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A bill that would make it easier for people to collect attorneys fees if they win public records lawsuits, cleared a key House committee intact this week.

Versions of the same bill have sailed through the Senate in previous sessions only to stall in the House. Speaker Joe Hackney didn't like previous versions of the bill because they stripped all discretion away from judges hearing public records lawsuits.

The current bill, modeled on a Texas law, requires a judge to award attoneys fees in cases that are won substantially. Fees don't have to be awarded in close calls. Hackney supports the current version.

The bill also establishes a unit within the Attorney General's office to mediate public records and open meetings disputes.

"We prefer that people don't go to court in the first place," said Rep. Deborah Ross, a Raleigh Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill.

The N.C. Press Association supports the bill. The Association of County Commissioners and League of Municipalities do not. The bill still has one more committee to clear before the full House can vote on it.

Update: Post now explains Hackney's stance on the current bill. 

She's back.

After a week of vacation, Gov. Beverly Perdue is back on the job. And she's willing to tell you what she'll be doing this week.

The governor's office has released Perdue's schedule for the week. It does not include the time and location for all of her meetings, but it does provide some details on who she's meeting with and what she's doing.

For example, Perdue is scheduled today to meet with representatives of the N.C. Association of Educators and the leaders of the N.C. Association of County Commissioners.

On Wednesday, she has a senior staff meeting, budget meetings and plans to attend the N.C. State-UNC basketball game.

Later in the week, Perdue plans to speak to the AFL-CIO Legislative Conference in Raleigh, speak at the board meeting of the State Employees Association of N.C. and speak to a meeting of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits.

She's also scheduled for "ethics refresher training" on Friday, and to attend the National Governor's Association meeting in Washington this weekend.

During her campaign, Perdue pledged to bring more transparency to the operations of state government. Her predecessor, Mike Easley, rarely shared details of his schedule.

About one in six county commissioners is a woman.

According to the N.C. Association of County Commissioners, 98 of the 576 board seats in North Carolina is held by a woman, or roughly 17 percent.

That's the highest percentage since the group started recording board makeups in 1974, and an 11 percent jump from 2006, when 88 women were in 572 seats.

"It's been kind of steady for the past decade or so, but we did have a recent bump," said spokesman Todd McGee.

Women held between 4 and 6 percent of seats in the 1970s, nine and 11 percent in the 1980s, 12 and 15 percent in the 1990s and 15 to 17 percent in the 2000s.

David Young is starting a new business.

After running unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for state treasurer this year, the outgoing Buncombe County commissioner announced last week that he and his wife Leigh will be forming Young and Associates.

The company aims to help local government find top management personnel.

"I wanted to stay involved in local government and give back a portion of what I received over my 16-year tenure," he said in a statement.

The company will seek to be a middle-man between qualified managers and cities and counties with openings, including providing interim leaders.

Young is the past president of the N.C. Association of County Commissioners.

He lost the May primary to Treasurer-elect Janet Cowell.

The Sierra Club is holding a gubernatorial forum on water policy.

The environmentalist group has invited the four major Republican and two major Democratic candidates to a forum at Griffith Theater at Duke University on March 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. They hope to hold two forums for each party.

Co-sponsors include the League of Municipalities, the N.C. Association of County Commissioners, the N.C. Rural Center and the CCNC. 

The N.C. Association of Educators has endorsed three candidates.

The educator's group announced that it is endorsing state Sen. Kay Hagan for the U.S. Senate, NCAE president Eddie Davis for superintendent of public instruction and Buncombe County commissioner David Young for state treasurer.

In a press release, the group praised Hagan's opposition to school vouchers and efforts to close the minority achievement gap in the Senate; Davis' work to improve teaching conditions and increase salaries; and Young's work as head of the N.C. Association of County Commissioners.

"Our nearly 70,000 members will work hard this election season to help each of these pro-public education candidates get into office," said Vice President Sheri Strickland.

State Rep. Dale Folwell got kudos from an unlikely source.

The Winston-Salem Republican received the first President's Award from the N.C. Association of County Commissioners for his work on a 2005 bill that will help counties collect unapid motor vehicle property taxes.

The association estimates that the bill will result in the collection of $80 million each year by requiring property taxes be paid before a vehicle is registered.

The award was presented by David Young, a Buncombe County commissioner who is  currently head of the association.

The catch? Both men are running for state treasurer. For now, it's not certain that they'll face off against each other.

Folwell faces a primary challenge from state Rep. Bill Daughtridge; Young faces state Rep. Janet Cowell and Raleigh attorney Michael Weisel.

David Young is running for state treasurer.

The Buncombe County commissioner announced Wednesday he would enter the crowded field trying to succeed state Treasurer Richard Moore, who is running for governor, Rob Christensen reports.

Young said he wants to maintain North Carolina's AAA bond rating, keep the state pension sound, and expand efforts to help local governments in financing their water and sewer needs.

He cited his background as a county commissioner for the past 16 years, and his experience in running a travel agency as helping prepare him for the job.

He brings wide contacts to his campaign. He is president of the N.C. Association of County Commissioners and a member of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.

Besides campaigns for local office, Young once ran for Congress.

Other Democrats in the race are state Sen. Janet Cowell, and Raleigh attorney Michael Weisel, who ran for treasurer in 1996.

The N.C. Association of County Commissioners is training the troops.

At a day-long seminar, the association told 120 local officials from 45 counties how to fight a local ballot battle for a transfer tax.

Counties can't spend taxpayer money in support of referenda, but county commissioners can stump for them on their own dime. 

Sixteen counties, including Chatham, Johnston and possibly Orange, will ask voters to approve a new tax on the 0.4 percent tax on real estate sales.

The N.C. Association of Realtors is partnering with local groups to fight the measures. (N&O) 

County officials said thanks today.

Wake County Commissioner Joe Bryan was in the basement cafeteria of the General Assembly building shortly after noon handing out cream-colored thank-you notes from the N.C. Association of County Commissioners.

"Thank you so much for removing the Medicaid burden off the backs of counties and for providing us with additional revenue options so we can manage our growth," the note read. "We truly appreciate how much time and effort you put into this issue for counties."

That was a reference to two items in the budget which reduced Medicaid payments from counties and gave them the option to levy a transfer tax or sales tax if voters approve.

Bryan, who was smiling widely, said he was giving the notes to any legislator, regardless of whether they voted for the budget or not.

"This is a historic session for North Carolina's counties," he said.