Claims department: U.S. Senate race

SPONSOR

Kay Hagan U.S. Senate campaign

WHAT THE AD SAYS

AUDIO: Narrator: "An independent voice. Kay Hagan. Former vice president at North Carolina's largest bank. Then a decade in the state Senate, reaching across party lines to ban driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, balance five state budgets in a row, expand early childhood education and raise teacher pay. Now the U.S. Senate needs a leader who'll finally put independent thinking and middle-class families before the Washington special interests." Hagan: "I'm Kay Hagan, and I approve this message."

IMAGES: The ad shows Hagan talking with police, children and officials.

WHAT THE RECORD SHOWS

Starting in 2000, state Republicans pushed legislation to make it impossible for illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses.

The state Senate's Democratic leadership sent all of the bills to die in committee, but a provision in the 2001 budget made it slightly more difficult for illegal immigrants to get a license.

Other Republican bills died in committee over the next several years. In 2006, the House amended a Senate bill to make it impossible for illegal immigrants to get licenses.

Hagan voted for both bills, but she played only a supporting role in the process and did not intervene when earlier Republican measures were pushed aside.

During her decade in the state Senate, about one of every five of Hagan's co-sponsors on her bills has been a Republican.

As a co-chairwoman of the Senate budget committee from 2003 to 2007, Hagan helped increase teacher pay between 1.8 percent and 8.2 percent each year.

She also helped craft the 2004 budget, which included $9 million more for Gov. Mike Easley's More at Four pre-kindergarten program, which helps at-risk children.

The state constitution requires the legislature to balance the budget.

Hagan worked for the estate and trust division of North Carolina National Bank, now known as Bank of America, from 1978 to 1988.

IS THE AD ACCURATE?

Mostly, but its account of Hagan's role on the driver's license bill is overstated and inaccurate. Though she voted for the measure, she did not play a key role and did not reach "across party lines." The ad also overstates her balancing of the budget, which is required by law.