Senate President Pro Tem, minority leader talk legislative session :: WRAL.com

North Carolina’s annual legislative session wrapped up a week ago with lawmakers passing a new state budget but leaving a number of other major issues unresolved, including the Republican Party’s newfound support for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina.

RECORD WITH WRAL NEWS. IT’S TIME TO GO ON THE RECORD WITH WRAL NEWS. GOOD EVENING. NORTH CAROLINA’S ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAPPED UP A WEEK AGO WITH LAWMAKERS PASSING A NEW STATE BUDGET BELIEVE IN A NUMBER OF OTHER MAJOR ISSUES UNRESOLVED, INCLUDING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY’S NEWFOUND SUPPORT FOR MEDICAID EXPANSION IN NORTH CAROLINA. TONIGHT, YOU’LL HEAR FROM ARGUABLY THE STATE’S TOP LAWMAKER AND REPUBLICAN LEADER SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM PHIL BERGER. WE TALKED ABOUT THE SESSION THAT WAS WHAT VOTERS MIGHT EXPECT NEXT YEAR, PARTICULARLY IF THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS GIVE REPUBLICANS WHO ALREADY HOLD MAJORITIES IN BOTH LEGISLATIVE CHAMBERS, SUPERMAJORITIES THAT WOULD ENABLE THEM TO PASS NEW LAWS WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR ROY COOPER’S VETO POWER. WE’LL ALSO HEAR TONIGHT FROM SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER DAN BLUE WILL PROVIDE SOME RESPONSE, BUT WE BEGIN WITH SENATOR BERGER FROM AN INTERVIEW TAPED THURSDAY. WE START BY DISCUSSING THE U.S. SUPREME COURT’S RECENT ABORTION RULING AND HOW THAT WILL IMPACT THE LAW HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA. POLICY WISE. RIGHT NOW WE’VE GOT A 20 WEEK BAN IN THE LAW. IT’S IT’S BEEN BLOCKED BY FEDERAL QUARTER, BUT WE EXPECT THAT TO BE LIFTED. WE EXPECT IT’S GOING TO HAVE TO BANNED AFTER 20 WEEKS EXCEPT FOR IN CASES OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. IF VOTERS GIVE REPUBLICANS THE SUPER-MAJORITY, THOUGH, IN NOVEMBER, WHAT SORT OF POLICIES WOULD YOU PURSUE ON ABORTION? WOULD YOU SEEK TO PUSH PAST THE 20 WEEK BAN? WOULD YOU WOULD YOU ENACT MORE RESTRICTIONS? YES, SO I HAVE TALKED TO MY MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IF THE SUPREME COURT DID WHAT THEY ULTIMATELY DID, WHICH IS BASICALLY HUNT THE THE ISSUE TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE’S ABOUT THEY NORTH CAROLINA LAW SHOULD BE A BIRD’S THEM TO TALK TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS. I DON’T KNOW THAT THERE’S A SPECIFIC ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS TO WHAT WILL HAPPEN. BUT I DO KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE THINKING ABOUT. I THINK VOTERS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW BEFORE NOVEMBER. WHERE REPUBLICAN GENERALLY STAND ON THIS ISSUE SPECIFIC TO NORTH CAROLINA’S LOSS. RIGHT. AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT ASK THE THAT ARE IN THEIR DISTRICT. I DON’T KNOW THAT I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERY MEMBER. REPUBLICAN NUMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE, I WILL TELL YOU THAT MY PERSONAL VIEWS ON ON THE ISSUE ARE THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION FOR RAPE OR THEY SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION FOR INCEST. I BELIEVE THAT LIKE MANY OF THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES LIKELY SHOULD BE A PERIOD OF THE POST CONCEPTION THE THE MOTHER SHOULD HAVE SOME AUTONOMY IN TERMS OF OF WHAT TAKES PLACE. BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT AT SOME SOCIETY AND THE LAW HAVE A ROLE