May 22, 2013
Republican leaders at the North Carolina General Assembly say their to-do list for this year's session is very similar to what they wrote down in 2011, when they took new majorities in the House and Senate.
But by another accounting, everything has changed in the legislature as it reconvenes Wednesday, three weeks after meeting to elect leaders.
Republican Gov. Pat McCrory's arrival and expanded party majorities in the two chambers open the door for the GOP to refashion state government more than any other time in memory.
Lawmakers say they're prepared to overhaul the state's unemployment insurance system and revamp the tax system, both of which they call barriers to job growth. Legislators also are expected to a pass a voter ID law and a two-year budget.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
