The taxman is coming for iTunes and ringtones.

The legislature's joint Revenue Laws committee approved a bill Tuesday morning that would tax ringtones, music downloads, software and other material delivered electronically, Mark Johnson reports.

The bill is intended to equally tax the electronic version of products that are taxed when sold in a tangible form, such as a compact disc.

Brooks Raiford, president of the N.C. Technology Association, cautioned against singling out the tech sector for new taxes during a downturn.

Raiford, whose group represents primarily high-tech businesses, emphasized that digital products avoid packaging and other byproducts that affect the environment.

The N.C. Technology Association recognized Beverly Perdue Thursday.

The lieutenant governor was given an Outstanding Achievement Award by the technology lobbying group at an awards dinner at the Embassy Suites in Cary.

She received the award for her work on initiatives extending Internet access to schools, offering online tobacco prevention and fitness training and providing telemedicine.

She was also recognized for chairing the Business Education Technology Alliance, which promotes technology in education.

Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, state Sen. David Hoyle and Reps. Pryor Gibson, Margaret Dickson and Rick Glazier received public leadership awards at the ceremony.

Campbell University is moving its law school to downtown Raleigh.

The Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law will move to 225 Hillsborough St., a building owned by a company held by former state legislator Art Pope, according to a letter from Jimmy Barnes of NAI Carolantic Realty to tenants.

Campbell President Jerry M. Wallace visited the building this afternoon, along with other school officials and a photographer, tenants said.

Current tenants include the N.C. Sheriff's Association, the N.C. Technology Association, the Bob Orr gubernatorial campaign and several nonprofits that Pope helps fund: the N.C. Institute for Constitutional Law, the Civitas Institute and Americans for Prosperity's state chapter.

According to the letter, the sale is expected to be final by early March, and renovations will begin next summer.

The N.C. Republican Party has hired a new chief of staff.

Chris McClure, who started Monday, previously served as finance director of U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry's campaign and executive director of the state party's Victory 2006 program.

A native of Clyde, McClure graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a bachelor of arts in political science in 2002. He served as political director for Bill Cobey's 2004 campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination and Joe Knott's 2004 campaign for attorney general.

He has also worked as the coordinator of communications and government relations for the N.C. Technology Association, a high-tech trade association.

"I am excited to be joining the N.C. GOP team at this important time in the life of our party and our state," he said in a statement.