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Eight protesters were arrested when they refused to leave the Legislative Building on Wednesday, as part of a larger demonstration by the NAACP.

One of the arrested was Durham City Councilman Steve Schewel.

The eight were arrested as they and supporters loudly sang spirituals outside the chamber where the state House of Representatives was debating the budget. House Speaker Thom Tillis had the doors to the chamber locked for the duration of the protest.

The supporters filled the third-floor rotunda and looked down at the group on the second floor that chose to be taken into custody.

The arrests followed a rally outside the statehouse led by the NAACP’s Rev. William Barber, who led a crowd of about 100 into the building.

Barber said seven of those who volunteered for arrest symbolize the deaths of key figures in the civil rights movement, including Medgar Evers, the NAACP activist who was murdered 50 years ago Wednesday. The eighth person was guiding a man in a wheelchair who was arrested. Two of the eight protesters were confined to wheelchairs.

The NAACP dubbed the event “Witness Wednesday,” following several weeks of “Moral Mondays,” which have drawn thousands of protesters and resulted in more than 350 arrests.

The protest at the General Assembly on Monday, which will be led by clergy from around the state, brings together a cross-section of Christians, including Catholics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and Methodists.

Their involvement marks a noteworthy turning point in the weekly protests, which have led to the arrests of more than 300 people over five weeks. While the organizers of the “Moral Mondays” movement have been partisan, the clergy make a point of saying their interest isn’t political.

“Rather it is a matter of faith with respect to our understanding of the biblical teachings and imperatives to protect the poor, respect the stranger, care for widows and children and love our neighbors,” according to the statement, which was provided to Dome over the weekend.

FIRST LADY BACKS BILL TO REGULATE PUPPY MILLS: Venturing into public policy for the first time as First Lady, Ann McCrory issued an open letter to lawmakers supporting House Bill 930 to establish standards for dog breeders. The bill is a weakened version of the original legislation which sought to crack down on puppy mills. "| am writing to thank you for your unanimous support of l-louse Bill 930. Passing legislation to establish basic standards of care for large commercial dog breeding facilities is a very important issue to me, and to people across our state," Ann McCrory wrote in the letter. "| especially wish to Representatives Saine, McGrady and Brown for their leadership on this issue. l hope you and other members of the General Assembly will continue to advocate for this bill, and other legislation establishing higher standards for Commercial breeders. These policies increase our quality of life in North Carolina and ensure better care for dogs across the state. You have my full support."

TODAY AT THE STATEHOUSE: A House committee will consider a Taxpayer Bill of Rights measure, known as TABOR, that would restrict state spending. Its hugely controversial and produced varied results. Other legislative committees will consider trimming environmental regulations and altering rules governing midwifery. On the Senate floor, lawmakers will hear a bill to prevent undercover whistleblower operations at farms and processing plants. And in the House, a bill about cancer drugs that split Republicans faces another vote, as does the LEED certification bill. Gov. Pat McCrory lists no public events.

***Thanks for reading the Dome Morning Memo -- more North Carolina political news below. Send news and tips to dome@newsobserver.com.***

SENATE LEADERS TO PITCH TAX PLAN: The long-awaited plan to overhaul the state's tax system will debut Tuesday. Senate Republicans want to slash the personal income tax from the highest 7.75 percent rate to 4.5 percent over three years and drop the corporate income tax from 6.9 percent to 6 percent.

In a video previewing a 12:30 p.m. announcement, Senate leader Phil Berger called it a $1 billion tax cut -- the largest in state history. The question is how to pay for it and the details are less clear, but Berger said it will involved taxing a range of services from haircuts to auto mechanics. (More details below.)

TODAY AT THE STATEHOUSE: Taxes won't take all the air from the N.C. General Assembly today. In committees, the governor's transportation plan gets a final hearing before going to the full House; a health committee considers a measure to limit what a doctor can do about sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy and birth control without parental consent; and Senate lawmakers will consider (but not vote on) a proposal to allow armed guards in elementary schools who aren't necessarily law enforcement officers.

The controversial gun bill gets a third reading on the House floor and the Senate will consider a controversial state charter school bill similar to ALEC-sponsored legislation. (More on ALEC below.) Gov. Pat McCrory -- who promised to hold regular media availability -- will not take questions after the Council of State meeting at 9 a.m. today. It is normal practice but McCrory has shunned the media after the meetings just about every time since he took office. He lists no other public events on his calendar today.

***Thanks for reading the Dome Morning Memo. A big day in North Carolina politics ahead. Get the scoop below. Send news and tips to dome@newsobserver.com.***

Is North Carolina becoming the new Wisconsin? After two rounds of arrests at the Legislative Building last week, has announced another round of protests next week.

