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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The Military Veterans Caucus is the largest in the legislature.

The bipartisan caucus is made up of 64 "military veterans, those who represent a district with military interest, and others with a particular interest in military affairs," according to a press release from Speaker Joe Hackney's office.

This year, it includes 49 representatives and 15 senators.

That makes it bigger than the 30-member Legislative Black Caucus as well as the 43 women in the legislature.

The caucus' steering committee is made up of Democratic Sen. Bob Atwater, Republican Sens. Harry Brown and Pete Brunstetter, Democratic Reps. Larry Hall and Grier Martin and Republican Rep. Ric Killian.

Atwater served in the Air Force; Brunsetter, in the Navy; Hall, in the Marines. Martin and Killian are Army reservists and Brown's district includes Camp Lejeune.

The caucus will meet for the first time this session next week.

After the jump, the members.

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A bill filed this session would establish an independent commission to draw the state's district lines.

The goal would be to avoid the contentious and litigious debate that typically accompanies the required changes to the state's legislative districts, said Sen. Pete Brunstetter, a Lewisville Republican and senate sponsor of the bill. House and Senate Republicans said they believe the bill and others similar to it would curb gerrymandering.

"The big problem is it allows legislators to chose their voters and not vice versa," Brunstetter said.

The state constitution currently calls for the legislature to change districts after the federal decennial census. The idea is to have legislative districts reflect changes in population.

More after the jump.

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As the state approaches the 2010 Census, the General Assembly will begin the process of drawing up legislative and Congressional districts for the following decade.

Two Republican legislators have suggested alternative methods.

Sen. Pete Brunstetter of Forysth County has proposed putting that power in the hands of an independent commission, while Rep. Nelson Dollar of Cary has again suggested allowing any citizen to submit their own plan.

Brunstetter's plan would create an 11-member commission with four Democrats, four Republicans and three others not affliated with either party. Leaders of each party would submit a list of names and strike others, as in a jury pool, with the final picks made by a lottery.

It would also restrict commission members and their relatives from running for office or working as a lobbyist for three years.

"We want to go out of our way to make sure the commission is independent," he said.

Dollar, meantime, has again filed a bill that would allow private citizens to turn in their redistricting plans and have an existing state commission designated by the governor score them based on an objective point system.

"Let's put this more in the hands of the people and not have it be driven so much by the politics of whichever party is in charge," he said.

A second bill would increase the penalty for injuring any pregnant woman.

While a bill filed by Sen. Doug Berger would boost the penalties for injuring a woman more than 20 weeks pregnant, another bill covers a woman in any stage of pregnancy.

Sen. Pete Brunstetter, a Forsyth County Republican, says his bill would cover "any time from conception forward."

Although he sponsored an unsuccessful bill identical to Berger's in last year's session, Brunstetter said he wanted to give legislators an option to vote for a broader definition.

He was not optimistic that either bill would get a hearing, though similar measures have passed in three dozen other states.

"It's going to be tough to get this heard because it will get caught up in the abortion discussion," he said. "There's 36 states that have managed to get around that discussion, including some that are very liberal and some that are very conservative."

Both pro-life and pro-choice groups have expressed concern about the bills. 

A few more bills have been filed in the Senate:

S.B. 21: Organ Donor Awareness Month, Sen. Tony Foriest

S.B. 22: Ban Texting While Driving, Sen. James Forrester

S.B. 23: Restraint/Juvenile in Custody/Court's Discretion, Sen. Jerry Tillman

S.B. 24: Special Plate for the Given Memorial Library, Sen. Harris Blake

S.B. 25: Horton Independent Redistricting Commission, Sen. Pete Brunstetter

S.B. 26: Injury to Pregnant Women/Additional Offense, Sen. Brunstetter

Sen. Pete Brunstetter
Winston-Salem Republican
Second Term

What two things would you cut in the state budget? "I'm not a big fan of the More at Four program," Brunstetter said. "I don't think it has had the impact that justifies the cost."

