From the Asheville Citizen-Times (7/6/10): The North Carolina House and Senate approved different versions of ethics, campaign finance and government reform bills by wide margins Tuesday, creating competing measures they'll use as negotiating tools for a compromise before final adjournment by the end of the week.
The Senate gave unanimous support to its version Tuesday, an hour after the House gave final approval to its own similar bill by a vote of 114-1. The Senate’s measure cleared the chamber two weeks after it got derailed when Republicans complained about a public campaign finance provision that was ultimately removed.
“There was great bipartisan support,” said Senate Majority Leader Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe. “It’s as good as we can get.”
The House voted for its bill after deciding that ex-lawmakers and former state officials must still wait at least six months before they can lobby state government. House members had considered a one-year period. Both House and Senate measures also would apply the six-month delay for the first time to former state employees who want to lobby their old agencies.