Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand's bill allows the state parole commission to release directly to federal authorities illegal immigrants who have served at least half of their sentences for many nonviolent crimes. The inmates would then be deported to their home countries.

Senators unanimously supported the bill, though they expressed concern that it may not do enough to discourage the inmates from returning to the United States. If they do and are caught, they would automatically be required to serve the maximum of their sentences.

Parole and correction officials said the legislation would particularly help with illegal immigrants serving time for drunken driving.

Charles Mann, the chairman of the parole commission, said these inmates can't be released to substance abuse treatment programs because they have been flagged for deportation.

Deputy Correction Secretary Tracy Little said that designation, known as a detainer, also prevents prison officials from placing these inmates in minimum security prisons, which have the majority of alcohol treatment programs. The upshot, they said, is that such inmates are less likely to get treatment and must serve maximum sentences at greater taxpayer cost.

The legislation will now likely move to the Senate floor. It would also have to be passed in the House.

SEANC pair join SEIU

Two SEANC members have joined the SEIU board.

Executive Director Dana Cope and President Linda Rouse Sutton of the State Employees Association of North Carolina were elected to the Service Employees International Union's executive board during the latter group's 2008 convention.

SEANC, which represents more than 55,000 state workers, joined with SEIU in May to strengthen labor laws in North Carolina.

"North Carolina state employees finally have a voice at the national level to protect and improve the valuable services they provide," Cope said in a statement.

The board has 23 vice presidents and 37 board members who will lead the organization for its 2008 to 2012 term.

Law would limit gun permits

Attorney General Roy Cooper reiterated his call this week for a law that would keep guns out of the hands of people who have been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility.

On Thursday, a state Senate committee is scheduled to hear a bill that would require court clerks to enter mental health commitments into a national database used for background checks for gun permits. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat.

The bill is a response to the Virginia Tech massacre last year, in which a mentally ill student who had been involuntarily committed bought two handguns for his shooting spree that killed 32 students and professors.

Cooper's recommendation for the new law came earlier this year after a statewide task force he convened issued its report.

"We owe it to our parents and students to keep campuses safe," Cooper said in a news release.

Auditor's office honored

State Auditor Les Merritt accepted a national award for a 2006 performance audit.

The National State Auditors Association recognized "Internal Auditing in North Carolina Agencies and Institutions" as the best audit in its category. Merritt accepted the awarded at the 2008 NSAA Annual Conference held earlier this month in Baltimore.

The audit found that state agencies did not adequately monitor billions of dollars in public money, which left the state vulnerable to errors and inefficiency. The audit helped lead to a change in state law that requires agencies to audit themselves.

An inside look at cancer

The legislature will soon host a giant colon.

The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center will bring a giant inflatable colon to the General Assembly on June 26.

From 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the cancer center will host events inside and outside the building -- and the colon -- to promote screening and awareness for a host of different kinds of cancer. Health experts will be on hand to answer questions.

The Super Colon is designed to teach people about the risks and symptoms of colorectal cancer and give information about early detection and treatment options.

The 8-foot-high, 20-foot-long colon shows models of healthy and diseased tissue as well as various stages of cancer.

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