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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — As lawmakers left town on Thursday for potentially the rest of 2025, the Republican-led Senate rejected four bills passed over from the House this week.
The Senate Rules Chairman, Senator Bill Rabon, says the bills are ineligible for any consideration right now under the adjournment resolution both chambers agreed to weeks ago. That resolution serves as an agreement between chambers on what topics can be addressed while not in formal session.
The bills cover a range of topics, including pulling Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood, pay for teachers and state employees, and Medicaid eligibility.
Senator Rabon said the move by the House was unprecedented.
“This stunt by the House is something we have never seen before – manipulating rules the House and Senate previously agreed to, instead of simply taking up eligible bills already passed by the Senate that would address the Medicaid rebase, defunding Planned Parenthood, and providing pay increases for law enforcement,” Senator Rabon said in a statement. “Such gamesmanship is not a serious effort to solve the issues facing our state and should be viewed as such.”
During the House session on Wednesday, some Democratic Representatives objected to discussing the bills, even arguing that they were ineligible under the adjournment resolution.
In a press release about the rejected bills, Republicans said the House could’ve avoided this conflict by either amending the adjournment resolution with the Senate or by concurring on Senate-drafted bills that addressed these topics.
When asked why the House didn’t do that on Wednesday, House Speaker Destin Hall said the House likes their own bills better.
Hall said the bills they moved to the Senate were similar to bills the Senate had passed but had changes, including higher raises for law enforcement.
“Essentially, it’s trying to negotiate with the Senate that way,” Speaker Hall said. “We’ll try anything we can to try and get a negotiation done.”
Democrats say the lack of agreement on the bills, and a state budget in general, is because of Republican infighting and dysfunction.
“Republican leaders in Raleigh are reaching new depths of dysfunction, now even refusing to accept legislation passed from one chamber to the other,” House Democratic Leader Robert Reives said in a statement. “They are failing to meet the moment and North Carolinians are suffering because of it. There are very real consequences being felt across the state due to this body’s inaction. The political gamesmanship needs to end.”
On Wednesday, both the House and the Senate said they don’t anticipate votes for the rest of 2025, despite not having a final state budget. Democrats say Republicans are also to blame for that since they lead both chambers.
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Deana Harley
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