Some North Carolina sheriffs went toe to toe Wednesday against lawmakers over legislation requiring sheriffs to honor federal immigration detainers holding people in jail.
The sheriffs suggested the measure was racially motivated after black Democrats were elected as sheriffs in seven large counties last fall, and most have since decided not to honor the detainers, which are voluntary under federal law. Sponsors insist the bill is purely about protecting the public by keeping people in the country illegally who have committed crimes behind bars until immigration agents can pick them up.
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The Senate committee that passed that bill also approved Conner's Law, which increases the penalty for assaulting a law enforcement officer with a gun, and legislation creating a death by distribution felony for drug dealers after overdose deaths.
House committees passed bills that would allow Duke Energy to seek multi-year rate increases and allow people to remove campaign signs after an election.
Senate committees approved measures making it a misdemeanor to drive around road barricades in bad weather and requiring solar and wind farm operators to recycle old equipment.
The full House gave final approval to a bill allowing alcohol sales at college sporting events, sending it to Gov. Roy Cooper, as well as giving child sex abuse victims more time to sue their abusers. After a lengthy debate, the House gave preliminary approval, by a 58-54 vote, to mandating a minimum size on fish caught by commercial and recreational fishermen.
The Senate approved splitting Alcohol Law Enforcement apart from the State Bureau of Investigation.