Crunch Time for Controversies

From John Hood's Daily Journal:

RALEIGH – Both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly seem intent on wrapping up their 2005 session this week, though the House is reportedly willing to stay longer into the week than the Senate, where the leaders are insisting on a day or two only. We know they will convene Tuesday to formalize the election of Democrat June Atkinson as state superintendent of public instruction. We can also guess that there will be bills enacted to form study commissions, make appointments, and engineer “technical corrections” in previously passed legislation.

What is less clear is the fate of several controversial proposals that have passed at least one chamber, and in some cases both chambers albeit in different forms. Either conference committees will fashion quick compromises on these matters, or else they will be held over to next year for final disposition.

Here are some of the issues to be watching in this last – or perhaps merely penultimate – week of the 2005 session...