On Wednesday, state lawmakers will reconvene in Raleigh for yet another special legislative session.
If you're thinking these special sessions aren’t as special as they use to be, you're right. This is the third special session since lawmakers officially ended their regular session a few months ago.
Special sessions can be unpredictable. Things expected to pass sometimes don’t and mysterious bills can pop up and be quickly passed. But thanks to a note House Speaker Tim Moore sent to his fellow state representatives, we do have an idea of just what lawmakers may try to tackle.
First up, overriding gubernatorial vetoes.
There are five such vetoed bills on the table. They range from allowing non-profits to host casino game nights to rolling back regulations on water quality to allowing what's been dubbed 'garbage juice' to be sprayed as a fine mist over trash piles. That's a way for dumps to deal with the sometimes toxic liquids that can seep into the ground.
Next on Moore's list House Bill 162. It would bar state agencies from enacting regulations that cost companies, individuals, or possibly even state government more than $100 million over a five year period. This bill stalled in the House, but did pass the Senate. It is controversial because the language in the original bill was deemed by opponents as so broad that critics said it may affect things like childhood vaccination programs.
There are other controversial bills as well.
Including a push by Republican lawmakers to redraw the state's judicial districts in a way that clearly favors Republican-leaning judges.
Also, a possible move by Mecklenburg County Republican Bill Brawley to again try to get approval for Mint Hill and Mathews to launch charter schools which would give their local residents priority enrollment.
Lawmakers have been told this special session is likely to last the rest of the week.
