Bills up against 'crossover' deadline

To survive, proposals must win House or Senate nod by week's end

Lawmakers will be forced to stay up late this week, read hundreds of pages and beg for help from their peers. Sounds like final exams, but it's actually "crossover week," when many bills have to pass either chamber, or they won't live on for the rest of the two-year session.

Why they do it

Everyone needs deadlines, and some would say that's particularly true for lawmakers, who in 2001 didn't leave Raleigh until December. The crossover deadline forces lawmakers to get their bills moving. The problem, some say, is that lawmakers may pass bad bills or kill good ones because they're overwhelmed.

Why it matters

Some of these bills carry major consequences. There are more than 40, for example, that could give local governments a way to add new taxes or fees to build more schools. One would make arbitration available for medical malpractice claims of $1 million or less.

Just how many bills?

Thousands. The legislature got off to a slow start this year, thanks to the scandal surrounding former House Speaker Jim Black, a Mecklenburg County Democrat. The chamber had to elect a new speaker, Joe Hackney, an Orange County Democrat, who then had to pull together his organization. The result: So far, of the more than 3,600 bills that have been filed, only about 550 have cleared either the House or the Senate. Roughly 80 bills have passed both chambers, but many of those are simple, noncontroversial resolutions.

Skirting the deadline

There are ways, such as amending legislation to a bill that survived crossover week or by asking legislative leaders to make their bill part of a study. Lawmakers who are particularly desperate could ask Gov. Mike Easley to hold a special session. Good luck with that.

To save time next time

State Sen. David Hoyle, a Gaston County Democrat, has filed a bill that would require lawmakers to pick their leaders before the session begins, so they can hit the ground running. He thinks the bill has a good chance; it cleared the Senate weeks ago.