The state's teacher lobby seems to be leaning one way on who it supports to replace Senate majority leader Tony Rand.

But the lobby isn't taking any chances on backing the wrong candidate, either.

In an e-mail to members, the N.C. Association of Educators says that Sen. Martin Nesbitt has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Rand in the second-in-command position within the chamber. The headline on its Nesbitt brief reads, "K-12 Champion Vies for Senate Majority Leader."

Sen. Nesbitt's success comes as no surprise to Buncombe County Association of Educators President Anna Austin, who lunches with the mountain senator regularly. "Sen. Nesbitt checks in with me every week during session and its not surprising to watch issues we bounce around at a lunch table in Ashevillle make it into state law," she said.   

The next item is about Sen. Dan Clodfelter and is written under the decidedly more staid headline: "Charlotte Democrat Eyes Leadership Post." 

The write-up is positive on Clodfelter.

We have immense respect for Sen. Clodfelter, especially his support for public education and a modernized tax structure," said NCAE Vice President Rodney Ellis.  "As educators, we also admire Sen. Clodfelter's  incredible intellect.  He is a strong leader and whatever happens within the caucus, we hope that Sen. Clodfelter continues to lead on tax reform."    

The race to succeed Sen. Tony Rand as Senate majority leader is on, and Senators Martin Nesbitt, of Asheville, and Dan Clodfelter, of Charlotte, are the early entries.

The two have been making calls to their fellow Democrats in the Senate. Both hail from the more liberal side of the caucus, compared to the more conservative, business-friendly team of Rand, from Fayeteville, and Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, of Manteo.

Nesbitt, (above) an Asheville lawyer, chairs the Judiciary 1 committee and is a veteran of intracaucus jockeying from his 11 terms in the House. He has focused many of his efforts on health care and mental health reform. The conservative Civitas Institute ranked him as the most liberal senator.

Clodfelter, (below) a Charlotte lawyer and former city council member, is a co-chair of the tax-writing finance committee and has long been viewed as a future candidate for president pro tem when Basnight retires.

Neither senator returned Dome's calls. Seems they might have some votes to line up.

Among all the conservative politicians at the N.C. General Assembly, it appears none are conservative enough to suit Civitas Action.

The non-profit voter education group, with has ties to the conservative John William Pope Civitas Institute, released its Conservative Effectiveness Rankings for the 2009 legislative session on Monday.

Rep. Dale Folwell, a Forsyth County Republican, snagged the title of the most conservative member of the N.C. House, with a 89.8 score on the 100-point scale developed by Civitas Action. At the other end of the spectrum, Speaker Joe Hackney, a Democrat from Orange County, was awarded a score of 0.

In the state Senate, Davie County Republican Sen. Andrew Brock was rated as the body's most conservative member, with a score of 79. Three Democrats, Sens. Ellie Kinnaird of Orange, Katie Dorsett of Guilford and Martin Nesbitt of Buncombe were all scored at the bottom, tying at 2.1 on the group's scale.

Civitas Action's scale is based on the elected officials' votes on bills and amendments the group identified as demonstrative of commitment to conservative ideals as "derived from free-market economic policies, limited government, personal responsibility and civic engagement," according to the group's web site.

By that measure, the most conservative member of the state House got the equivalent of a B+, whole the most conservative senator got a C+.

UPDATE: Bill Holmes, spokesman for Speaker Hackney, points out that the Democratic leader didn't vote on 49 of the 50 bills Civitas Action graded. The speaker typically only votes to break a tie or at other points where his support is determinative, Holmes said. Sen. Vernon Malone, who died in April, also got a 0 score from the group due to his being "absent" when many of the bills came up.  

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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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Sen. Floyd McKissick may want to brush up on Senate rules.

The Durham Democrat, who has been in the Senate since 2007, missed a crucial opportunity to object to a motion to send his bill back to a committee during debate this morning.

McKissick's bill would allow counties to provide health insurance to former employees. But Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand objected, saying it could allow former county commissioners to get insurance benefits for too long.

During discussion of the bill, a number of senators raised questions about what kinds of employees would be affected, including part-time or short-time workers.

Sen. Bob Atwater offered an amendment that would require counties to establish a policy before extending benefits.

Rand, an old hand at parliamentary procedure, then moved to re-refer the bill to the committee on pensions and retirement so the amendment could be considered there.

More after the jump.

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A provision that "has given everybody heartburn" was removed Wednesday from a Senate bill that seeks to change the way the N.C. Medical Board investigates doctors for bad care or ethical breaches.

Sen. Martin Nesbitt Jr., a Democrat from Asheville who sponsored the bill, took out a particularly contentious requirement that the board line up two expert witnesses to agree on a practitioner's misbehavior, Sarah Avery reports.

Currently, the board gets one outside expert, and board officials vehemently opposed the additional requirement.

The bill moves forward in the Senate, but is likely to face additional changes and obstacles. In its current incarnation, the bill would require more communication between the board and doctors it investigates, board approval before investigations are launched, and a six-month timeline to begin and end probes.

Backed by a group of doctors who practice alternative medicine, the bill recently gained the support of the N.C. Medical Society. The doctor's lobby has increasingly been at odds with the medical board over doctor discipline issues.

June Atkinson says the state shouldn't force school systems to merge.

The state schools superintendent objected today to a Senate budget provision — and a related bill — that would limit state spending to one school system per county.

That would affect a handful of school systems in the state, including Orange County and Chapel Hill schools.

"I do not agree with that," Atkinson told Dome. "I understand that these are difficult economic times, but I think that decision has to be made at the local level."

The bill is sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand.

Related: Sen. Martin Nesbitt, a Buncombe County Democrat, also objects to the proposal. 

Both chambers of the legislature are considering resolutions honor the late lobbyist and former House member Roger Bone.

Bone was considered one of the most influential lobbyists in the legislature.

— "Roger made it to the top...by being a very personal, common man," said Sen. Martin Nesbitt, an Asheville Democrat.

— "Roger was never more than the boy from Sandy Cross," said Sen. A.B. Swindell, a Nashville Democrat.

— "We're grateful to him for just making this a place where we can enjoy each other's company ... as we talk about the ways to make North Carolina better," said Sen. Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat and senate majority leader. 

Bone served in the 1979 session of the House, later worked as a legislative liaison to Speaker Liston Ramsey, and founded his own lobbying firm in 1987.

The House will consider its resolution when it goes into session at 1 p.m.

Update: The House took up the Senate version of the resolution.

— "He is what some would call a permanent fixture of the legislative building as he has been around as long as anyone can remember," said Rep. William Wainwright, a Havelock Democrat. "North Carolina is a better place because Roger Bone passed our way."

— "He possessed a unique passion for sound public policy," said Rep. Randy Stewart, a Rocky Mount Democrat.

"I can recally many conversations with Roger down in the snackbar of this buildign as he explaiend to me ...the dynamics that really move this assembly," said Rep. David Lewis, a Dunn Republican.

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