The Senate's proposed $20.05 billion budget relies on an average of two more students in classrooms across the state.

Increasing class size to 20 students in K-3 and 22 in grades 4-12 would save $320 million annually, said Sen. Linda Garrou, the senate's senior budget writer and a Winston-Salem Democrat.

The class size proposal is likely to find favor among Republicans who have previously called for the change.

Garrou and her fellow appropriations committee co-chairs gave a peek at the Senate's budget Monday. The full document will be available online at 7 p.m. The details released so far highlight a document that differs from Gov. Beverly Perdue's budget in several key areas.

The budget would lay off as many as 712 state employees and eliminate some 900 vacant positions. Perdue's proposal would have sought to keep layoffs to a pool of fewer than 300 employees.

The leaders of state departments would have targets to meet in cuts. Officials could make the cuts in several ways including furloughs, said Sen. A.B. Swindell, a Nashville Democrat. Perdue said she avoided furloughs because she feared the message it would send to businesses and investors about the state's financial condition.

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Both chambers of the legislature are considering resolutions honor the late lobbyist and former House member Roger Bone.

Bone was considered one of the most influential lobbyists in the legislature.

— "Roger made it to the top...by being a very personal, common man," said Sen. Martin Nesbitt, an Asheville Democrat.

— "Roger was never more than the boy from Sandy Cross," said Sen. A.B. Swindell, a Nashville Democrat.

— "We're grateful to him for just making this a place where we can enjoy each other's company ... as we talk about the ways to make North Carolina better," said Sen. Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat and senate majority leader. 

Bone served in the 1979 session of the House, later worked as a legislative liaison to Speaker Liston Ramsey, and founded his own lobbying firm in 1987.

The House will consider its resolution when it goes into session at 1 p.m.

Update: The House took up the Senate version of the resolution.

— "He is what some would call a permanent fixture of the legislative building as he has been around as long as anyone can remember," said Rep. William Wainwright, a Havelock Democrat. "North Carolina is a better place because Roger Bone passed our way."

— "He possessed a unique passion for sound public policy," said Rep. Randy Stewart, a Rocky Mount Democrat.

"I can recally many conversations with Roger down in the snackbar of this buildign as he explaiend to me ...the dynamics that really move this assembly," said Rep. David Lewis, a Dunn Republican.

Some recent Senate bills of note:

S.B. 351: No Felon as Sheriff, Sen. Stan Bingham

S.B. 353: N.C. Human Trafficking Commission, Sen. Ellie Kinnaird

S.B. 362: Retired Teachers Return to Work, Sen. A.B. Swindell

A few recent Senate bills of note:

S.B. 131: Penalty for DWI Conviction/BAC .20 or Higher, Sen. Don Vaughan

S.B. 137: Military Death / In-State Tuition / Dependant, Sen. Neal Hunt

S.B. 138: Salvia Divinorum Schedule I, Sen. Bill Purcell

S.B. 147: Tax Credit for Energy-Efficient Homes, Sen. A.B. Swindell

S.B. 155: Community Colleges Can't Admin Illegal Aliens, Sen. Phil Berger

S.B. 157: Eminent Domain, Sen. Phil Berger

The Senate leadership has chosen the budget writers.

Along with longtime budget co-chair Sen. Linda Garrou, Sens. Charlie Albertson, A.B. Swindell and Charlie Dannelly will co-chair the budget committee.

Albertson and Dannelly served on the budget committee for the first time last year.

In recent years, the budget committee has served as Senate leader Marc Basnight's finishing school for ambitious senators, prepping Gov. Beverly Perdue, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton and U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan for runs for higher office.

In a typical year, co-chairs enjoy the additional power of being able to put pet projects into the state budget and direct funding to their favorite causes.

This year, it may be more of a thankless job, as they struggle to fill a $2 billion gap.

Sen. A.B. Swindell
Nashville Democrat
Five Terms

What two things would you cut in the state budget? He said he thought there savings by cutting out middle managers throughout state government — particularly not filling existing vacancies.

