From the Hendersonville Times-News (3/14/11): Republicans who took over both chambers of the North Carolina Legislature simultaneously for the first time in 140 years in January have promised an even more open legislative process than what Democrats had developed following a cash-for-vote scandal during the last decade.
Since taking power in late January, GOP leaders have attempted to follow through on that pledge, although House Republicans took an early hit for allowing private meetings to discuss a controversial issue in what had been called until recently caucus “policy committees.”
They have already changed operating rules for the House and Senate to promote openness. The two chambers have held several hours of public hearings on potential budget cuts and scheduled four hours Tuesday to hear comment on a voter photo identification bill before acting.
A proposed constitutional amendment that would make clear the state policy for meetings to be open and government records public also has received a hearing. The proposal, modeled after a Florida law, wouldn’t allow for additional exceptions for open meeting and public records except when two-thirds of each chamber agrees.