North Carolina legislature to feature clashes with governor

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — The North Carolina General Assembly returns this week to begin its two-year session in earnest, with Republican leaders already at odds with Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

Cooper and House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger have clashed, with competing lawsuits to block Cooper’s proposed Medicaid expansion and the governor’s challenge to recent GOP laws limiting gubernatorial powers.

The Republican lawmakers and Cooper still hope for consensus at times, but the GOP has the upper hand because they hold veto-proof legislative majorities. Cooper will need help from disaffected Republicans to stop legislation he opposes.

Big topics facing the Legislature include passing a two-year budget and deciding again whether to repeal House Bill 2, a law limiting LGBT rights. This year’s work period is likely to end sometime this summer.

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