As it turns out, there are a lot of Basnights in North Carolina.

As far as he knows, Senate leader Marc Basnight is not related to three people with his same last name who received an award from former Gov. Mike Easley.

A list of recipients of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award included Alvin C. Basnight on April 1, 2008, and S.C. and Jean Basnight on Jan. 6, 2009.

Sen. Basnight's spokesman Schorr Johnson said he's not related to any of them, although he did nominate S.C. and Jean, longtime volunteers in his Dare County district.

"He said they're not related, but he can think of nobody who has ever been more deserving," Johnson said.

Johnson added that Basnight is a common name in North Carolina.

"There are more in the state than I ever realized before I worked here," he said.

Correction: An earlier version of this post mistakenly said Basnight did not nominate the two recipients. He did. 

Who will write the Senate budget?

In recent years, the Senate Appropriations Committee has been something of a finishing school for ambitious state senators, including Gov. Beverly Perdue, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton and U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan.

Last session, Senate leader Marc Basnight kept Dalton and Hagan as sort of budget writers emeriti, while longtime Sen. Linda Garrou of Winston-Salem got help from Sens. Charles Albertson of Duplin County and Charlie Dannelly of Charlotte.

Like all committee assignments, Basnight names the budget chairs anew each year, but he's tended to keep the same senators in charge until they either graduated or dropped out of finishing school, as it were. It's not clear if he'll continue that tradition.

For now, Basnight's office is not saying whether Albertson and Dannelly will stay on, and other senators are known to be fishing for the jobs. Garrou will almost certainly continue in the job, especially if two new budget chairs are named.

"I can't say exactly what (Basnight will) do this year because it's not yet happened," said Basnight spokesman Schorr Johnson. "I don't know. That is my honest answer."

He said the budget chairs will be announced with other appointments after senators are sworn in on Jan. 28.

Senate leader Marc Basnight is stepping away from daily legislative work to deal with a family illness. The Manteo Democrat did not give a day for his return.

Basnight is checking with the office regularly and is "absolutely engaged in what's going on," said Schorr Johnson, a Basnight spokesman, Lynn Bonner reports.

Basnight's absence won't delay budget negotiations, Johnson said.

"He will be engaged in the budget as he normally is," Johnson said. "He just may not be physically here."

In a letter to senators, Basnight said Sen. Charlie Dannelly, deputy president pro tem, will be responsible for the smooth running of floor and committee schedules.

Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand will help with other problems or questions.