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The House Committee on Elections will hold a public hearing on requiring voter ID tomorrow, and it seems a lot of people want to talk about it.

The committee had an online sign up for 50 people. It turns out more people than that want to talk. Those who want to speak and didn't make it on the online list may show up at 3 p.m. at room 643 in the Legislative Office Building to sign up. Those who signed up online will get a number when they arrive at room 643 that indicates their speaking order. The committee meeting starts at 4 p.m.

Legislators are ready for an overflow crowd. People who can't find seats can go to room 544 in the same building

Rep. David Lewis, a Harnett County Republican and chairman of the committee, said he was prepared for the committee to go until 9 p.m., when House rules say they have to quit.

"Folks who take the time to come, we'll do the best to hear what they have to say," he said.

The proposal to require people to show a photo ID when they vote is controversial. Proponents says it prevents voter fraud, while opponents say that it discriminates against elderly voters, African-American voters, and young voters.

The state Department of Public Instruction is holding a series of public hearings, beginning tomorrow, to gather comments on the closure of one of three state residential schools for blind and deaf students.

The legislature told the department to give them the name of a school to close by  January 15, 2012 . The chosen school will close July 1. 

The three schools are the Gov. Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, the N.C. School for the Deaf in Morganton, and the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf in Wilson. About 220 students attend these schools.

Tomorrow's public hearing is in the Morganton Municipal Auditorium, 401 S. College St.

The second public hearing will be held Thursday at Barton College's Hardy Alumni Hall, off Atlantic Drive in Wilson

The third hearing will be Sept. 28 in the Raleigh City Council Chamber, room 201, in Raleigh City Hall, 222 W. Hargett Street.

All hearings will be from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Interpreters will be provided.

DPI is to recommend a school to close based on these criteria:

(1)        Minimization of impact on services to deaf and blind students currently served by the residential schools.

(2)        Minimization of costs of modifications at the two remaining residential schools to accommodate students from the closed school.

(3)        Maximization of funds generated or net savings to the State from costs avoided due to the closure of one school and the sale or transfer to other State agencies of the school campus and other physical assets.

(4)        Minimization of required travel for students of the school that is closed.

(5)        Historical and cultural significance of the school.

The department is also collecting comments via online survey.

House Speaker Joe Hackney said the budget public hearing helped bring home how state spending affects people.

"There's nothing like hearing the personal stories and how the programs we fund affect them," Hackney said as the hearing wound to a close.

He said lawmakers routinely receive e-mail messages on countless subjects. But seeing people talk about the state's spending was far better.

Hackney, the House appropriation chairs and a handful of other lawmakers stayed throughout the three-hour hearing. Rep. Darren Jackson, a freshman Democrat from Raleigh said the hearing was also helpful for the audience members across the state, who got a flavor of the many directions lawmakers are pulled by constituents.

"It's a tough year," Jackson said, of the state's budget picture.

The hearing was a well-attended event that included plenty of speakers from the usual constituent and advocacy groups. But it also featured personal stories from state residents.

More at Four helped Beth Palmer's twins to overcome a speech problem.

Her twin sons were hard for most people to understand. The result is that they were shy and reluctant to be with other children, Palmer, 40, told House members at a budget public hearing.

Palmer, of Raleigh, said her children got help with the speech problem in the More at Four program. The Senate has proposed cutting More at Four, part of a move to eventually merge it with the Smart Start program. 

"Since being at More at Four the have blossomed into little chatter boxes," Palmer said.

House members heard from a Charlotte father whose son suffers from a debilitating genetic disorder.

Glen Stephens of Charlotte spoke from Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. He described the ravaging effects his son suffered from Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome, a genetic disorder that has severe and debilitating effects on the brain.

"While most families are enjoying smiles, eye contact, first syllables and first words, my wife and I were dealing with screams, absent stares, stiffness and a complete lack of communication," Stephens said.

His son is 3, but developmentally is comparable to a 6-month old. Stephens said he and his wife are barely holding on as they try to care for their son and keep a job.

Stephens urged House members to keep benefits and programs for families who have to care for disabled children.

"My son, Gabriel and the children like him, they don't understand politics, economic downturns or budget deficits," Stephens said. "They live moment by moment and day by day."

Early in the House's public hearing on the budget, most of the comments came from people representing various interest groups.

Childcare advocates, the AARP, a teacher's group and the Eastern Carolina Council on Aging had representatives speak in favor of more funding for their interests.

"When you make the cuts that you must make, please be mindful of not adding to the struggles that families are facing," said Melinda Lawrence, executive director of the N.C. Justice Center.

Two people said they were representing themselves. One spoke against the 287(g) program, which allows sheriffs to file immigration charges and another spoke on behalf on mental health funding.

The House's public hearing on the state budget drew more than 200 people Tuesday night.

It wasn't immediately clear how many people showed up at the 10 community college campuses that are conected to the hearing through video conference. The crowd at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh included the usual mix of lobbyists and interest groups. But it also appeared to include a number of regular folks who wanted to talk about the state budget.

House Speaker Joe Hackney invited attendees to comment on state spending, including cuts in pay to state employees. Hackney attempted to summarize the difficult challenge facing budget writers. The spending deficit next year is likely to be more than $4 billion, a 20 percent loss to the budget.

Filling that hole won't be easy, Hackney said.

"We will continue to look for programs that have outlived their usefulness," he said. "Most of our money is spent for good programs that help people and which shoudl continue. We can't stop taking care of our roads or turn loose the people in our prisons or close our schools."