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The North Carolina General Assembly Convenes For 2015

WUNC News | By Anita Rao,
Frank Stasio
Published January 14, 2015 at 12:13 PM EST
The North Carolina legislative office building.
Wikipedia
The North Carolina legislative office building.

Reema Khrais talks about the issues on the agenda for the 2015 North Carolina General Assembly

The North Carolina legislative office building.
The North Carolina legislative office building.

Lawmakers returned to Raleigh today to begin preparation for their first legislative session of the year. 

The Senate elected Republican Phil Berger for a third term as Senate president pro tempore and Republican Tim Moore of Kings Mountain was elected as the new House speaker. Moore replaces now U.S. Sen.Thom Tillis. 

Major issues on the agenda include abortion regulations, same-sex marriage legislation, economic incentives, Medicaid, and education policies. 

Host Frank Stasio previews the session with WUNC reporter Reema Khrais.

Minutes before NC House convenes for the start of long session. Tillis dropped by, shaking lots of hands. #ncga pic.twitter.com/PLpVEJ6f5T— Reema Khrais (@reemakhrais) January 14, 2015

Some NC lawmakers also babysitting on the first day of long session as fam and kids gather for ceremonious day #ncga pic.twitter.com/V5tNzs6zip— Reema Khrais (@reemakhrais) January 14, 2015

NC House now in session. Full house. #ncga pic.twitter.com/b3AAUiXdhV— Reema Khrais (@reemakhrais) January 14, 2015

As expected, Republican Rep. Tim Moore has been elected as NC's House Speaker #ncga #ncpol— Reema Khrais (@reemakhrais) January 14, 2015

Copyright 2015 North Carolina Public Radio
Anita Rao
Anita Rao is the host and creator of "Embodied," a live, weekly radio show and seasonal podcast about sex, relationships & health. She's also the managing editor of WUNC's on-demand content. She has traveled the country recording interviews for the Peabody Award-winning StoryCorps production department, founded and launched a podcast about millennial feminism in the South, and served as the managing editor and regular host of "The State of Things," North Carolina Public Radio's flagship daily, live talk show. Anita was born in a small coal-mining town in Northeast England but spent most of her life growing up in Iowa and has a fond affection for the Midwest.
See stories by Anita Rao
Frank Stasio
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
See stories by Frank Stasio