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Mon.: Not Tonight, Dear
posted at 2009-05-05 00:13 | Last modified 2009-05-05 00:14
Not only did H88 (aka the Sex Ed bill) not get a Senate floor vote tonight, it was unceremoniously shipped back to the Mental Health & Youth Services committee from whence it came.
The news prompted this email blast tonight from the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina.
House Bill 88: the Healthy Youth Act is in danger! Right wing anti-parent groups are working to stop this bill's historic progress in an effort to end the "threat" of parents actually being able to choose what's best for their children. But we have a solution: You MUST call your Senator right now and tell them to support giving parents the power they need to decide what is best for their child. We must act now or all our progress up until now might be lost.
As it turns out, the delay may lean more left than right. An H88 advocate told me the bill was sent back to committee at the behest of the Chapel Hill/ Carrboro schools. They have a comprehensive sex ed curriculum in place now, and district officials are concerned the bill as written would be regressive. They’re pushing hard for a grandfathering provision that would allow the district to retain its current curriculum. But bill advocates say grandfathering one district would only open the doors to similar appeals by less progressive districts.
The Senate’s other controversial bill of the night – S526, the anti-bullying bill – didn’t get a vote, either. Maj. Leader Tony Rand recalendared that one for Tuesday.
Oooh, snap
Wake Dem Grier Martin got a little snarky tonight during the House vote on H1079, a measure to promote fuel efficiency in the state’s motor fleet. It was a consensus bill, but you’d never have known it from the bipartisan parade of opponents who argued it was an exercise in expensive micromanagement that would hurt American automakers.
The measure went through lengthy debate last Thursday and again tonight - at least till Martin lost patience with counting MPH angels on the heads of pins.
"We have this incredible new concept: We try to figure out what’s going to cost the taxpayers of this state the least amount of money, and when we make that calculation, we figure out how much we’re gonna have to pay in gas. It’s not that complicated."
Ouch. Hear the whole thing here. (:59)
Listen Now!
The measure won approval 66-49 on third reading and is now headed for the Senate.
On tap
Tuesday’s shaping up to be an insane day. A few highlights:
- SEANC reps gather for lobbying day. They’re demonstrating against furloughs at 10am.
- Rumor has it House Approps Sub Chairs will get their budget targets Tuesday. They’re expected to be grim, following the argument that it’s politically advantageous for full Approps to restoreth what its subcommittees taketh away.
- House Education debates ditching the Senior Project Requirement (H233).
- Paid Sick Days (H177) is in House Commerce after session.
- The Yadkin River Trust Bill (S967) is on the Senate floor.
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