Legislative Update: HB2, Coal Ash, Light Rail

By Frank Stasio,

Laura Lee

Published June 30, 2016 at 12:46 PM EDT

Photo: North Carolina's Old State Capitol building. — In Raleigh, the state legislature is considering bills on coal ash, light rail and sanctuary cities during a session that was initially intended solely for the state budget.

Lawmakers convened in Raleigh nearly a month ago for a short session to address the state's budget. But legislators have proposed measures on other items including bills on coal ash, light rail and sanctuary cities.

Also this week, Senator Fletcher Hartsell, a Republican from Concord, was indicted on charges of illegal campaign expenditures. The long-serving member in the Senate says he will not resign.

And Governor Pat McCrory invites democrats to discuss possible changes to House Bill 2.

Host Frank Stasio talks with WUNC capitol bureau chief Jeff Tiberii about the latest.

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Frank Stasio

Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.

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Laura Lee

Laura Lee was the managing editor of The State of Things until mid February 2017. Born and raised in Monroe, North Carolina, Laura returned to the Old North state in 2013 after several years in Washington, DC. She received her B.A. in political science and international studies from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2002 and her J.D. from UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law in 2007.

See stories by Laura Lee