Rep. Pricey Harrison has titled a few bills in her day.
The Greensboro Democrat, a prolific bill filer, said a good bill title can "put a positive spin on an issue."
She's co-sponsored a few good ones:
Appalachian Mountains Preservation Act: Would prohibit North Carolina's electric utilities from buying coal that comes from so-called "mountaintop removal" methods.
Access to Higher Education: Would prohibit state community colleges and universities from asking students whether they were illegal immigrants.
North Carolina Racial Justice Act: Allows racial discrimination to be taken into consideration when determining whether to impose the death penalty.
Still, she made a distinction between her college bill and, say, the Defense of Marriage Act.
"That was more about taking it out of a discussion of illegal immigration and making it what the bill is really about, which is access to higher education," she said. "The Defense of Marriage Act is a ban on gay marriages — kind of the exact opposite of what the title says."
More after the jump.
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Harrison said that titles are suggested by advocates, lawmakers and staff.
While most are pretty plain, she said that environmental bills often get the bolder titles that are not strictly descriptive.
"I know that there are staff who do not like to give bills these sort of fanciful titles," she said.
She said bill titles can also help sell a bill to the public.
"A good title can help you get more grassroots support behind you and more mail from constituents that gives you more momentum," she said.
And it can help sell it to other lawmakers.
"I think when you see the House calendar and you see the bills on there, a title can either attract or repel you," she said.
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