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. 

Both pro-choice and pro-life groups are concerned about a bill to increase the penalty for injuring a pregnant woman.

The bill, sponsored by a pro-choice Democrat and a pro-life Republican, would make it a separate felony charge to injure a woman who is more than five months pregnant.

Sean Kosofsky, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina, said his group would be watching the bill "very closely." He said existing criminal statutes on assault may be adequate.

"There are concerns among advocates for women that the language in some of these bills may be a creative way to limit definitions for abortion are in our state," he said.

Meantime, Barbara Holt, executive director of N.C. Right to Life, said her group thinks any legislation should reclassify the death of an unborn child as a second murder.

"Those families who have lost an unborn child want recognition that there have been two lives lost," she said.

A bill filed Wednesday would increase the penalty for injuring a pregnant woman.

Sen. Doug Berger, a pro-choice Democrat, and Rep. Dale Folwell, a pro-life Republican, are working together on the legislation, which would make it a separate felony charge to injure a woman who is more than five months pregnant.

"Currently, the penalties for that offense are inconsequential," Berger said.

He said he wanted to punish men who have "an interest in avoiding child support payments" and take away the choice of a woman to bear the child.

Berger said he was hopeful about the bill's chances because it was co-sponsored by a progressive and a conservative on opposite sides of the abortion issue, but so far he's heard only negative feedback from both sides of the perennial debate.

"Neither (Folwell) nor I see this as an abortion issue," he said. "We're not going to allow this to be turned into an abortion issue."

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