RALEIGH - The General Assembly starts its "short session" this week. It is going to seem a lot like every other such session in the last 10 years. The budget picture looks gloomy -- more needs than money. Revenue projections are uncertain. Legislators want a short session so that they can get home and campaign for re-election. Interest groups are planning lobbying or advocacy days.

But there is one thing that won't be business as usual. In the last three years, spurred by scandals and public pressure, the General Assembly has made significant changes to lobbying and ethics laws.

Almost without exception, the people who serve in our General Assembly and in other parts of state government are honest, dedicated and working to improve the lives of their fellow North Carolinians. However, many of those people are accustomed to a very different culture, one in which they were wined and dined by lobbyists and special interests. Some members might have found it hard to get accustomed to the changes, which include:

* No more free spending by lobbyists on lawmakers

* Full "sunshine" on every penny lobbyists spend

* A cooling off period before former legislators can become lobbyists

* A ban on lobbyists giving campaign money to legislative and statewide campaigns

Though it may take some time before legislators, and lobbyists, are totally comfortable with these changes, it is clear that they and most candidates for statewide and legislative offices understand that these reforms represent the standards that North Carolinians expect.

This summer, the bipartisan Coalition for Lobbying and Government Reform will be asking lawmakers to continue making progress in improving the standards for lobbying and ethics. We believe that --

* Lobbyists should not be allowed to raise unlimited amounts of campaign money for the people they are trying to influence

* Lawmakers should be prohibited from asking lobbyists to donate to charities

* Campaigns should be required to identify their big campaign fundraisers

* Political appointees to state boards and commissions should not be campaign fundraisers or large campaign contributors

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IN RESPONSE TO A OUR SURVEY, candidates from both parties showed overwhelming support for additional reforms.

On the role of lobbyists raising money for candidates, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, now the Democratic nominee for governor, said, "I support prohibiting lobbyists from raising money for legislative and statewide candidates and their committees. "

The Republican gubernatorial nominee, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, agrees, stating, "Make sure that candidates and their campaigns obey state and federal election law by having stricter scrutiny of their finance reports. Eliminate cash contributions because they cannot be traced (i.e., known as 'passing the hat')."

The two nominees also support tougher guidelines on lawmakers asking lobbyists to give money to charities

McCrory told the Coalition, "Absolutely No! -- especially for 'not-for-profits' that they directly stand to benefit from as many of our state legislators appear to be doing. Simply putting a 'not-for-profit' patina on a fundraising scam does not remove the taint of corruption and conflict of interest it creates."

Perdue takes an equally firm position, stating that, "I would support a ban or significant restrictions on the solicitation of lobbyists by legislators and members of the Council of State."

On disclosing campaign bundlers -- individuals who raise more than $10,000 for a candidate -- the gubernatorial candidates find common ground.

Perdue said, "I would support 'sunshine' legislation where any individual raising more than $10,000 for a candidate would have to be identified by name, occupation, and the amount raised." McCrory says simply that he supports the disclosure of bundling.

Our primary election pointed out how many of us are willing to be part of the political process when we think we can make a difference. It's encouraging that there is support for more reforms from the leaders of both political parties.

Greater openness in our state government will increase the citizen confidence and interest in state government. That will benefit all North Carolinians.

(Jane B. Pinsky is director of the N.C. Coalition for Lobbying and Government Reform.)