In wee hours, North Carolina legislators wrap up long year

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — The General Assembly has officially completed this year’s work session after more than eight months on the job.

House Speaker Tim Moore and Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, the Senate’s presiding officer, gaveled down the session shortly after 4 a.m. Wednesday once legislators finalized a large “technical corrections” bill. The session began in mid-January.

Hope that Republicans would adjourn the legislature by its traditional early summer closing date got waylaid by a budget stalemate and extended negotiations on overhauling Medicaid and economic recruitment incentives. The state budget passed just two weeks ago. A proposed $2 billion bond issue got final approval just after midnight.

Barring a veto by Gov. Pat McCrory that would cause lawmakers to return this fall, the North Carolina legislature isn’t supposed to reconvene until next April 25.

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