Political posturing could dominate the third full week of the General Assembly’s 2011 session, as Gov. Bev Perdue uses her State of the State address Monday night to reveal parts of her budget proposal, and Republican leaders respond with their own budget-trimming priorities.

By law, Perdue is required to craft a budget for the new fiscal year first, and then the General Assembly formulates its own version. The governor has released scant details on her proposal, which must fill a nearly $3 billion hole of revenues vs. expenses, but North Carolinians could see more details tonight.

Following Perdue’s address, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, will deliver the official Republican response. House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, will then join Berger on the Senate floor to field questions from reporters.

Overall, legislative leaders predict fewer controversial bills on the chamber floors and more committee activity this week. Senate lawmakers are likely to vote out of committee Senate Bill 8, legislation that would eliminate the cap on charter schools, in addition to making a number of other reforms to the state’s charter-schools law.

The Senate Judiciary I Committee will meet Tuesday to discuss Senate Bill 33, Medical Liability Reforms. Among other tort reforms, the measure would cap noneconomic damages in medical liability cases at $250,000. Committee members won’t be voting on the bill until a later date.

In another key meeting, a Senate committee will hear Senate Resolution 52, UNC Board of Governors Election. Senators will be responsible for filling eight vacancies in 2011 on the 32-member Board of Governors, with a final election held in the full Senate no later than March 24.

House Bill 2, Protect Health Care Freedom, could come up on the Senate floor this week, after the Senate Judiciary II Committee passed it without debate Thursday.

GOP leaders also might know shortly whether Perdue will veto Senate Bill 13, Balanced Budget Act of 2011, a measure passed along party lines last week that diverts cash from several economic development funds that Democrats consider vital to the economy.

MAJOR LEGISLATION

• H.R. 34, State’s Right to Claim Sovereignty, George Cleveland, R-Onslow

• H.B. 40, Tax Fairness in Education, Paul “Skip” Stam, R-Wake

• H.B. 52, The Castle Doctrine, Timothy Spear, D-Washington

• H.B. 61, Speaker/Pro Tem Term Limits, John Blust, R-Guilford

• H.B. 64, Restore Partisan Judicial Elections, Efton Sager, R-Wayne

KEY COMMITTEE MEETINGS

A list of the regularly scheduled House Committee meetings is here.

• The Senate Judiciary I Committee will hear S.B. 33, Medical Liability Reforms

• A Senate select committee will hear S.R. 52, UNC Board of Governors Election

• The Senate Committee on Education/Higher Education will vote on S.B. 8, No Cap on Number of Charter Schools

NEW BILLS

Rep. Stephen LaRoque, R-Lenoir, has filed a measure (House Bill 87, Sunshine Amendment) that would enshrine into the state constitution the public’s right to inspect government records and access government meetings. The bill is scheduled to be introduced and assigned to a committee Monday.

To keep up with the most recent action taken on bills filed by the General Assembly, click here).

To reach a member of the House or Senate, you can find individual home pages on the websites.

David N. Bass is an associate editor of Carolina Journal.