VACATION LOCATION: Less than a month into her term as governor, Gov. Beverly Perdue went on a weeklong vacation with her husband at an "undisclosed location" out of state. It's not all fun though. Instead of, say, a John Grisham page-turner, she's apparently reading state budget books on the beach. A Time to .. Cut Spending?

FILING FILL: The bills keep coming. Legislation introduced at the General Assembly this week would outlaw a hallucinogenic herb, make high schoolers take art, let the governor appoint the schools superintendent, deny bail to illegal immigrants, and end a subsidy for out-of-state athletes. More than 335 bills have been filed so far.

THROWING LONG: U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, a Democrat from Waynesville, did some pretty public trash talking about the stimulus bill, criticizing Democratic leaders for not getting more GOP buy-in. They hit back with criticism of his record on the Washington Redskins. But Shuler, who is mulling a run for Senate in 2010, may be thinking of other opponents.

IN OTHER NEWS: A Fayetteville Observer reporter joins the growing ranks of blogger-reporters. No bathrobes spotted in the press room at the legislature, yet. ... President Obama chatted about the Duke-Carolina game at a White House roundtable, but he studiously avoided taking sides. There's your bipartisanship. ... The legislature is considering a resolution to honor former lobbyist Roger Bone. It's one bill he wouldn't have had to lobby on.

Rep. Pricey Harrison wants to end a tuition break for out-of-state athletes.

The Greensboro Democrat plans to file a bill that would end a special scholarship program at state universities that allows out-of-state athletes to pay in-state tuition rates.

The program began as a provision in the state Senate's budget. Harrison has gotten notice from good government groups for her unsuccessful attempts to end it.

She said she feels better about eliminating the estimated $10 million cost this year.

"At a time when we've got a $2 billion budget gap it just doesn't make sense that we're subsidizing out-of-state athletes," she said.

She also argued that the program subsidizies the Wolfpack Club, the Rams Club and the Pirate Club, the booster groups for state universities, which otherwise would have to give donations to support the athletes.

A few of the interesting new House bills:

H.B. 74: Spend 65% of School Funds in Classroom, Rep. John Blust

H.B. 75: Salary Funds/Spend Only for Salaries, Rep. Blust

H.B. 76: School Board Candidate Filing Fee, Reps. Rick Glazier, Doug Yongue

H.B. 78: Honor Jimmy Johnson, NASCAR Nextel Champ, Rep. Bill Owens

H.B. 83: Modify Out-of-State Tuition Exemption, Reps. Pricey Harrison, George Cleveland, Wil Neumann, Jennifer Weiss