Since the passage of their budget bill last week, the House has yet to see official budget documents from their counterparts in the Senate.  Speculation of the Senate's budget plan has been rampant and varied, however, Senate leaders indicated that they would begin official discussions in committee meetings next week.

Recent procedural actions of the Senate are sending strong signals of their desire adjourn the short session quickly.  Senate committee meetings other than Appropriations are suspended at least for next week, Senate leaders announced yesterday, and will only meet if absolutely necessary after that.  A largely symbolic adjournment resolution with an end date of June 19 was filed by Senate leaders, and there is an effort to pass some measures, traditionally included in the budget bill, in separate smaller pieces of legislation.  Senate Appropriations Subcommittees met concurrently yesterday afternoon and each had staff present their respective House budget sections.  Although meetings have not yet been announced, the full Senate Appropriations Committee will likely meet next week several times to reveal their budget, hear amendments, and allow for debate.

Non-budget legislative news includes:

• A bill addressing barriers to the transitions underway in mental health delivery systems is on the move.  H 1075 passed the House last week and was approved in a Senate committee this week.
• The "Clean Energy and Economic Security Act" that would, among its provisions, establish a regulatory framework for the legal extraction of natural gas from shale rock formations, received final approval in the Senate this week.  The process known as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," would be permissible under this legislation.
• A bill to extend several expiring tax credits by one year was given final approval this week by the Senate.  H 1025 requires one last procedural concurrence in the House before it heads to the Governor.
• The Banking Law Modernization Act that aims to comprehensively update North Carolina's banking laws, a task that has not been undertaken since 1931, has passed both chambers.  It requires a final concurrence vote of the Senate before going to the Governor for approval.
• The Modify Mortgage Regulation Funding Act (S 806) is scheduled for hearing in the House Finance Committee next week.
• A committee substitute for S 836 (Improve Property Insurance Rate Making) passed out of the Senate Insurance Committee and is scheduled for a floor vote next week.
• S 647 (Mutual Insurance Holding Company Act) is scheduled for hearing next week in the House Insurance Committee.