NC House Archives

Last North Carolina legislative races get finalized, confirming GOP loss of veto-proof control

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina General Assembly elections have been finalized and confirm that Republicans have lost their veto-proof control of the legislature after nearly two years. Election officials issued on Monday certificates to the winners in three close legislative races from November. The defeat of state Rep. Frank Sossamon to Democrat Bryan Cohn means Republicans are one seat shy of holding a veto-proof majority at the legislature. Now the veto stamp of new Democratic Gov. Josh Stein could be more effective in blocking GOP measures that he opposes. Opening day of the next two-year General Assembly session is Wednesday.… Continue Reading

Phil Berger is poised to continue his run leading North Carolina’s Senate

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Senate Republicans have left their leadership team mostly intact for the next two years. That includes choosing Sen. Phil Berger again to hold the chamber’s most powerful position. The Senate Republican Caucus met Wednesday and agreed to nominate Berger to an eighth two-year term as Senate leader when the next two-year term convenes in early January. His election as Senate president pro tempore is a virtual lock as the GOP will hold at least 30 of the chamber’s 50 seats. The caucus also again picked Sens. Ralph Hise and Paul Newton of Cabarrus County for other positions.… Continue Reading

North Carolina GOP’s legislative priorities for this year inch closer to becoming law

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina House voted to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of a bill that drastically expands private school scholarship grants and forces local sheriffs to comply with federal immigration agents’ requests to detain certain inmates. The House voted along party lines on Tuesday. The bill includes about $463 million to eliminate the state’s private school voucher waitlist. The other part of the legislation focuses on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cooperation with sheriffs. Proponents say the legislation will keep North Carolinians safer. But opponents say it unfairly targets immigrant communities.… Continue Reading

Republican lawmakers are set to elect a new North Carolina House speaker, Destin Hall

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina House Republicans have carried out a succession plan to choose the chamber’s rules committee chairman to succeed Rep. Tim Moore after 10 years as speaker. Republicans who recently won House elections met Tuesday and chose Rep. Destin Hall of Caldwell County to succeed Moore in the post when the next two-year session opens in January. Moore was elected to Congress this fall and is departing after a record five terms as speaker. Key House GOP leaders backed a plan in which Hall would become the speaker nominee and Bell would succeed Hall as the next rules chairman.… Continue Reading