WUNC Politics

A hectic one-day session at the legislature resulted in six veto overrides and an effort to weaken the governor’s appointment powers — but no state budget deal. To sort through the action, Senate Majority Whip Jim Perry, R-Lenoir, chats with WUNC’s Colin Campbell. Perry also discusses loan legislation he sponsored that got vetoed, as well as his proposals to change the office of state fire marshal and keep lobbyists off the UNC Board of Governors. And he weighs in on the state’s east-west barbecue debate.

With the passage of a state budget delayed until September, Democrats in the legislature are increasingly impatient with Republican leaders’ slow progress in wrapping up this year’s long session. House Democratic Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham, talks with WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell about the impacts on state employees and Medicaid expansion. Plus, he discusses his bipartisan work on economic development, controversy over voter ID implementation, rural broadband policy, and how the GOP supermajority has shifted the dynamic on Jones Street.

Before Phil Berger was considered the most powerful politician in the state, Democratic Sen. Marc Basnight of Manteo held the same position from 1993 to 2010. Basnight, who died in 2020, was a big advocate for the Outer Banks, and he used his role to help build the tourism juggernaut we have today in that corner of the state. Author Clark Twiddy’s new book, “Outer Banks Visionaries: Building North Carolina’s Oceanfront,” looks at that legacy. He joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to discuss Basnight and the book.

North Carolina’s state budget is now three weeks overdue, and it’s likely August could be the earliest that a spending plan and state employee raises might be finalized. House Majority Leader John Bell, R-Wayne, joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to explain the delays. Bell also discusses the status of recently vetoed bills, proposed casino legislation, the slow recovery from hurricanes Matthew and Florence — and whether he’ll run for House speaker as Tim Moore wraps up his tenure in the post.

As the legislature starts to wind down, sweeping proposed changes to North Carolina elections are still on the table – and could have a big effect on the 2024 elections. Republicans want to shift appointment powers for the State Board of Elections, create an earlier deadline for mail-in ballots and make new regulations for early voting — all while elections officials are seeking more funding. WUNC political reporter Rusty Jacobs joins Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to discuss where things stand and what it could all mean next year.

Primaries for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general are already attracting plenty of candidates — and potential candidates. To help us sort through who’s running and how the campaigns will play out, as well as how much they’ll cost, WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell is joined by longtime political consultant Brad Crone and Anna Beavon Gravely of NCFREE, a nonpartisan research organization. They discuss the impact of Supreme Court Justice Mike Morgan’s potential candidacy for governor, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s prospects in the Republican primary, and who might seek the role of attorney general, or “aspiring governor” as it’s sometimes known.

It’s been a busy week at the state legislature as we enter what might be the final weeks of this year’s long session. Dozens of bills have passed the House and Senate in the past week alone, and many of them haven’t gotten much attention. To catch up on the noteworthy bills many of us missed, North Carolina Tribune Editor Ray Gronberg joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to discuss everything from new HOA regulations to a legislative effort to attract a TV or film production to the Charlotte areas.

Bills restricting transgender sports participation and access to healthcare are nearing final passage at the North Carolina legislature, but none of the 170 lawmakers who will decide their fate are transgender themselves. Transgender advocate and Iraq War veteran Vivian Taylor joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to discuss her perspective on what the legislation will mean for trans North Carolinians. She also talks about how the current national political climate on transgender issues compares to what North Carolina saw in the wake of the House Bill 2 “bathroom bill” controversy. And she offers her recommendation on a place worth visiting in her home county of Stanly.

Rep. Garland Pierce, D-Scotland, is one of the N.C. House’s closely watched moderate Democrats this session — a veteran lawmaker who sometimes crosses party lines on key issues, something that could make a difference on veto overrides this year. Pierce joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to explain his thinking on issues like transgender athlete restrictions, election law changes and more. And he talks about his bills to improve the foster care system and prevent a name change at Fayetteville State University, as well as his thoughts on how his party can win elections in rural areas.

N.C. House and Senate budget writers are negotiating how much state workers will get in raises — at a time when nearly a quarter of positions in state government are vacant. The House has proposed a 4.25% raise starting in July, while the Senate prefers 2.5%. The State Employees Association of North Carolina is lobbying for a larger amount. SEANC executive director Ardis Watkins and Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson join WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to talk about raise proposals and the impact of staffing shortages on government services. Dobson also discusses how the shortage at his agency could impact workplace safety, and he explains his decision not to seek a second term next year.