#NCGA: Timing will be key for Gov. Pat’s threatened special session
Gov. Pat McCrory is making some noise about possibly calling the General Assembly back into town for a special session. At the top of the agenda would be a $20 million fund for The Commerce Department to use in wooing new business to North Carolina. The proposed fund was included in the notorious HB 1224 porkfest that went down in flames at the end of the short session.
I did a quick survey of some of my Jones Street sources to get their take on the proposed special session. One of those sources — an elected official with significant influence on Jones Street — had this to say:
“Timing will be key. If the governor calls us back before November, that will be a problem. For Tillis, it puts the House back in the spotlight of the Senate race. It will also pull him off the campaign trail at a crucial time. It will also disrupt campaign and fundraising activities for the rest of us trying to come back for the next session. Calling us back before November? I can’t imagine a much dumber idea. There would be an awful lot of votes against the governor’s proposal just to spite him.”
NC taxpayers are furious at having their pockets picked for corporate welfare handouts. Nobody who votes for this outrage will get my vote in November.
Can anyone explain the authority for the governor to call a special session and whether attendance is mandatory or whether the NCGA has the ability to ignore special session attendance? I’m unable to research this at the moment and was hoping Brant or another commenter could quickly cite to the statutory/constitutional basis.
The Ledge can convene an Extra session either if the GA itself deems it necessary or upon proclamation of the Governor. See below…..
From the State Constitution on the Legislative Branch……
“Sec. 11. Sessions.
(1) Regular Sessions. The General Assembly shall meet in regular session in 1973 and every two years thereafter on the day prescribed by law. Neither house shall proceed upon public business unless a majority of all of its members are actually present.
(2) Extra sessions on legislative call. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall convene the General Assembly in extra session by their joint proclamation upon receipt by the President of the Senate of written requests therefor signed by three-fifths of all the members of the Senate and upon receipt by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of written requests therefor signed by three-fifths of all the members of the House of Representatives.”
From the State Constitution on the Executive Branch……
“(7) Extra sessions. The Governor may, on extraordinary occasions, by and with the advice of the Council of State, convene the General Assembly in extra session by his proclamation, stating therein the purpose or purposes for which they are thus convened.”
McCrory needs to be reminded that he is not the MAYOR of NC. We elect legislators to legislate and he is the executive. Is he taking lesson from Obama?