North Carolina's female legislators have come a long way.
According to a study by the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research, the 43 women serving in the 2007 General Assembly is a record.
The first woman served in the legislature in 1920, but as late as 1971 there were only two women in the House and Senate, the report notes.
The women are also holding more power. This year, six of the 12 most powerful legislative committees have a chairwoman or co-chairwoman.
"Over the last two sessions, we have seen the most progress ever in legislation addressing domestic violence," said Sam Watts, a policy analyst for the Raleigh center.
The center found that North Carolina has the 18th highest percentage (25 percent) of female legislators among the 50 states. North Carolina leads the South in the percentage of legislators who are women.
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