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Which state bills have the most support?

Recent surveys by the Elon University Poll, the conservative Civitas Institute and the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling have shown broad agreement on a number of issues.

Below, the percentage in support and the corresponding bill:

H.B. 361: Defense of Marriage (76 percent, Civitas)

S.B. 155: Community College Can't Admit Illegal Aliens (74 percent, PPP)

H.B. 88: Healthy Youth Act (69 percent, PPP)

H.B. 2: Prohibit Smoking in Public & Work Places. (67 percent, Elon; 64 percent PPP)

S.B. 12: Ban Mobile Phone Use While Driving (66 percent, Elon)

H.B. 35: Independent Redistricting Commission (55 percent, Civitas)

Correction: A previous version of this post included S.B. 161, which would overturn the moratorium on the death penalty. Polling data is conflicted on this issue, so it has been removed from the list.

* Bill would create a study commission on licensing and regulating midwives. The state currently only allows nurse midwives with degrees.

* Greensboro blogger Ed Cone notices that U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan has finally upgraded her official Senate Web site, something he's been pushing for a while.

* A bill to ban cell phone use while driving appears dead after members of the Senate Commerce Committee appear particularly unenthused about it.

* House Health Committee is expected to consider a bill that would ban smoking in restaurants and public places in a meeting today.

A poll found North Carolinians want lawmakers to stop them from their own bad habit.

Nearly two thirds of state residents favor laws to ban cell phone use while driving, even though more than half of cell phone users report doing this regularly, according to the latest Elon University Poll.

"Though they recognize that it is dangerous and confess to doing it, citizens apparently won't stop driving and talking unless a change in the law forces them to do so," said pollster Hunter Bacot.

Eighty percent said using a cell phone while driving decreases highway safety. Of the 54 percent who said they do it, 56 percent said they do not use a hands-free device.

The poll found 65.7 percent said using a cell phone while driving should be illegal except in an emergency, 29.5 percent said it should be legal and 4.4 percent didn't know.

The live phone poll, conducted Feb. 22 to 26, surveyed 758 North Carolina residents. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

Previously: Several bills target cell phones

Cell phones will be a hot topic in the legislature this session.

Already, three bills have been filed that would regulate when and where you can use the phones, and a legislative committee has recommended a fourth.

DRIVETIME CHAT: A bill sponsored by Sen. Charlie Dannelly would make it a traffic infraction to drive while using a cell phone, unless it was on hands-free mode or it was an emergency. A similar bill failed in the 2007 session.

TEXTING'S NEXT: Rep. Garland Pierce has filed a bill that would ban texting while driving. He said he expects it will be less controversial than Dannelly's bill. "When you have to start hitting numbers, you have to look down," he said.

PRISON CELL: Rep. Pierce has also introduced a bill that would prohibit cell phones in prison. In December, the N.C. Department of Correction said that at least two Death Row inmates have been found with cell phones.

RINGTONE MONEY: A joint revenue committee recommended earlier this week that the state begin taxing ringtones and other music delivered electronically at the same rate that it taxes music bought in stores.

More information on those Senate bills is available.

Here are a few of the more interesting bills not already discussed on Dome: 

S.B. 6: Would temporarily stay on higher surcharges under the state's Beach Plan and increases in statewide insurance rate.

S.B. 8: Would appropriate $10 million to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services to hire people to work in community programs for the developmentally disabled.

S.B. 11: Would allow a district attorney or assistant D.A. who has a concealed handgun permit to carry a gun while on duty in the courthouse.

S.B. 12: Would make it an infraction with a $100 fine to use a cell phone while driving except during an emergency. 

S.B. 13: Would increase penalties for injuring a pregnant woman who is past her 20th week of pregnancy and include it as an aggravating factor in felony cases.

S.B. 14: Would transfer the functions of the Occupational Safety and Health division to a new commission not in the N.C. Department of Labor.

A few more Senate bills have been filed:

S.B. 8: Funds for CAP/MR-DD Slots, Sen. Julia Boseman

S.B. 9: Amend Peeping Tom Law, Boseman

S.B. 10: New Hanover Annexation Moratorium, Boseman

S.B. 11: District Attorney and Assistant District Attorney / Concealed Gun in Court House, Boseman

S.B. 12: Ban Mobile Phone Use While Driving, Sen. Charlie Dannelly

S.B. 13: Injury to Pregnant Woman / Penalty, Sen. Doug Berger

S.B. 14: Create Employment Safety and Security Commission, Berger