In divided vote, NC Senate says more info should be public when government employee gets fired

House Bill 64 would make a general description of such decisions part of an employee's public record, reviewable by just about anyone who asks. The North Carolina Press Association and other advocates for open government are pushing for the change, saying similar policies are in place for 35 other states.

The State Employees Association of North Carolina is against the bill, and lawmakers have gone back and forth on the measure this legislative session as the bill went through multiple rewrites.

SEANC has argued that unfair accusations will be made public if the bill is implemented. In response, lawmakers changed the bill to give employees a chance to challenge the wording of the descriptions. The bill also says the descriptions wouldn't be made public until any appeal had run its course.

The bill cleared the Senate on a 28-19 vote. It goes now to the House for more discussion and at least one more vote. If it passes there, it will go to Gov. Roy Cooper, who was noncommittal when asked about the measure Monday during a press conference on an unrelated issue.

Under current state law, limited information is available to the public on government employees, including their names, salaries, dates of promotions or demotions, dates and amounts of salary increases and ages.

For promotions, a general description of the reason is public under current law. But that's not the case for demotions or dismissals except that, when there's a dismissal, a written notice "setting forth the specific acts or omissions that are the basis of the dismissal" is available.

House Bill 64 would essentially make the same type of general description available now for promotions available when an employee of state or local government is demoted, transferred, suspended or dismissed.