IN PROTECTING THE LIFE OF OF OF THE FETUS. NOW WHERE THAT POINT IS, I THINK IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT. IF YOU HAD TO HANDICAP. BUT HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT WE EXPAND MEDICAID? DURING HER BY THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION? I’D SAY IT’S PROBABLY 75% OR GREATER WE WILL EXPAND MEDICAID IN NORTH CAROLINA BEFORE THE END OF THE NEXT SESSION BEFORE THE END OF THE NEXT SESSION. VERY UNLIKELY FOR THE END OF THE YEAR. I TAKE IT. I THINK IT’S A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT BEFORE THE END OF THE I BELIEVE THAT THE THINGS THAT WOULD NEED TO TAKE I SEE THE PATHWAY OF THEM ACTUALLY OCCURRING. I SEE WHAT NEEDS TO OCCUR, BUT I DON’T KNOW THAT IT WILL. I WANT TO ASK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION FUNDING IN THIS LAST BUDGET THAT PASSED THAT WE’RE WAITING TO SEE IF THE GOVERNOR WILL SIGN IT OR NOT. THE PLAN WAS TO SHIFT A BIT OF SALES TAX REVENUE BOARD, ROAD CONSTRUCTION, 2%, THE FIRST YEAR THAN 4% AND 6%. ONCE IT HITS THAT 6%. I BELIEVE IT’S 628 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. SO REAL MONEY. DOES THAT FIX FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD? OUR TRANSPORTATION FUNDING ISSUES GOING FORWARD IN NORTH CAROLINA. DO YOU SEE IT AS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE LAYERED ONTO. DO YOU SEE GOING ABOVE 6%? WHAT’S THE LONGER TERM PLAN? THERE? WE FOR A LONG TIME OF HAD NEED TO THE THE LONG-TERM NEEDS THAT THE STATE HAS FOR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING. I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, I WAS APPOINTED TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND 22 YEARS AGO, TRAVIS FOLKS, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING LONG TERM ABOUT THE SHORTFALL THAT WE HAVE IN TRANSPORTATION FUNDING UNTIL THIS PROVISION IN THIS BUDGET. WE REALLY HAVE NOT TAKEN A SUBSTANTIAL STEP IN THAT DIRECTION. DOESN’T CURE OR OR SOLVE THE PROBLEM. NO. DOES IT MAKE A PRETTY SIZABLE DENT IN THE PROBLEM? I THINK SO. AND IT IS SOMETHING I’M REALLY SORT OF SURPRISE THAT NOT MORE PEOPLE HAVE OF RECOGNIZE IT AS A VERY SUBSTANTIAL MOVEMENT IN WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER TO BE THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON GUNS. ARE THERE ANY POLICIES HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGE? WE KEEP HAVING THESE MASS SHOOTINGS SEEMS LIKE THE SAME STORY OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THE SAME WEAPON OVER AND OVER AGAIN OR ANY POLICIES THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE. I DON’T KNOW AT THE PRESENT TIME THERE ARE POLICIES IN NORTH CAROLINA THE CHANGES BEING PROPOSED WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT. TO MY UNDERSTANDING IS ILLINOIS HAS SOME OF THE MORE RESTRICTIVE GUN POSSESSION AND GUN ACQUISITION LAWS IN THE NATION THIS BOUGHT THE WEAPON THAT HE USED LEGALLY IN ILLINOIS THERE WAS NOTHING BELIEVE THEY GOT RED FLAG LAWS. I THINK THEY’VE GOT OTHER RESTRICTIONS THAT WE DON’T HAVE A NORTH CAROLINA. SO I THINK THE QUESTION IS WHAT CAN BE DONE THAT EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THAT THE THE PROBLEM SOMEBODY THAT. HAS SOME SORT OF ANIMOSITY OR SOME SORT OF MENTAL PROBLEM. I’M HAVING A ACT ACCESS TO UP TO A WEAPON LIKE THAT. I THINK THAT MOST EFFECTIVE THING WE CAN DO IS TRY TO BEEF UP SOME MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TRYING MAKE SURE THAT WHEN PEOPLE SEE SOMETHING, THEY SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE