Democratic Convention Affects Legislative Sessions--or Vice Versa

by Karl Kurtz

The only state that is scheduled to be in regular session during the Democrats' national convention is California, where the Legislature and governor have not yet reached agreement on the budget. According to press reports, Speaker Karen Bass initially excused members of the Assembly to attend the convention in Denver but then changed her mind after Sen. President Pro Tem Don Perata kept senators in town to work on the budget.  Several members returned to Sacramento after a brief appearance in Denver.

The Massachusetts General Court is in "informal" session this week, and the Boston Globe reports:

How dead was it at the State House? So dead the House couldn't find a quorum. So dead the 40-member Senate managed to attract only three of its members. And so dead that the only sound, much of yesterday, was of trash barrels being pushed by the maintenance crew.

North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley, even though a Democrat, has called the legislature into special session on Wednesday to deal with his veto of a boat-towing bill.  According to a Charlotte Observer report, the members of the legislature are in a mood to override the veto, something that has never before happened in North Carolina under its relatively recent consitutional provision for a veto.  Under the veto provisions the governor must call the legislature into special session within 10 days of issuing a veto.  Speaker (and NCSL president) Joe Hackney and several other legislators who are in Denver will have to return to Raleigh for the session.

[Sept. 2 update on North Carolina story: In addition to Gerry Cohen's comment below reporting on the veto override session, see an AP story, "NC veto override didn't feel that historic."]

Comments

[Gerry Cohen]

Governor Easley's veto was overriden by a 93-7 margin in the House and 39-0 in the Senate this morning. This is the first override in North Carolina history. House Speaker Joe Hackney flew back to Raleigh from Denver on a red eye this morning to convene and is headed back to Denver. While the veto was being overriden at 11 am ET, Easley was in Denver addressing a 9 am MT breakfast meeting of the North Carolina delegation to the Democratic national Convention.

details on override:
http://ncbilldrafting.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/veto-of-house-bill-2167-overriden/
or
http://tinyurl.com/6yk3xg

http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/senate_overrides_the_veto

http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/nine_minutes