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.

Sen. John Snow has filed the first bill in his chamber.

The Murphy Democrat has filed S.B. 2, which would change the capital fund formula in the state lottery.

Details of the bill are not yet available, but Snow and other Western lawmakers have argued that their school districts have been shortchanged by the formula, part which is divvied up among areas with higher-than-average property taxes.

The bill is cosponsored by Sen. Martin Nesbitt, an Asheville Democrat.

He also filed S.B. 3, entitled "Smoky Mountains National Park Plate Changes" and S.B. 4, entitled "Clarify Emergency Judge Qualifications."

Two other early bills concerned hunting.

Sen. Richard Stevens filed S.B. 5, entitled "Continuing Crossbow Permit/Dealers and Manufacturers." Sen. Julia Boseman filed S.B. 7, which would allow hunting on Sundays.

Boseman also filed S.B. 6, entitled "Beach Plan and Insurance Rate and Deductible Stay."