Chaotic week at the legislature highlights NC’s flawed lawmaking process

NC Newsline

Content provided by NC Newsline. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by NC Newsline or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

8d ago 1:05

MP3•Episode home

Like many seemingly inexplicable practices that just sort of happened over time, designers of our state government could probably never have imagined something like “crossover week” at the North Carolina legislature.

“Crossover” is an artificial semi-annual deadline by which bills must be approved by at least one body – the Senate or the House – in order to remain eligible for passage that year. This year’s deadline is this Thursday May 8.

While the reasoning behind crossover deadline –to cull hundreds of bills and spur lawmakers to action – probably makes some sense, the practical result is that scores of bills will be approved this week in an absurdly rushed fashion.

Indeed, large numbers of dramatic state law changes will be brought closer to enactment with, quite literally, just a few minutes of discussion and scarce – if any – public input.

The bottom line: The crossover deadline has become obsolete. In a large, diverse and fast growing state of 10 million people, lawmakers ought to be serious and disciplined enough to get their work done without having to cram like college students.

For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.

164 episodes

#News #Politics #NC Newsline #NC Policy Watch