Thursday Wrap: Rules are rules

On Wednesday, it was a bill to allow magistrates and register of deeds staff to opt out of issuing marriage licenses or presiding over marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples. On Thursday, Democratic lawmakers and physicians fired a pre-emptive shot at the potential for new regulations for abortion clinics.

The state Department of Health and Human Services recently finished drafting proposed regulations as part of a 2013 law, but some social conservatives say the new rules aren't strong enough. Rep. Paul Stam, R-Wake, said he is considering a new bill to address some of the issues, but Democrats say the regulations crafted with the help of medical experts should be allowed to go into effect and called for an end to politicizing the issue.

In other news, the anniversary of the Dan River coal ash spill is approaching, and lawmakers are looking at small tweaks to the legislation passed last year, if any changes are made at all.