It's not only possible to become a state legislator without getting elected, but 31 of the 170 members of the legislature have done it.

Those lawmakers first took office after being selected by a small group of their party's leaders and then being appointed by the governor.

Since the current legislative term began in January, six lawmakers have taken office after their predecessor resigned or, in one case, died. A seventh new legislator will be selected soon to replace Sen. David Weinstein, D-Lumberton, who resigned in September. When a lawmaker leaves office early, his or her party leaders select a replacement who is appointed by the governor.

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Last week House Speaker Joe Hackney defended his plans to spend some of the week at the National Conference of State Legislatures summit in Philadelphia.

Hackney was one of 10 lawmakers, all Democrats, from the state to register for the summit. Four legislative staff members were registered to go, according to the legislature's controller's office. The state would pay registration, $499 to $625, depending on when the attendee registered. Members were to pay their other expenses.

But on Monday, many on the list to go were not in Philadelphia. Like Hackney, members may move back and forth or just go later in the week, officials said.

The members signed up to go are:

Senate: Dan Blue (D-Raleigh), Charlie Dannelly (D-Charlotte), Katie Dorsett (D-Greensboro), Tony Foriest (D-Graham), Ed Jones (D-Halifax County).

House: Rick Glazier (D-Fayetteville), Hackney (D-Orange County), Phillip Haire (D-Sylva), Larry Hall (D-Durham), Bill Owens (D-Elizabeth City) 

Previously: Expenses minimal for NCSL trip to New Orleans. 

More state Senate bills of note:

S.B. 376: Honor Jim Long, Sen. Tony Foriest

S.B. 377: Low Academic Performance/No Sports, Sen. Charlie Albertson

S.B. 378: Counties May Fund Charter Schools, Sen. Eddie Goodall

S.B. 379: Remove Cap on the Number of Charter Schools, Sen. Goodall

S.B. 380: Collection of Mobile Phone Data/DMV Reports, Sen. Charlie Dannelly

Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools want their own police force to have its own power.

School officials Tuesday asked the county's members of the legislature to push legislation that would make the school system's law enforcement officers a stand alone agency. The approximately 14 officers have arrest powers now but through the city-county police department.

"It's giving them the authority to deal with issues that emanate from the schools," said Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe.

Sen. Charlie Dannelly, a Mecklenburg Democrat and No. 2 in the Senate leadership, questioned the proposal because it gives the school officers arrest authority throughout the city and county.

Monroe and school officials assured Dannelly that school officers would not be patrolling neighborhoods, but the delegation will discuss the proposal further at a future meeting.

Here are the chairs of the other Senate committees, the senators who often decide what bills get debated and voted on by the committee.

Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources -- Sen. Bob Atwater, Chapel Hill Democrat

Commerce -- Sen. R.C. Soles, Tabor City Democrat

Education -- Sen. Vernon Malone, Raleigh Democrat and Sen. Richard Stevens, Cary Republican

Finance -- Sen. David Hoyle, Dallas Democrat; Sen. Dan Clodfelter, Charlotte Democrat and Sen. Clark Jenkins, Tarboro Democrat

Health Care -- Sen. William Purcell, Laurinburg Democrat and Sen. Stan Bingham, Denton Republican

Judiciary 1 -- Sen. Martin Nesbitt, Asheville Democrat

Judiciary 2 -- Sen. Fletcher Hartsell, Concord Republican

Mental Health and Youth Services -- Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, Carrboro Democrat and Sen. Malcolm Graham, Charlotte Democrat

Pensions/Retirement/Aging -- Sen. Tony Foriest, Graham Democrat

Rules -- Sen. Tony Rand, Fayetteville Democrat

State and Local Government -- Sen. Ed Jones, Enfield Democrat and Sen. Don East, Pilot Mountain Republican

Transportation -- Sen. Larry Shaw, Fayetteville Democrat

Ways & Means -- Sen. Charlie Dannelly, Charlotte Democrat

Select Committee on Energy, Science and Technology -- Sen. Katie Dorsett, Greensboro Democrat and Sen. Joe Sam Queen, Waynesville Democrat

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.

Cell phones will be a hot topic in the legislature this session.

Already, three bills have been filed that would regulate when and where you can use the phones, and a legislative committee has recommended a fourth.

DRIVETIME CHAT: A bill sponsored by Sen. Charlie Dannelly would make it a traffic infraction to drive while using a cell phone, unless it was on hands-free mode or it was an emergency. A similar bill failed in the 2007 session.

TEXTING'S NEXT: Rep. Garland Pierce has filed a bill that would ban texting while driving. He said he expects it will be less controversial than Dannelly's bill. "When you have to start hitting numbers, you have to look down," he said.

PRISON CELL: Rep. Pierce has also introduced a bill that would prohibit cell phones in prison. In December, the N.C. Department of Correction said that at least two Death Row inmates have been found with cell phones.

RINGTONE MONEY: A joint revenue committee recommended earlier this week that the state begin taxing ringtones and other music delivered electronically at the same rate that it taxes music bought in stores.

A few more Senate bills have been filed:

S.B. 8: Funds for CAP/MR-DD Slots, Sen. Julia Boseman

S.B. 9: Amend Peeping Tom Law, Boseman

S.B. 10: New Hanover Annexation Moratorium, Boseman

S.B. 11: District Attorney and Assistant District Attorney / Concealed Gun in Court House, Boseman

S.B. 12: Ban Mobile Phone Use While Driving, Sen. Charlie Dannelly

S.B. 13: Injury to Pregnant Woman / Penalty, Sen. Doug Berger

S.B. 14: Create Employment Safety and Security Commission, Berger

Who will write the Senate budget?

In recent years, the Senate Appropriations Committee has been something of a finishing school for ambitious state senators, including Gov. Beverly Perdue, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton and U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan.

Last session, Senate leader Marc Basnight kept Dalton and Hagan as sort of budget writers emeriti, while longtime Sen. Linda Garrou of Winston-Salem got help from Sens. Charles Albertson of Duplin County and Charlie Dannelly of Charlotte.

Like all committee assignments, Basnight names the budget chairs anew each year, but he's tended to keep the same senators in charge until they either graduated or dropped out of finishing school, as it were. It's not clear if he'll continue that tradition.

For now, Basnight's office is not saying whether Albertson and Dannelly will stay on, and other senators are known to be fishing for the jobs. Garrou will almost certainly continue in the job, especially if two new budget chairs are named.

"I can't say exactly what (Basnight will) do this year because it's not yet happened," said Basnight spokesman Schorr Johnson. "I don't know. That is my honest answer."

He said the budget chairs will be announced with other appointments after senators are sworn in on Jan. 28.

Senate Democrats will meet Dec. 17.

The full Democratic caucus will choose party leaders at its first full meeting including newly elected senators, though few surprises are expected.

Senate president pro tem Marc Basnight will run again for the post he's held since 1993, while Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand will run again for the job he's had since 2001. Unlike Republican leadership, no opposition is expected for either Democratic leader.

Several other leadership positions will also be decided on that day.

These lesser-known officers currently include deputy president pro tem Sen. Charlie Dannelly, permanent Democratic caucus chairman Sen. R.C. Soles Jr., Majority Whip Katie Dorsett and Democratic caucus secretary Sen. Charlie Albertson.

Committee appointments will be made after session begins on Jan. 28.