The House gave final approval Wednesday to a ban on the recreational use of a mint-like herb that has hallucinogenic properties.

North Carolina would join 14 other states that have regulated Salvia divinorum. The bill, which now goes to Gov. Beverly Perdue for her signature, does allow for the possession of the herb in gardens and on landscapes. The herb's recreational use is increasing across the nation.

"It is cheap, easy to get and in most states perfectly legal," said Rep. Bob England, a Rutherford County Democrat and a physician. "It is regarded as the world's most hallucinogenic herb.

The bill makes illicit possession of salvia a minor crime, an infraction. A third offense would be a misdemeanor.

The House unanimously approved Monday night a bill that would impose more regulations on licensing board investigations of doctors.

Under the proposal, at least two N.C. Medical Board members must agree to start an investigation, and the accused would have the opportunity to meet with the board before public charges are issued, Lynn Bonner reports.

The board licenses and disciplines the state's 32,000 doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners.

The bill went through considerable changes since the medical board raised strong objections to earlier versions.

"This is a different and much better bill than when it left the Senate," said Rep. Bob England, a Rutherford County Democrat.

He described the proposal as a concensus bill that will "clarify the due process of the licensee without interferring with patient protection."

The bill now goes back to the Senate.

The American Red Cross plans to honor a legislator and two legislative police officers who helped save Rep. Becky Carney when she suffered a cardiac arrest in April.

Red Cross officials, along with Carney and her family, are scheduled on Tuesday to present the Red Cross' Certificate of Recognition for Extraordinary Personal Action to Rep. Bob England, a retired physician and Democrat from Ellenboro, and legislative police officers Forrest Johnson and Will Smith.

Carney collapsed on April 2 near her office in the Legislative Building after going into cardiac arrest. England and the two officers administered CPR and used a portable defibrilator to revive her. She has been recovering since and is expected back at work next week.

State Rep. Becky Carney says she hopes to return to the legislature next week, more than two months after collapsing in her House office.

The Charlotte Democrat hasn’t returned since a fellow legislator and emergency crews revived her after she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, Jim Morril of The Charlotte Observer reports.

"It takes time to build your strength back up," Carney, 64, said Monday. "As they say, I died and (was) revived."

Carney lost a pulse after collapsing due to what doctors later called heart arrhythmia.

Rep. Bob England, a physician, administered a shock from a portable defibrillator before she was taken to the hospital.

More after the jump.

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Rep. Becky Carney may be released from the hospital Tuesday.

Carney, a Charlotte Democrat, was re-admitted to the hospital after she developed a fever. Carney had a hybrid pacemaker and defibrillator implanted after she suffered a cardiac arrest Thursday.

House Chaplain Jim Harry said Monday that he spoke to Carney and that she was feeling better.

"She was mad because it was going to be a month before she could golf. Now they've stretched it to 6 to 8 weeks," Harry said.

Harry said that Carney's doctors believe that legislative police officers and Rep. Bob England, an Ellenboro Democrat who is also a physician, saved her life. They administered CPR and a shock from a portable defibrillator shortly after the cardiac arrest.

Rep. Becky Carney was readmitted to WakeMed this morning and is undergoing tests for a possible infection.

Doctors implanted a hybrid defibrilator/pacemaker last week after Carney collapsed Thursday near her office in the Legislative Building. She suffered arrhythmia, a disruption of the regular heart rhythm.

Rep. Bob England, a physician who came to her aid, said she was in full cardiac arrest. He used a portable defibrilator to help revive Carney.

Carney, 64, was released from the hospital Sunday. She is a Charlotte Democrat serving her fourth term.

State Rep. Becky Carney collapsed after suffering a heart problem called arrhythmia Thursday in her office at the legislative building.

She was talking to state Rep. Verla Insko about 4:15 p.m. when she collapsed, said state Rep. Bob England, who is also physician. England was called to the Charlotte Democrat's office.

England said when he arrived, Carney was unresponsive and apparently in full arrest. England and a state Capitol Police officer began administring CPR. England administered a shock from a portable defibrillator. After the shock, Carney was talking and able to answer questions, England said.

"That's a wonderful sign," he said.

Carney, 64, was taken to WakeMed.

Carney is in her fourth term.

UPDATE: A spokesman for House Speaker Joe Hackney said Carney suffered from arrhytmia, which is a disorder of the regular heartbeat that can cause mild annoyance or a life-threatening emergency.

"She's conscious and talking to her family," said Bill Holmes, Hackney's spokesman, Thursday evening.

Some recent House bills of note:

H.B. 593: Change School Starting Date, Reps. Paul Luebke, Martha Alexander, Bob England and Ray Rapp

H.B. 611: Check-Off Donation: Breast Cancer Screening, Reps. Nelson Dollar, Carolyn Justice, Lucy Allen and England

H.B. 614: Absentee Voting Improvements, Reps. Grier Martin, Rick Glazier, Marian McLawhorn and Rapp

H.B. 626: Restraining of Dogs, Reps. Douglas Yongue, Susan Fisher, Danny McComas and Justin Burr

H.B. 630: Capitalize National Guard in Statutes, Reps. Martin, Cullie Tarleton and Ric Killian

H.B. 644: Misdemeanor/Not Produce Public Records, Reps. George Cleveland and Burr

Some recent House bills:

H.B. 512: Incentives for Energy Conservation, Reps. Hugh Holliman, Pricey Harrison and Paul Luebke

H.B. 516: Increase Revenues Without Raising Taxes, Rep. Paul Stam

H.B. 518: Lottery Name Changed, Reps. John Blust, Thom Tillis, Ruth Samuelson and Darrell McCormick

H.B. 539: Merge Smart Start/More at Four, Reps. Ray Rapp, Rick Glazier, Bob England and Marvin Lucas

H.B. 586: Expand Voter-Owned Elections, Reps. Glazier, Deborah Ross, Rapp and Grier Martin

A few more bills from the House today:

H.B. 84: No Bail for Certain Illegal Aliens, Reps. Justin Burr, Pearl Burris-Floyd

H.B. 87: DOL Enforcement Positions/Funds, Reps. Beverly Earle, Jennifer Weiss, Angela Bryant, Jean Farmer-Butterfield

H.B. 88: Healthy Youth Act, Reps. Bob England, Susan Fisher, Alma Adams, Winkie Wilkins