Sen. Julie Mayfield (Photo: NCGA)

The state legislature returned to Raleigh in late November for a post-election lame duck session, and while most observers had expected lawmakers to focus on overriding a gubernatorial veto of a bill to expand school vouchers and force sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration officials, along with a third round of hurricane relief for western North Carolina, there was another big surprise in store.

While the override did take place, the aid in the relief bill was much smaller than expected and the proposal was loaded down with dozens of controversial and unrelated law changes. Just before Thanksgiving, NC Newsline got a chance to catch up with one of the legislative champions for a more energetic approach to hurricane relief, state Sen. Julie Mayfield of Buncombe County. And as Mayfield told Newsline, the legislature needs to do more to address the acute needs in her part of the state.