Here is a look at some of the activity in the General Assembly this last week.

Budget Process:

Lawmakers continued to make progress on the budgeting process, as the Senate approved its version of the budget for the next two years. Local senators were split, as Sen. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir) voted in favor of the budget, while Sen. Don Davis (D-Greene) voted against it.

The Senate spent hours debating the budget, a process which included some controversy related to Vidant Medical center in Greenville. The Senate budget included language that changed the state reimbursement structure for the hospital, a move that many in Eastern North Carolina say could cost the hospital $35 million a year.

Perry reassured constituents through his social media channels that this budget is not in any way final, as it still will need to be reconciled with the version passed by the House.

“We are a long way from having a final budget. What happens in the interim is often referred to as ‘sausage making.’ It is not pretty, but the end result is much better. We have a couple of weeks before anyone really votes on a budget. We have time for folks to work through this process,” Perry wrote on Facebook.

Perry said he and Davis are working with state lawmakers and Vidant officials to reverse the changes to the hospital’s governing structure that spurred legislators to alter the reimbursement structure to that of other private hospitals in the state.

The Senate budget also included further tax cuts for citizens and businesses in the state, raises for state employees, increases in the state’s “rainy day fund” and $300 per teacher to purchase school supplies.

Lawmakers from the House and Senate will begin the process of reconciling their competing versions of the budget next week. Once the two houses agree on a budget, each chamber will vote to approve it, and then it will go to Gov. Cooper for approval. It is likely Cooper might choose to veto whatever budget comes to his desk, since it will almost certainly not include Medicaid expansion, which is one of the governor’s policy priorities.

House Votes:

SB310: Electric Co-op Rural Broadband Services — The House voted last week to approve this bill, which was originally sponsored by Sen. Harry Brown (R-Onslow) and co-sponsored by both Perry and Davis. It passed the House on a 114-1 vote, with all local legislators voting in favor. Cooper signed the bill into law on Thursday. You can read Neuse News’ previous summary of the bill here.

Senate Votes:

HB388: Immunizing Pharmacists — The Senate voted unanimously to approve this House bill, co-sponsored by Rep. John Bell (R-Wayne), which expands the number of vaccinations which pharmacists are allowed to administer to those over the age of 18. Sens. Perry and Davis voted Aye. The bill adds vaccinations for Human Papillomavirus and Hepatitis A to the list. It also allows pharmacists to administer Influenza vaccines to patients as young as ten, down from fourteen. It nows goes to the governor for his signature. Read the text of the bill here.

Check back with Neuse News later this week for more updates on votes and the budget process.