of House Bill 2. Cooper frequently put his veto stamp to work on legislation, including a state budget. But the General Assembly quickly canceled out the vetoes, and worked to limit the new governor's powers. That set the stage for several lawsuits that have kept the third branch of government - the judiciary - especially busy.
The division has kept North Carolina politics in the spotlight, where it was thrust last year in the fallout over House Bill 2.
The General Assembly will return to Raleigh at least twice in the coming months, including a possible September session to consider possible redrawing of the state's judicial districts, as well as the legislative districts that courts have struck down.
Guest host Michael Bitzer will discuss the year-so-far in Raleigh with a panel of reporters.
GUESTS
Tim Boyum, host, Spectrum News "Capital Tonight" (@TimBoyumTV)
Tom Bullock, reporter, WFAE (@TomWFAE)
Colin Campbell, legislative reporter, The News & Observer; editor, NC Insider (@RaleighReporter)