Wednesday Wrap: Budget battle begins

The House and the Senate gave preliminary approval Wednesday to the $24 billion budget deal legislative leaders rolled out a day earlier, but without the Medicaid expansion that Gov. Roy Cooper is demanding, a veto and a protracted stalemate are expected.

Posted 12:27 a.m. Jun 27, 2019 — Updated 12:27 a.m. Jun 27, 2019

RALEIGH, N.C. — The House and the Senate gave preliminary approval Wednesday to the $24 billion budget deal legislative leaders rolled out a day earlier, but without the Medicaid expansion that Gov. Roy Cooper is demanding, a veto and a protracted stalemate are expected.

Republican lawmakers included language in the budget for a special session to discuss Medicaid and access to health care, and House leaders promised a vote on the Carolina Cares program, which would expand Medicaid but include a work requirement. Getting that through the Senate is another matter.

The budget also includes a $50,000 raise for a job with a hunting and fishing promotional group that former Rep. Justin Burr holds. Also, money is set aside for an "investigational consultant" to work with district attorneys on election law violations, a job that many see as a landing spot for former state elections director Kim Strach.

Outside of the budget, the House approved a measure that would nullify any local "sanctuary" policies or ordinances for people in the U.S. illegally and allow people to sue if they believe a city or county isn't abiding by the law.

Also, the Farm Act appears to be in trouble in the House, where powerful Rep. Jimmy Dixon, R-Duplin, balking at allowing smokable hemp flower – it looks like marijuana but doesn't contain the chemical that makes people high – to continue to be sold until late next year.

Suggest A Correction