RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) 鈥 The North Carolina legislature wrapped up the chief portion of its annual session Thursday, passing another Hurricane Helene aid package this week after Republican majorities pushed through divisive bills to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs and target transgender rights.
Lawmakers in the ninth-largest state also fell short on completing their primary responsibility 鈥 enacting a two-year budget by July 1.
There鈥檚 no risk of a government shutdown, and House and Senate negotiators will keep meeting to reach budget agreements. Other legislation can be voted on when lawmakers return occasionally, possibly starting next month. from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein likely will be waiting.
Chambers remain far apart on 2-year budget
House and Senate Republicans are split on competing budget bills they approved in the spring. Teacher and state employee pay, the scope of tax cuts and vacant government position eliminations are . Each package would spend $32.6 billion in the upcoming fiscal year and $33.3 billion in the next.
鈥淭he massive details behind each of our budgets doesn鈥檛 allow us quick and urgent resolution,鈥 GOP Rep. Donny Lambeth, a chief budget writer, told colleagues Wednesday.
The inability of budget writers to work out a stopgap spending measure that usually contains noncontroversial or critical spending provisions gave fodder to Democrats.
鈥淭he people of North Carolina should expect better of us,鈥 Rep. Deb Butler said. 鈥淲e have one job and that鈥檚 to pass a budget, and we haven鈥檛 done that.鈥
Any final budget goes to Stein, whose own budget proposal spent more and froze planned income tax cuts. With the GOP , Republicans will seek a final budget that enough Democrats support to override.
Next Helene spending installment finalized
Before adjourning, House and Senate Republicans hammered out another tranche of state funds to assist with Helene recovery in the mountains.
Not including , the General Assembly already since last September鈥檚 historic storm.
This latest allotment 鈥 approved unanimously and now heading to Stein 鈥 moves $700 million to the state's Helene relief fund and appropriates $500 million of that. There's also nearly $1 billion more allocated in federal water and sewer grants and state transportation money with a focus on Helene repairs.
had urged lawmakers this week to set aside their differences 鈥渁nd get this relief out the door.鈥
GOP focused on eliminating DEI programs
Cutting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives were a for GOP lawmakers. State agencies, local governments, public K-12 schools and higher education institutions would be impacted if the bills become law.
Training, staff positions and hiring decisions that incorporate DEI are banned in state agencies under one bill. The legislation also would outlaw those agencies or local governments from using state funds for DEI programs. Two other bills would bar 鈥渄ivisive concepts鈥 and 鈥渄iscriminatory practices鈥 across public education in the state.
Republicans have repeatedly said DEI programs have strayed too far from their original goal and create unfair treatment.
鈥淲hen it鈥檚 done right, it opens a door for more students to compete fairly,鈥 Sen. Michael Lee, the bill鈥檚 sponsor, said in committee Tuesday. 鈥淲hen it鈥檚 done wrong, it prioritizes identity over ability.鈥
But Democrats said the legislation will 鈥渃hill鈥 state employees鈥 speech and may reverse progress for students of color who weren鈥檛 historically afforded certain opportunities.
鈥淎 multiethnic, diverse society has to learn how to grapple with things that can make you feel uncomfortable,鈥 Rep. Brandon Lofton said on Wednesday. 鈥淭his bill puts an end to that.鈥
Shrimp ban proposal gets loud
It was shrimp that elicited a giant response from the public this week.
A bill pushed by the state Senate would ban shrimp trawling 鈥 which uses a cone-shaped net to scoop up the crustaceans 鈥 inshore and within a half-mile (.8 kilometers) of coastal North Carolina shorelines.
Proponents say shrimp trawling has negative environmental impacts, such as killing juvenile fish populations and disrupting ecosystems.
But several coastal Republican legislators were outraged, saying the bill would completely devastate North Carolina鈥檚 shrimping industry. About 75% of North Carolina shrimp are caught inshore, according to the North Carolina Local Food Council.
Hundreds of shrimp industry members and their allies on Tuesday crowded inside and outside the Legislative Building to oppose the bill. A dozen semitrailers 鈥 draped with banners like 鈥淣C Seafood for All. No Trawl Ban鈥 鈥 circled the building and blasted their horns for hours.
Bill opponents cheered Wednesday outside a House Republican caucus meeting where members said they decided not to act on the bill.
Many bills get over the finish line, head to the governor
Legislators gave final approval this week to a host of bipartisan bills, such as a measure sought by the governor to require public school districts to pass policies barring students from having cellphones turned on during instructional time. There would be exceptions.
Others were divisive, like a bill prohibiting state funds for gender-affirming care for prisoners and stating there are only two sexes. Another measure would allow private school boards to authorize a trained, permitted adult to carry a handgun on a school鈥檚 campus for security.
These measures now head to Stein鈥檚 desk. The governor vetoed three GOP measures last week. No override attempts have yet occurred.
