The House voted in favor of a bill that tweaks the state's laws that allow lawsuits over adultery.

In North Carolina, a man or woman can sue his or her spouse's lover for "alienation of affection." The jilted person can sue his or her spouse for "criminal conversation."

The bill states that the ability to sue doesn't apply if a couple has separated but not yet divorced. The bill sets a three years limit, beginning at the last act, for filing such lawsuits and it prohibits suits filed against businesses.

Rep. Johnathan Rhyne, Jr., a Lincolnton Republican, tried unsuccessfully to amend the bill to say that the law applied until a couple had obtained a legal separation agreement. Without the amendment, couples would have no incentive to try to save their marriages, he said.

"In North Carolina we have a one-year period of separation before you can get a divorce," Rhyne said. "Marriages are considered precious things and we've given a cooling off period."

Rep. Melanie Wade Goodwin, the bill's sponsor and a Hamlet Democrat, said the amendment ignores the reality, that many people don't get separation agreements until their lawyers have investigated the spouse's finances.

Rep. Mark Hilton, a Conover Republican, said the bill weakened marriage.

"What we're going to be doing if this bill passes is saying it's open season," Hilton said.

A House bill would attempt to curb sales of drug paraphernalia.

The bill would require anyone buying a short glass vial often used to smoke crack to provide a name, address, signature and photo ID.

"You walk in these stores, and it kind of slaps you in the face," said Rep. Mark Hilton, a Catawba County Republican who sponsored the bill. "It's obvious what they're used for." 

So-called "glass roses" are often sold next to plastic tubes equipped with a blade for slicing open small cigars, which are then refilled with marijuana.

The bill would also require pipes of a certain length be kept behind the counter, which is already the custom in most stores. But Hilton hopes the register will be a deterrent and help probation officers. (N&O)

The House adopted a bill Thursday that would allow parents to choose the sexual education courses their children will receive in school.

The bill, which passed the House 62 to 52, would expand the abstince-only curriculum currently taught to middle school students to include "comprehensive" instruction. That course would still be based on the idea that abstince is the best way the avoid unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. But supporters say it would be a more complete curriculum that would be more effective than abstinence-only.

"I got a 42-year-old son. I love him," said Rep. Bill Faison, an Orange County Democrat who is 62. "But the reason I got a 42-year-old son is abstinence only doesn't work."

Opponents said they feared the bill would encourage teens to experiment with sex.

"The result, I believe, will be an increase in sexual activity in the adolescent population that I believe will put our adolescent teens more at risk," said Rep. Mark Hilton, a Conover Republican.

The bill now moves to the Senate.

Recent House bills of note:

H.B. 414: Judicial Appointment/Voter Retention, Rep. Johnathan Rhyne

H.B. 421: Use of Deadly Force/SBI Investigations, Rep. Kelly Alexander

H.B. 427: Counties May Fund Charter Schools, Reps. Tim Moore, George Cleveland, Larry Brown and William Current

H.B. 430: Voter Identification, Reps. Moore, Current, Paul Stam and Ric Killian

H.B. 431: Abortion-Parental Consent Notarized, Reps. Mark Hilton and Pat McElraft

H.B. 432: Conscience Protection/Health Care Providers, Rep. Hilton

Recent House bills of note:

H.B. 370: Salary of Secretary-Health and Human Services, Rep. Verla Insko

H.B. 388: Campaign Disclosure, Reps. Beverly Earle, Earline Parmon, Marvin Lucas and Becky Carney

H.B. 390: Poultry Worker Protection, Reps. Earle and Insko

H.B. 397: Conscience Protection/Contraceptive Coverage, Rep. Mark Hilton

H.B. 399: U.S. Senate Vacancies, Rep. John Blust

H.B. 409: Annual Archeology Reports, Rep. Ronnie Sutton

H.B. 413: Limit Legislators to Four Consecutive Terms, Rep. Johnathan Rhyne

A bill would allow insurers to not pay for contraceptive services and abortions for religious reasons.

Rep. Mark Hilton, a Catawba County Republican, said he filed the bill after hearing from churches and other religious groups that provide insurance.

The state currently allows insurers to not include RU-486 and other so-called morning-after pills that provide emergency contraception.

The bill would extend that to "any drug or device that interferes with the development o an embryo after fertilization," which would include birth-control pills and other methods such as hormone injections.

It also includes a "conscience clause" that would allow businesses and insurance providers to avoid paying for contraception if it was against their "religious beliefs or moral convictions."

"They should have the discretion to decide what's covered," he said.

He said he did not have much hope that his bill would pass, though he thinks there's an outside chance it may get a hearing.

Some recent House bills of note:

H.B. 266: Use of Deadly Force/Public Web Site, Rep. Elmer Floyd

H.B. 269: Concealed Handgun Permit Valid in Parks, Reps. Mark Hilton, Justin Burr, George Cleveland and Jim Gulley

H.B. 270: Personal Protection in Restaurants, Reps. Hilton, Fred Steen, Burr and Cleveland

H.B. 275: Sex Offenders Can't be EMS Personnel, Reps. Carolyn Justus, Annie Mobley and Shirley Randleman

Some interesting recent House bills:

H.B. 223: No High School Graduation Project Required, Reps. Jimmy Love and Angela Bryant

H.B. 232: Scholarship Loan for Rural Social Workers, Reps. Larry Bell, Rick Glazier, Marvin Lucas, Marian McLawhorn

H.B. 257: No Seizure of Lawful Firearms in Emergency, Reps. George Cleveland, Mark Hilton, Tim Moore and Laura Wiley

Rep. Mark Hilton
Catawba Republican
Fifth Term

What two things would you cut in the state budget? Administration at the state Department of Public Instruction and at local school districts.

Are there any taxes you would be in favor of increasing? No. "If we were to control spending like we should have, we probably wouldn't be in this mess right now," he said. "An economic downturn is the worst time to raise taxes."

— Lynn Bonner 

Fred Smith has received $14,500 from other politician's campaign funds since 2007.

According to his mid-year and year-end campaign finance reports, the Republican gubernatorial candidate received donations from 13 campaigns.

The top contributors were state Rep. Mitch Gillespie, who gave $4,000; Rep. Leo Daughtry, who gave $3,000; and former Senate candidate Todd Siebels, who gave $2,000.

He also received $1,000 each from Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson and Sen. Jim Forrester, $750 each from Sens. Richard Stevens of Cary and Jerry Tillman of Randolph County, and $500 each from Reps. James H. Langdon, Carolyn Justus of Henderson County and Mark Hilton of Catawba County.

He also received donations from Rep. Phillip Frye of Mitchell County, former Rep. Russell Capps of Wake County and Catawba County Sheriff David Huffman.