Citizen Legislature: Legislative Votes and Information
The Citizen Legislature is the Civitas Institute’s comprehensive resource for North Carolinians monitoring their state government. It allows visitors to view campaign contributions given to each member of the General Assembly during the past election cycle, read bills sponsored by each member, and read the Institute’s analysis of important bills. Armed with these tools, citizens can identify potential relationships between campaign fundraising and legislation and promote awareness and dialogue about important policy proposals and the actors behind them.
CL allows you to search for bills in two ways. You can search for a specific bill or bills by clicking on the Search Bill/Resolution link in the sidebar on the left of the CL page. You can then search for bills containing specific text, for a specific bill by number, or for bills by a legislative category – or you can view a list of all bills sponsored by a particular legislator by clicking on the “Bills Sponsored” tab in that legislator’s profile.
CL allows you to view legislators’ financial disclosure statements and campaign contributions by clicking the Finance tab on their bio pages. CL brings transparency to the legislative process by allowing you to “follow the money”.
06-11-2008
Politics as Usual in House Budget Passage
With the passage by the NC House of the 2008-2009 budget this week by overwhelming margins, some took the opportunity to hail it as a “historic” event – only 12 members voted “no” on 2nd reading and only 10 on 3rd reading. Unfortunately, this budget and the events that surrounded it were business as usual for the N.C. House of Representatives. The majority used favoritism and a selective enforcement of the rules yet again this session, both to marginalize the minority and to silence dissent.Those in leadership are able to set the rules that govern the House. But does that mean they are also able to apply the rules only when it benefits them?
06-11-2008
NC Senate Introduces More Than $500 million in Earmarks in 2008
In recent years, much attention and scrutiny has been placed on the use of “earmarks” in the Federal budget. The federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) describes an earmark as “funds provided by the Congress for projects or programs where the congressional direction (in bill or report language) circumvents the merit-based or competitive allocation process, or specifies the location or recipient, or otherwise curtails the ability of the Executive Branch to properly manage funds.”
In North Carolina, with a much smaller budget, specific earmarking of projects in the budget is not as widespread, but still prevalent.
06-11-2008
Let's Not Forget Life
Does being pro-life matter anymore? After all, a pro-life agenda has almost no chance of passing this session. And, if things don’t change, pro-life legislation will continue to get buried in committee year after year, bill after pro-life bill.
06-06-2008
On The 2008 House Budget
Read more06-06-2008
Fact Sheet on Community Corrections
Read moreSession Counters 2009
Last Updated Jun 06th, 2008
Bills Introduced
New Laws Passed
Featured Legislation
- HB 2436 - Modify Appropriations Act of 2007.
- HB 2097 - Repeal Transfer Tax
- HB 2136 - Oppose REAL ID Act of 2005
- HB 2193 - Suspend Collection of the Fuel Tax
- SB 1596 - NC Citizen Protection Act
- HB 2284 - Photo I.D. for Voters
- HB 2362 - LRC Study/Smoking Prohib. Foster Care
- HB 2373 - Clarify Corporal Punishment Policy
- HB 933 - Jessica's Law
- SB 1874 - Clarify Ethics and Lobbying Laws