Are there any taxes you would be in favor of increasing? He said he would be willing to look at closing some tax loopholes, without mentioning anything specific. 

— Rob Christensen

A little reminiscing probably never hurt, which may be why state Sen. A.B. Swindell began his character letter by talking about a duck hunt the senator and the judge shared. Swindell, a Nash County Democrat, is a 25-year friend to Boyce Allen Hudson, who is scheduled for sentencing today on charges related to a bribery scheme.

Swindell, unlike the others who wrote letters on Hudson's behalf, began with a little memory lane for U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle.

I shall never forget the time you and I spent together duck hunting in Hyde County. I miss Daddy so much — he [sic] such a friend to so many. I trust your family is doing well — please tell Tom I said hello and that Mother is doing well at the Methodist retirement home in Greenville.

Maybe the nostalgia will help.

A campaign finance reform group has praised 21 legislators for their openness.

Democracy North Carolina identified a group of state lawmakers who are doing "a superior job" identifying occupations and employers of their donors on campaign finance forms.

Though candidates are required to make their best effort to identify all donors, many fall short, listing only names, dates and amounts.

The group singled out legislators who raised more than $15,000 and provided full information on 98 percent or more of donors, including Senate President Marc Basnight and House Speaker Joe Hackney, both Democrats.

From the House: Democrats Tricia Cotham, Jim Crawford, Margaret Dickson, Rick Glazier, Bruce Goforth, Deborah Ross, Russell Tucker, Jennifer Weiss and Verla Insko, and Republican David Lewis.

From the Senate: Democrats Charlie Albertson, Doug Berger, Linda Garrou, Clark Jenkins, A.B. Swindell and Republicans Pete Brunstetter, Neal Hunt, Richard Stevens and Jerry Tillman.

"It's crucial for the public to have the full picture about the candidates before they vote — and the pattern of where a campaign’s money comes from is an important part of that picture," said Kaitlin Stollbrink, an intern at Democracy North Carolina.

State Sen. A.B. Swindell won't return $300 in campaign contributions he has received from Boyce Allen Hudson, a former state official who admitted to soliciting a bribe.

Swindell, a Nashville Democrat, said he has known Hudson for more than 25 years and considers him a friend. Hudson's wife, Maureen Hudson, is an assistant in Swindell's senate office. Hudson pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to extortion and money laundering. The charges arose from a scheme in which Hudson promised to guarantee a permit for an ethanol company in exchange for cash and a two-year consulting contract.

"I certainly don't cast my friends in a ditch," Swindell said. "This plea was between him and the courts. Obvously, my relationship with him has been as a friend and a professional."

On Friday, the state Republican Party issued a news release calling on Swindell to return the contributions: $100 given in 2000 and $200 given in 2008.

"Though Sen. Swindell may not have known of Boyce Hudson’s illegal activity, he badly misjudged the man’s character. Sen. Swindell should return his tainted money immediately," state GOP chariwoman Linda Daves said in a statement.

More after the jump.

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Dennis Nielsen, a retired Air Force colonel from Nashville, is running as a conservative Democrat for governor next year.

Nielsen said he is running on a platform on providing vouchers to allow parents to send their children to private schools, an end to cities’ power to force annexation and tougher enforcement of immigration laws, reports Rob Christensen.

Nielsen is also promising not to raise taxes and to end property taxes for the elderly who make less than $40,000 per year.

Nielsen said he will not try to compete financially with the millions of dollars in campaign contributions likely to be raised by Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and state Treasurer Richard Moore.

But he said he offered an alternative to Perdue and Moore.

“I am the only conservative Democrat running,” Nielsen said.

Nielsen, a 59-year-old Iowa native, said he spent 35 years as fighter pilot living around the country. He retired to North Carolina in 2002.

He unsuccessfully ran as a Republican against Democratic state Sen. A.B. Swindell in 2004.

Nielsen said he decided to switch to the Democratic Party because he did not receive any help from the Republican Party when he challenged Swindell and because he thinks a Democrat is likely to be elected governor next year.