We have a local entry for bookstores' political biographies section.

Howard Lee, chairman of the State Board of Education, has published his biography, "The Courage to Lead."

Lee was elected the first black mayor of Chapel Hill in 1969, and is a former state senator.

Lee said he worked on the self-published memoir for about five years, and trimmed his first draft of 800 pages to 240.

He has 15 book signings scheduled around the state.

The anti-bullying bill, which would have listed gay students as potential harassment targets, is dead, said a state senator who worked on proposal.

The Senate had the bill on its list of issues to vote on today, but sent it back to committee.

Another controversial bill that appeared dead this week was twice given new life and passed, but Sen. Doug Berger, a Franklin County Democrat, said the bullying bill is really gone.

The bill was controversial because it listed "sexual orientation" and more than a dozen other characteristics as reasons school children might be bully targets. Groups interested in socially conservative issues such as the Christian Action League and the N.C. Family Policy Council did not want the term "sexual orientation" in state law, saying that gay-rights groups would use it to leverage other rights.

The bill would have required teachers, students and volunteers to report bullying and have local school boards establish anti-bullying policies.

Ironically, supporters said they had enough votes to pass it, but only if everyone showed up. As a courtesy, the Senate allows members who cannot be around for votes to "pair" with another senators who are going to vote the opposite way. When senators "pair," their votes cancel each other.

Berger said the bill's opponents pressured senators who were going to vote no not to accept pair requests from senators who would have voted for the bill.

Bullying is already against school policies, Berger said, but the only way it is going to be seriously addressed is if people talk frankly about who gets targeted.

"The failure of this bill to pass, I think, it sends a bad message," Berger said.

The Durham meals tax is back.

In a hastily-called meeting, the Senate Finance committee approved a proposal allowing Durham to impose a 1 percent tax on restaurant meals.

Sen. Floyd McKissick, a Durham Democrat, had been struggling to find enough votes to get the bill, which the state restaurant trade association opposed, out of committee and to a full Senate vote.

The committee had voted to kill the bill about an hour earlier, but McKissick found a senator who opposed it the first time to ask for a new vote.

The proposed Durham meal tax died before noon Wednesday in a quick committee vote on the Senate floor.

Sen. Floyd McKissick, a Durham Democrat, told committee members they would not be voting to impose a tax. But in a voice vote, the noes easily overwhelmed the ayes.

Durham wanted permission to hold a vote on a 1 percent tax on prepared meals. The N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association opposed it. The bill barely got out of the House and barring some parliamentary miracle, is dead for the year.  

For the second time in two days, state Sen. Floyd McKissick asked the chamber's Finance Committee to skip debate on a proposed bill that would allow Durham to vote on a 1 percent tax on restaurant meals.

If the bill passes, it's going to be close, McKissick said. Likely bill supporters have not attended committee meetings this week, he said, so he asked to pull it.

"It's a tough one," McKissick said. "A lot depends on who's in town, who's out of town, that kind of stuff," he said.

He said he's ask for an unscheduled committee meeting on the Senate floor to get a vote.

The N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association is fighting the bill, and it bearly got out of the House.

McKissick, a Durham Democrat, said a tax vote is tough this election year, with members facing competitive races worrying that their 'aye' votes will be characterized as votes for tax increases.

The Senate will not vote on a controversial anti-bullying proposal today that references sexual orientation, said a senator who worked on the bill.

Sen. Doug Berger, a Franklin County Democrat, said he expected the compromise that had been crafted to be dropped from today’s schedule.

"We just don’t have enough votes at this time," Berger said.

Socially conservative groups, including the N.C. Family Policy Council and the Christian Action League, were working hard to scuttle the proposal, which includes references to sexual orientation, masculinity and femininity.

Rep. Rick Glazier said before the House met that he was confident there were enough House votes to pass the bill, but heard that the Senate was not going to vote on it today.

The question, said Glazier, was whether the House and Senate should run the bill at the same time.

"People understand the bill very well over here," the Fayetteville Democrat said of the House.

He asked during the House session to push a vote on the proposal to the end of the meeting.

The senate wants to beef up education spending.

Senate Democrats scheduled meetings today to roll out portions of their proposed spending plan for state government next year, AP reports.

The House approved its own budget plan two weeks ago, but Gov. Mike Easley complained it didn't do enough for university enrollment and his More at Four preschool program.

Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand of Cumberland County says there will be more money for those programs. But Rand said pay raises for state employees and public school teachers wouldn't be much different compared to the House.

The full Senate will vote on the budget later in the week. The House and Senate then will work on a compromise before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

The state Senate has two new budget committee chairman, Charlie Dannelly of Charlotte and Charles Albertson of Beulaville.

They replace Sens. Kay Hagan of Greensboro and Walter Dalton of Rutherfordton, who will step down to "advisory" roles, reports Lynn Bonner. Read: They don't have to go to all the meetings.

Hagan and Dalton are running for higher office, she for U.S. Senate and he for lieutenant governor.

Dannelly and Albertson join Sen. Linda Garrou of Winston-Salem as the so-called "big chairs" on the Senate budget writing committee.

Nena Reeves, a Republican candidate for the state Senate District 12 seat in Johnston and Wayne counties, is criticizing David Rouzer, her opponent in the GOP primary, on immigration, Dan Kane reports.

What the ad says: "David Rouzer claims he shares our values. But he’s a D.C. lobbyist and stands with Ted Kennedy in support of amnesty for illegal immigrants. Called stealth amnesty by conservatives, David Rouzer’s bill is a backdoor for illegal aliens and their families. Illegal immigrants cost North Carolina taxpayers over $770 million a year. That’s wrong. Fortunately, we have Nena Reeves, proven leader, standing firm for our conservative values.”

What the ad looks like: A slightly out-of-focus picture of Rouzer wearing a dark suit and red tie appears. “Who is Lobbyist David Rouzer?” appears on the screen as his image expands. A red slash underlines “Lobbyist.” Then, a sharp picture of U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy appears next to that of Rouzer. “D.C. Lobbyist for Ted Kennedy’s Amnesty Bill” appears on screen, citing a Tobacco Farm Quarterly article as the source.

The ad then cuts to a still of a border crossing with a “CAUTION” sign showing a silhouette of a man, woman and child running. “FREE Path for Family Members as well,” the screen says, citing the Heritage Foundation as the source.

Another still shows a rally with a woman dressed in a shirt resembling the U.S. flag. She is holding the U.S. flag and a sign that reads, “AMERICA HAS BEEN INVADED.” The shot then turns black-and-white, Rouzer’s color image is superimposed, again reminding viewers that he is “Lobbyist David Rouzer” with the red slash under “Lobbyist.” The screen reads: “ILLEGALS COST NC TAXPAYERS $771 Million,” citing the Federation for American Immigration Reform as the source. The ad ends with Reeves, busy at her desk.

The background: Rouzer, a Republican candidate in the 12th District, is a lobbyist. His clients include agribusinesses that favor passage of federal legislation they say would make the guest worker program more cost-effective. The program provides what are known as H-2A visas to foreigners to work temporary farm jobs such as picking crops. That legislation, which was co-sponsored by Kennedy, provides these workers with a path to U.S. citizenship if they can show they have worked for 150 days in the past two years. They would still have to work farm jobs for three more years and stay out of trouble before they could become U.S. citizens.

The Tobacco Farm Quarterly article refers to the debate over the legislation and quotes Rouzer’s advocacy. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has called the legislation “stealth amnesty.”

Is the ad accurate? It is based in truth, but it also exaggerates. Rouzer is a lobbyist, and he helped his clients try to get the legislation passed. But the ad suggests the legislation would open the door to all illegal immigrants. That’s not the case.

The ad accurately cites FAIR’s estimated cost to taxpayers, but it doesn’t mention that FAIR opposes amnesty efforts, and its cost estimate does not include how much illegal immigrants pay the state in sales and other taxes, or how much their in-state spending may boost North Carolina’s economy.

State Sen. John Kerr is retiring from the legislature.

He will serve the remainder of his current term of office, which expires at the end of 2008, but he will not seek re-election, according to a news release from state Senate leader Marc Basnight.

Kerr intends to remain active in politics and to campaign on behalf of others. Kerr, a Democrat and a lawyer from Goldsboro, represents Greene County and parts of Wayne and Pitt Counties.

Update: Snow Hill Mayor Don Davis, a Democrat, announced last month that he will run for Kerr's seat. Greenville attorney Marvin Blount III said he is also considering a run.

More after the jump.

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