He added that there needs to be some consideration of merging More at Four with Smart Start, another pre-school program.

Are there any taxes you would be in favor of increasing? He said he would favor a reduction in the state income tax, to recruit more industry. It could also bring in more revenue, because some companies are reporting income in other states rather in North Carolina.

— Rob Christensen 

The Skip and Phil Show has been renewed for another year.

Legislative Republicans decided to keep their current leadership team — House Minority Leader Paul "Skip" Stam of Apex and Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger of Eden — in place for another session.

Stam faced no challengers, but Berger beat back Sens. Bob Rucho of Charlotte and Pete Brunsetter of Forsyth County, who had argued the GOP had problems with fundraising and elections.

In the House, Stam will be assisted by Republican Whip Thom Tillis of Mecklenburg County. In the Senate, Berger will get help from Deputy Republican Leader Harry Brown of Jacksonville and Republican Whip Jerry Tillman of Archdale.

"The 72 Senate and House Republicans are ready to offer constructive, positive directions for state government," Stam said in a statement. "These are challenging times. Working together, we can bring out the best alternatives based on conservative principles."

Republicans chose Eddie Goodall of Union County as their joint caucus leader, a position that helps the two chambers reconcile legislation. He takes over from state Rep. Dale Folwell.

Related: Winners and losers in the decisions.

N.C. House and Senate Republicans will select their leadership at caucus meetings Sunday afternoon in the law offices of Crumley and Associates in Greensboro.

Rep. Dale Folwell, a Forsyth County Republican who is wrapping up his two-year term as the leader of the joint legislative Republican caucus, will convene the meeting and then the House and Senate Republicans will split into separate groups to vote on their leaders, Dan Kane reports.

The meetings will be closed to the public, but Folwell said he will report the results immediately after.

On the Senate side, two are challenging Sen. Phil Berger, an Eden Republican seeking a third term, to be minority leader. They are Sens. Bob Rucho of Charlotte and Pete Brunstetter of Forsyth County.

On the House side, Folwell said so far there are no challengers to House Minority Leader Paul Stam of Apex, who is seeking his second two-year term. Rep. Thom Tillis of Mecklenburg County is the sole announced candidate for Republican whip. The current holder of that job, Rep. Bill McGee of Forsyth County, is not seeking a second term, Folwell said.

A new joint caucus leader will also be selected from the Senate Republicans. Folwell said he is only aware of one candidate, state Sen. Eddie Goodall from Union County.

Two Republican state senators are challenging their party's Senate leader for his job in a vote next weekend.

Sen. Bob Rucho, of Charlotte, and Sen. Pete Brunstetter, of Winston-Salem, both plan to run against Sen. Phil Berger, of Eden, the current Senate Republican leader. Berger is seeking a third term in the post.

The GOP caucus is scheduled to meet and vote on their leadership team on Sunday, Dec. 7 in Greensboro.

The challenge to Berger comes despite Republicans' gain of one senate seat in this year's election, pushing back against a national Democratic tide that pummeled Republicans elsewhere and in other N.C. races. Republicans will hold 20 seats in the N.C. Senate next year to Democrats' 30 seats.

"We're the only Republican legislative caucus in the nation that's in the minority in a state Obama carried and still picked up seats," Berger said. He and Sen. Tom Apodaca, of Hendersonville and the Deputy Republican leader, have headed the caucus since 2004.

Rucho, who once roomed with Berger in Raleigh, is retiring from his dental practice next month. He said he will have more time to devote to a leadership position, particularly raising the money that Republicans lacked in this year's campaigns.

"We just can't afford to continue to lose by 3 to 1 in fundraising," Rucho said.

Brunstetter said it's natural for the caucus to talk about new leadership every two years and especially after the GOP has taken a beating nationally.

"The question is not what happened in 2008," Brunstetter said, "but what needs to happen in 2010."