Today@NCCapitol (June 24): All bills must go

"I really think we can make June 30, but I still believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny," said Sen. Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson, when reporters asked if the legislature would make its pre-Independence Day goal for adjournment.

Friday sessions are unusual, and lawmakers typically don't work on Mondays until late in the day. But Apodaca warned members that they should expect to work a full legislative day on Monday as well.

"I would count on being here by 9 a.m.," he said.

He later told reporters that he anticipated Monday would be the last day most committees would meet, a move that typically comes right before the end of the legislative session.

"We've had an opportunity to talk about several things," Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger said Thursday of discussions with his House counterpart, Speaker Tim Moore.

Both men agreed that they would likely complete work on a budget deal either Friday or Monday. That would allow both chambers to pass a budget bill by the end of next week.

"I would agree that we have an understanding on some of the pay issues," Berger, R-Rockingham, said.

House leaders have reported there is general agreement on raising teacher salaries, but that questions remain about raises for state workers and whether retirees will see a cost-of-living increase.

"There will be pay raises. It's just a matter of how much," Moore, R-Cleveland, said.

Both men were circumspect about describing what deals had been cut and what differences remained. However, both said that lawmakers were still working on the details of a tax cut.