On Monday, the NAACP has announced on Monday a "non violent civil disobedience"a the legislature on Monday at 5:30 p.m. On Tuesday, there will be a candlelight vigil outside the Legislative Building at 7 p.m.

The daily protests and civil disobedience is reminiscent of tens thousands who protested budget cuts at the Wisconsin Capitol and helped make GOP Gov. Scott Walker a hero in conservative circles.

The NAACP and a group of pastors Monday issued “a call to action” against the Republican legislature for what it said were a series of actions or proposals that would take North Carolina back to “the old South.''

In an open letter to Gov. Pat McCrory, Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Thom Tillis, the pastors cited a litany of bad policy proposals – including new restrictions on voting, a decline to expand the Medicaid health insurance program, cuts in public education, reductions in unemployment benefits, and an end in tax credits for the working poor.

The Rev. William Barber, state NAACP president, said the ministers were planning a series of efforts to focus a spotlight on the legislature, including a 15-county tour of key lawmaker's districts, and a possible “pray-in” when the state House begins debate on a photo ID bill on Wednesday.

UPDATED:The president of the N.C. NAACP picked the wrong door. Rev. William Barber went to visit House Speaker Thom Tillis on Tuesday to deliver a flyer condemning the Republican majority's policies.

He entered the outer door to Tillis' office on the second floor at the legislative building and turned left to knock on a closed inner-office door. Behind door No. 1? Chief of Staff Chris Hayes' office.

At the same time Barber knocked on the door, Tillis emerged from the office door to the right -- his office -- and slipped past the gathered crowd of activists into the freedom of the hallway.

Many of the activists didn't recognize Tillis or realize he escaped, others sought to talk to him.

The speaker's office said Tillis and Barber talked later in the day when they crossed paths on the third floor of the legislative building -- but now the NAACP is calling that "an outright lie" and suggested the speaker avoided Barber again. They promised video soon.

(In top photo, Barber knocks on office door, while in bottom photo Tillis exits.)

--Takaaki Iwabu and John Frank

The Rev William Barber, president of the state NAACP, accused House Speaker Thom Tillis of stooping “to a new moral low ground” by introducing a voter ID bill on the 45th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King.

Barber rejected Tillis' suggestion that the bill was a compromise because it offers free voter IDS and birth certificates to those in financial need.

He said the costs of finding such documents as birth certificates will only be covered if the person was born in North Carolina.

.”Citizens born elsewhere will still have to shell out time and money to obtain their birth certificates,'' Barber said. “Birth certificates can cost up to $45 to obtain in some states. Moreover, nearly 20 states require people to provide a photo ID before the state will give a copy of a birth certificate. In some states, the wait time to get the birth certificate can be months, especially if you have to write away for it.''

“Any tax on any citizen who wants to vote - rich, poor, young, old, black, white or brown - is unconstitutional,'' Barber said. “In 1964, the United States passed the 24th Constitutional Amendment that outlawed $2 poll tax, and "any other taxes" to vote.  Whether or not someone can afford the poll tax is irrelevant. The bill is clearly unconstitutional.''

A coalition of groups, led by the NAACP, Friday denounced legislation that would make it harder to vote in North Carolina, promising to wage a vigorous campaign against the proposed new restrictions.

“These bills are about politicians manipulating elections for their own partisan gains,” said the Rev. William Barber, the state NAACP president. “These bills will block hundreds of North Carolinians from voting.''

He said a similar law in Florida last year, lead to eight-hour lines for voters and according to one study 200,000 people giving up and not voting.

Allison Riggs, an attorney for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice said a similar law was struck down in Ohio.

UPDATED: BLOOMBERG TO TARGET N.C. IN GUN DEBATE: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is preparing to launch a major TV ad campaign aimed at U.S. senators in swing states -- including Democrat Kay Hagan. From the NYT: "Determined to persuade Congress to act in response to that shooting, Mr. Bloomberg on Monday will begin bankrolling a $12 million national advertising campaign that focuses on senators who he believes might be persuaded to support a pending package of federal regulations to curb gun violence. The ads, in 13 states, will blanket those senators’ districts during an Easter Congressional recess that is to be followed by debate over the legislation."

TODAY AT THE STATEHOUSE: The Dix lease to the city of Raleigh hits the chopping block. The Senate convenes at 7 p.m. but won't consider the bill until Tuesday. The House convenes at 4 p.m. but no votes are expected. The Wake County delegation at 4 p.m. in room 643 of the legislative office building. (More on the meeting below.) Gov. Pat McCrory lists no public events on his schedule today.

***Good Monday morning. Thanks for reading the Dome Morning Memo -- a daily tipsheet for N.C. political news. Send tips and news to dome@newsobserver.com. Read more below.***