Sen. R.C. Soles, who is under investigation for shooting a man who Soles said was trying to break into his home, voted in favor of a bill that would have given residents wide latitude to defend their homes.

Soles was one of 42 senators who voted for the "castle doctrine," which essentially states that a resident is justified in shooting an intruder into his or her home. Under current law, a jury could decide that a homeowner was not justified if, say, the would-be burglar was shot running from the house.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Doug Berger, a Franklin County Democrat, passed the Senate and then stalled in the House.

Hat tip: Political Junkie 

If there was any sign that the Senate was ready to go home, it was today's debate over House Bill 291, the Cosmetic Art Act.

First, Sen. Don East, a Republican from Pilot Mountain, took objection to the bill's conference report, which didn't include an amendment he added to the bill when it first came through the Senate. He complained that the chamber's leadership left him out of key negotiations.

"The leadership didn't even give me the courtesy of being on the conference committee," East said. "So you can stick this bill where the sun don't shine!" he said, slamming his microphone down on the table.

"You guys get upset about your hairdos," said Senate leader Marc Basnight, who was presiding over the chamber.

Sen. Tom Apodaca (above), in a moment of jest, asked that Basnight, for once, get upset about his hair cut.

"At least mine is real," Basnight replied. "All of you realize he had that implant done," suggesting that Apodaca had hair implants recently. He then added that Sen. Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat, could probably use a similar procedure.

After a few minutes of laughter, Sen. Doug Berger (below) stood up to speak on the bill, prompting another barb from Basnight.

"What is it that Berger has on his head?" he asked the chamber.

The Senate to expects to pass a version of the bill today. 

Good Tuesday morning. The budget haggling formally begins today. Perdue to sign new benefits for slain cops' families. Bullying in committee. Sex Ed on the floor.

BIRTHDAYS: Sen. Doug Berger is 49; Rep. Rick Glazier is 54. 

The Senate last night formally rejected the House's $18.6 billion budget, complete with its $780 million in new taxes, so it's deal making time in conference committee. Budget writers from the House and Senate have already begun what will become marathon sessions in a corner conference room on the sixth floor of the Legislative Office Building. Senate Conferees began poring over the House's spending plan yesterday afternoon, receiving stacks of documents still warm from the printer.

The controversial anti-bullying bill, which includes protection for gay students, is slated for a House judiciary committee at 10 a.m. More debate and division related to sex is due in the afternoon when the "Healthy Youth Act," the euphemistic title for the sex education bill, is on the Senate floor calendar.

Gov. Beverly Perdue has scheduled a formal signing in the Old House Chamber in the capitol for a bill providing new benefits for the families of law enforcement officers with 15 years or more of service who died in the line of duty.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONE-LINERS: The Commission for Public Health is holding a hearing regarding the definition of solid waste.

Some recent Senate bills of note:

S.B. 943: Expand Film Credit, Sen. Linda Garrou

S.B. 973: Create Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs, Sen. Tony Rand 

S.B. 992: Authorize Mayors to Solemnize Marriage, Sen. Don Davis

S.B. 994: Establish State Athletics Commission, Sen. Dan Clodfelter

S.B. 1006: Withholding on Contractors Identified by ITIN, Sen. David Hoyle 

S.B. 1014: Lottery Trust Fund, Sen. Doug Berger

S.B. 1018: Reduce Plastic Bag Use, Sen. Josh Stein

A major fix for the State Health Plan is ready for a Senate vote.

The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved legislation that would cost the general fund $250 million for the current fiscal year ending June 30, and another $609 million for the next two fiscal years, Dan Kane reports.

The legislation also reduces benefits to the roughly 667,000 state employees, teachers and retirees on the health plan by raising co-payments and deductibles.

The committee rejected an amendment offered by state Sen. Doug Berger, a Franklin County Democrat, that would open up plan contracts to the public. He offered the amendment on behalf of the State Employees Association of North Carolina, a group that has questioned the need to cut benefits for employees.

State law keeps nearly all the details of contracts the plan has with vendors secret. Berger said the secrecy prevents the public from having information to make informed decisions about the plan's operations.

"I think now more than ever there needs to be an opening of this process so there is more information," Berger said.

More after the jump.

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Some recent Senate bills of note:

S.B. 386: Make Best Use of Corporate Tax Revenue, Sen. Dan Clodfelter

S.B. 397: Increase Cap on Charter Schools, Sen. Debbie Clary

S.B. 400: No Increase in UNC In-State Tuition or Fees, Sen. Tom Apodaca

S.B. 403: Victims Compensation Amendment, Sen. Doug Berger

S.B. 410: Increase Cig. Tax/Proceeds to MHTF, Sen. Martin Nesbitt

S.B. 417: National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, Sen. Clodfelter

S.B. 426: Legislative Compensation, Sen. Ellie Kinnaird

A second bill would increase the penalty for injuring any pregnant woman.

While a bill filed by Sen. Doug Berger would boost the penalties for injuring a woman more than 20 weeks pregnant, another bill covers a woman in any stage of pregnancy.

Sen. Pete Brunstetter, a Forsyth County Republican, says his bill would cover "any time from conception forward."

Although he sponsored an unsuccessful bill identical to Berger's in last year's session, Brunstetter said he wanted to give legislators an option to vote for a broader definition.

He was not optimistic that either bill would get a hearing, though similar measures have passed in three dozen other states.

"It's going to be tough to get this heard because it will get caught up in the abortion discussion," he said. "There's 36 states that have managed to get around that discussion, including some that are very liberal and some that are very conservative."

Both pro-life and pro-choice groups have expressed concern about the bills. 

Several more bills were filed in the state Senate today:

S.B. 15: Session Limits, Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand

S.B. 16: DPI / Curriculum on 1898 Wilmington Race Riots, Sen. Julia Boseman

S.B. 17: Pay Teachers the ABC Bonuses They Earned, Sen. Steve Goss

S.B. 18: Amend Cemetery Act, Goss

S.B. 19: Use of Additional Technology Prohibited, Goss

S.B. 20: Voter-Owned Election for Treasurer, Sen. Doug Berger