The Senate approved the State Health Plan bill.

Senators voted 29 to 18 in favor of the bill, though many supporters took the opportunity during debate to say that it is a stopgap measure. 

"I think we all realize that we are putting a Band-Aid on a huge cancer," said Sen. Jerry Tillman, a Randolph County Republican. "What we are doing is temporary at best." 

Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand said he hopes that a blue-ribbon panel and monthly reports on the health plan will help move the plan toward a long-term fix.

Some Republicans questioned aspects of the plan that would penalize state workers for being overweight or smoking. In particular, they asked about the proper way of measuring obesity and how a family plan might be affected by a single smoker.

Shortly before the Senate began debate, the House approved the conference report on the bill, 60-56. It now heads to Gov. Beverly Perdue to be signed into law.

A bill would make "sexting" a minor unlawful.

State Sen. Jerry Tillman, a Randolph County Republican, has filed a bill that would add cell phones and other electronic devices to the list of ways it is illegal to solicit a child under the age of 16.

Under current law, it is only illegal to solicit a child using a computer.

Tillman said he became concerned that the legislation did not cover things such as sending a minor a text message, a trend that has been called "sexting" by some journalists.

"The technology is ahead of our legislation," he said.

A bill would let you deduct income lost while on jury duty.

Sen. Jerry Tillman, a Randolph County Republican, said he filed the bill after he heard from a constituent who lost thousands of dollars while on a federal grand jury.

"They were paying him $40 a day," Tillman said. "That will barely cover his travel and his food, and he would lose several hundred dollars a day by not being able to run his business." 

Under Tillman's proposal, North Carolinians who serve on state or federal juries, whether it's for a Superior Court trial or a grand jury, would be allowed to deduct the lost income from their state taxes.

Tillman, a retired school principal, said he wasn't sure it would affect him directly, since defense attorneys typically try to get him tossed out of the jury pool.

"Sometimes you go down there and sit for three or four days while they haggle," he said. 

A bill requested by Richard Petty would help Nascar drivers haul their stuff.

The Nascar legend asked Sen. Jerry Tillman, a Randolph County Republican, to give motorsports drivers an exemption from state laws limiting the length of vehicles on state roads.

The bill would allow drivers to attach a trailer to the back of a motorhome when driving to competitions, repair sites or testing on tracks, as long as the total length did not exceed 90 feet.

It would also allow the state Department of Transportation to declare certain roads off limits to the motorhome-trailer combos.

Tillman said he filed the bill because Petty lives in his district, but also because he wants to help the drivers.

"Nascar is a huge business in our state," he said. "This is one of the business-friendly things that we can do for the motorsports industry."

Related: House bill would honor Jimmie Johnson

A few more interesting Senate bills:

S.B. 64: Motorcycle Learner's Permit, Sen. Harry Brown

S.B. 65: Amend Computer Solicitation of Child, Sen. Jerry Tillman

S.B. 66: Require Arts Educ. Credit for Graduation, Sen. Katie Dorsett

S.B. 68: No ABC Establishments W/I 1,000 Ft. of Sch., Sen. Dorsett

S.B. 74: Increase Penalty/2nd Degree Murder, Sen. Ed Jones

Senate bill filings are picking up. Here are some interesting ones:

S.B. 31: Bioptic Lenses / Drivers License Tests, Sen. John Snow

S.B. 32: Employers Must Use Federal E-Verify Program, Sen. Snow

S.B. 36: Expand Chem. Analysis Sites / Contr. Substance, Sen. James Forrester

S.B. 37: Motorsports Vehicle Combination Lengths, Sen. Jerry Tillman

S.B. 43: Require Boating Safety Education, Sen. Ed Jones

S.B. 47: Unauthorized Wireless Phone Use / $50 Limit, Sen. Steve Goss

"Which Republicans voted for the Democratic leadership in the legislature?" — Caller

Members of the state House of Representatives and Senate select their own leaders on the first day of session.

The majority, which is Democratic in both chambers this year, typically votes for one of its own, while the Republican minority puts forward its own candidate.

Still, legislators can cross over to vote for the other side.

This year, Republican Sens. Fletcher Hartsell of Concord and Richard Stevens of Cary both voted for Democratic Sen. Marc Basnight as president pro tem on the first roll call.

Before the votes were totaled, however, Republican Minority Leader Phil Berger, who was also running, moved to elect Basnight by acclamation — essentially a unanimous voice vote.

This next part is a little tricky. In order to prevent anyone from calling another vote in the future and toppling Basnight, his chief lieutenant, Sen. Tony Rand, asked for yet another vote, known as a "clincher."

Twelve of the 20 Senate Republicans voted for Basnight on that vote: Sens. Austin Allran, Stan Bingham, Harris Blake, Debbie Clary, Don East, James Forrester, Hartsell, Neal Hunt, David Rouzer, Bob Rucho, Stevens, and Jerry Tillman.

In the House no Republicans voted for Speaker Joe Hackney, a Democrat. House Republicans voted for the minority leader, Rep. Paul Stam.

A few more bills have been filed in the Senate:

S.B. 21: Organ Donor Awareness Month, Sen. Tony Foriest

S.B. 22: Ban Texting While Driving, Sen. James Forrester

S.B. 23: Restraint/Juvenile in Custody/Court's Discretion, Sen. Jerry Tillman

S.B. 24: Special Plate for the Given Memorial Library, Sen. Harris Blake

S.B. 25: Horton Independent Redistricting Commission, Sen. Pete Brunstetter

S.B. 26: Injury to Pregnant Women/Additional Offense, Sen. Brunstetter

The Skip and Phil Show has been renewed for another year.

Legislative Republicans decided to keep their current leadership team — House Minority Leader Paul "Skip" Stam of Apex and Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger of Eden — in place for another session.

Stam faced no challengers, but Berger beat back Sens. Bob Rucho of Charlotte and Pete Brunsetter of Forsyth County, who had argued the GOP had problems with fundraising and elections.

In the House, Stam will be assisted by Republican Whip Thom Tillis of Mecklenburg County. In the Senate, Berger will get help from Deputy Republican Leader Harry Brown of Jacksonville and Republican Whip Jerry Tillman of Archdale.

"The 72 Senate and House Republicans are ready to offer constructive, positive directions for state government," Stam said in a statement. "These are challenging times. Working together, we can bring out the best alternatives based on conservative principles."

Republicans chose Eddie Goodall of Union County as their joint caucus leader, a position that helps the two chambers reconcile legislation. He takes over from state Rep. Dale Folwell.

Related: Winners and losers in the decisions.

Senate Republicans did not have a chance to speak about the budget on the floor this year.

With a Web ad attacking Democratic Senate nominee Kay Hagan's record, Dome is taking a closer look at her record of bipartisanship as budget co-chair.

The ad highlights this year's state budget process, when Hagan served an advisory role. For the previous five years, Hagan was a co-chair of the Senate Appropriations committee.

Here's what happened this year: The House sent a budget bill to the Senate on June 5. It was amended in Appropriations and passed two other committees before heading to the Senate floor on June 18.

On the floor, eight amendments were offered by Hagan and three other Democrats and by Republican Sens. Jerry Tillman, Phil Berger, Harry Brown and Bob Rucho. Tillman and Brown's amendments were tabled, Berger's ruled out of order and Rucho's came to a vote, where it passed.

After 38 minutes, Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand then made a motion to end debate. It passed 30-18 along party lines, with Hagan voting for it.

For comparison's sake, debate on the budget took 4 hours and 36 minutes over two days in the House.

More after the jump.

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