ONE OF THE COMMON THAT IT APPEARS TO ME FROM READING THE REPORTS ABOUT THESE INCIDENTS IS INVARIABLY THE PERSON THE THAT THAT IS THE PERPETRATOR HAS SHOWN SOME SIGNALS OF SOME MENTAL IMBALANCE OR SOME A THAT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND COULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED. WOULD YOU AGREE OR THAT IT IS TOO EASY IN OUR SOCIETY FOR A DERANGED PERSON, SOMEONE WITH THE CAPACITY, THE DESIRE TO 2. AND ARE GOOD TO GO THROUGH THAT WITH THESE MURDERS TO GET A HIGH-POWERED RIFLE WITH A HIGH-CAPACITY MAGAZINE. I I DON’T KNOW THAT I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU ALREADY HAVE OF THE FEDERAL BACKGROUND THERE ALL SORTS METHODS ACTUALLY ARE OUT THERE IF THEY ARE ACTUALLY 2 TO 2 IM PEI THE ABILITY OF FOLKS LIKE THAT TO TO GET WEAPONS. THERE’S MUCH MORE TO COME FROM THIS. WHEN WE COME BACK, YOU’LL HEAR BURGER SPOTS WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT. ROBINSON AND HEAR HIM SAY WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON THE JANUARY 6 UNITED STATES CAPITOL ATTACK. I HEARD IT. I HEARD ALL RIGHT. WELCOME BACK. WE’RE JOINED NOW BY SENATOR DAN BLUE BURGERS, OPPOSITE NUMBER IN THE SENATE. SENATOR BLUE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I HAVE QUESTIONS. BUT IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR YOU HEARD THERE THAT YOU’D LIKE TO RESPOND TO? YEAH, THANKS FOR HAVING ME. A CALL IN WITH YOU. TODAY, THAT WAS SEVERAL ITEMS THAT THAT THINK THE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AS ON MANY OF THESE FIRST ON THE ABORTION ISSUE. I THINK I POSITION IS RELATIVELY CLEAR. WE WOULD RATIFY ROE VERSUS WADE AND KIND OF FIND IT IS EXISTED BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT REVERSED IT. THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE ISSUE. PRIMARILY THE COURT OPINION SAID IT’S A STAGE AROUND HIM. THE LEGISLATION THAT AREA AND THE PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLINA, A SUPPORTIVE OF THE ROE OPINION IS MODIFIED IN THE EARLY 90’S. SECOND THING. I THINK ON ON THE GUN ISSUE. IT’S NOT JUST SAYING THAT WE NEED TO INCREASE MENTAL HEALTH WHEN HAVE ACTIVITIES. WE DO A VERY MUCH SO AND WE’LL START BY PUTTING MORE COUNSELORS AND AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO THE TROUBLE I HAVE SOMEWHERE THEY CAN GO TO AT LEAST SOMEBODY WHO CAN LET THEIR PARENTS SO MUCH MORE QUICKLY AND WE SHOULD BAN MILITARY-STYLE WEAPONS. I’M AND I DIDN’T BELIEVE HER AND THE SECOND AMENDMENT BUT TO THOSE WEAPONS AR FIFTEEN’S AK 40 SEVENS DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE DESIGNED TO DO. THEY KILL A LOT OF PEOPLE VERY QUICKLY. AND IN A VERY UGLY WAY. AND I DON’T SEE FROM FROM MY VANTAGE POINT THE THE THE REASON THAT WE OUGHT TO LET PEOPLE ON THEMSELVES WITH INDISCRIMINATELY THE BUT OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT. WE’RE GOING TO A VERY FORCEFULLY BUT I’M CONVINCED AND I THINK THE COURT SAID IN ITS OPINION THAT THE SECOND AMENDMENT DOES NOT ENTITLE ONE OF THE MILITARY STYLE WEAPONS. SO HOW WOULD THAT MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW THAT SUGGESTION FROM THE 6 PERSON MAJORITY ON THE REPUBLICAN SUPREME COURT AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER THINGS I COULD AND I DON’T THINK THE EVENT, THE JUNIOR 6 HEARINGS AS AN EFFORT TO PAINT A PICTURE OF THAT EXAGGERATED. THERE HAVE BEEN ONLY REPUBLICAN WITNESSES FOR THE MOST PART, GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED LEADING UP TO JANUARY 6, 2021. WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6…