There will be changes when the legislature returns Wednesday. A new speaker will replace Jim Black, the Mecklenburg Democrat who held the post for eight years. Legislators and lobbyists will have to operate under new ethics and campaign finance laws.

We asked lawmakers, lobbyists and others what the General Assembly is likely to do -- or not do -- this year and how the culture of the legislature might change.

Q: What's your biggest hope for the session?

Jerry Meek, chairman, N.C. Democratic Party: Expanding access to quality health care will be a major priority. Continuing our efforts to create new high paying jobs ... will also be important to us, as well as expanding educational opportunities by increasing teacher pay and reducing class sizes.

Rep. James Langdon, Republican, Angier: Medicaid relief for counties. The cost of Medicaid is a big factor in their budgets, and since we have this big hole in needs for school buildings, that would free up money for them.

Rep. Paul Stam, Republican, Apex: I would like to help lead the House as minority leader, so we have an opportunity for free debate with procedures that are fair to everybody, every member, with no pressure.

Rep. Linda Coleman, Democrat, Knightdale: That we will be able to look at some real recommendations from the tax modernization study and be able to implement some of these things. My biggest hope is that we'll start finding some real solutions to health care, the Medicaid issue.

Sen. David Hoyle, Democrat, Gaston County: That we can balance the budget without using one-time money and that we can have some sense of collegiality between the Republicans and Democrats. Hopefully, look at making some progress toward tax modernization. I'm hoping that we can make some progress to fund some initiatives out of our universities. One thing we've got to address is the transportation shortfall.

Q: What's likely to be neglected this session?

Zeb Alley, lobbyist, clients include Progress Energy, N.C. Association of Pharmacists, N.C. Amusement Machine Association: The things that always get neglected, and that's funding for the very poorest people and the disabled, both mentally and physically.

Theresa Kostrzewa, lobbyist, clients include Smithfield Foods, Rent-A-Center Inc., North Carolinians for Speciality Beer: Roads will get neglected. They have a huge need. It's just not sexy compared to mental health problems, all the children issues, all the health care issues.

Sen. Robert Pittenger, Republican, Charlotte: Restructure of government. These guys [the leadership] love, are infatuated with, the status quo.

Dana Cope, executive director, State Employees Association of North Carolina: The retirement program and health care for all North Carolinians. Tax reform.

Attorney General Roy Cooper: We'll keep pressing for state investigative grand juries in public corruption cases because it's a tool we can use to stop public officials who abuse the public's trust. So far, the legislature has been cool to the idea.

Q: Given the new ethics rules in place, will business be conducted differently?

Rep. W.A. "Winkie" Wilkins, Democrat, Roxboro: It's already different for me. I've never felt like I needed to think about anything that described ethics. I've got a pretty good Southern Baptist set of my own. But now I have to pay attention to what the rules are, and there are so many. I just fear that one of us may step outside the lines without even knowing it.

Andy Willis, vice president for government relations, UNC system: I'm not sure business will change that much. Even though the perception is that lobbyists wine and dine people, 99 percent of the business takes place at the legislature.

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