The Capital Report | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    BUDGET SCHEDULE

    Speaker Moore told reporters this week that the long session will carry over into July, with a break the week of July 4th. Likewise, the Speaker expects budget negotiations will likely go into July. According to Senate leader Berger, the tax package and how to spend our state's reserves continue to be sticking points between the chambers.

    BILL UPDATE

    Given the chambers' focus on budget negotiations, many bills have been stalled out this session. According to Sen. Perry, aside from appointment bills and resolutions, there have only been 24 statewide bills that have become law this session as of Wednesday. That number has ticked up today, since Gov. Cooper just signed into law a batch of bills, including House Bill 140, Civilian Traffic Investigators. Gov. Cooper also allowed House Bill 130, Energy Choice/Solar Decommissioning Rqmts., to become law without his signature. Gov. Cooper vetoed Senate Bill 582, North Carolina Farm Act of 2023, and House Bill 750, Address ESG Factors.

    SPEAKER MOORE LAWSUIT

    A lawsuit against Speaker Moore alleges that the Speaker had a years-long affair with a married state employee and used his position to keep the relationship going, "destroying" the marriage, and pushing the state employee to degrading acts in exchange for political favors. The Speaker is being sued by Scott Lassiter, a former Apex Town Council member and Republican House of Representatives candidate. The lawsuit is based off North Carolina's "alienation of affection" statute, which is a law that only a few states have that enables people to sue their spouse's extramarital partners. The 20-page lawsuit also claims that Mr. Lassiter and Speaker Moore met at a Biscuitville to discuss the affair. The suit claims that Speaker Moore confessed to the affair and suggested "that he could use his power he held as Speaker in some way to benefit" Mr. Lassiter in an effort to keep this quiet. Lassiter also accuses the Speaker of hiring someone to set up a surveillance camera outside of Lassiter's home.


    Speaker Moore has admitted to a relationship with Liles Lassiter, but insists that he understood them to be separated. The Speaker whole-heartedly refutes the rest of the case's accusations. The Speaker told reporters that they have had "an on-again, off-again, very casual, nothing-consistent type of relationship, and of course all that time, fully understood that she was separated." Liles Lassiter has also spoken out, calling the lawsuit "outrageous and defamatory." She says the allegations "are not only false but impossible as we've been separated with a signed separation document for years."

    ELECTIONS BILLS PASS SENATE

    The elections omnibus bill, Senate Bill 747, and Senate Bill 749, No Partisan Advantage in Elections, passed the Senate on party lines this week.

    Both bills were amended on the floor. Among other amendments, two amendments proposed by Senate Democrats were adopted to make substantive changes to Senate Bill 747. One proposed by Sen. Mohammed, changed the requirement of signature verification technology to be used statewide into a pilot program for 10 counties for the 2024 primaries. Another approved amendment proposed by Sen. Mayfield would allow voters to handle deficiencies with their returned absentee ballots by mail, phone, or email. While these two amendments were passed unanimously, all Senate Democrats ultimately voted against the bill. Senate Bill 749 was also amended. The amendment passed on party lines, and clarifies that the State Board of Elections would still be an independent agency although this bill would administratively transfer them within the Department of the Secretary of State. The amendment also clarifies that the General Assembly could fill vacancies on the State Board of Elections by letter when the General Assembly is not in session. Both bills are now headed to the House.


    VETO OVERRIDES

    The Senate has overridden four vetoes from Gov. Cooper this week. The Senate has now overridden six of Gov. Cooper's vetoes this session. The bills are all finance-related, and two of the bills originally passed the Senate with unanimous, bipartisan support: Senate Bills 299, Reimburse Late Audit Costs with Sales Tax Rev., and 331, Consumer Finance Act Amendments. State Treasurer Folwell and Democratic State Auditor Beth Wood urged the legislature to override the veto of Senate Bill 299, which would increase penalties on counties and municipalities that fail to timely submit an annual audit report. While the override was successful, all Democrats that voted, aside from Sen. Woodard, voted to sustain Gov. Cooper's veto of these two bills. The other two bills had some Democratic opposition since the initial vote, but still had a number vote in favor originally. All Senate Democrats voted to sustain Gov. Cooper's veto of Senate Bill 364, Nondiscrim & Dignity in State Work. Sen. Woodard broke from the pack again on Senate Bill 329, Retail Installment Sales Act Amendments, keeping with his original "yes" vote and voting to override the Governor's veto. The bills are expected to be voted on in the House next Wednesday.