Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and there was plenty of smoke in the North Carolina General Assembly as lawmakers confronted a bevy of non-fiscal issues this week.

With Senate Republicans busy crafting their budget for the new fiscal year, House lawmakers turned their attention to election reforms. On Wednesday, the House narrowly passed a bill that would shorten the early voting timeframe by one week and expand voting on nights and weekends.

Sponsors say the measure would save taxpayer funds and reduce campaigning burdens on candidates, while foes argue it’s an attempt to suppress voter turnout. The bill passed by a razor-thin 60-58 margin — six Republicans joining all Democrats in voting against it — and now goes to the Senate.

Also Wednesday, legislators continued debate on House Bill 366, Special Election Dates, which would require local governments to schedule special elections during primaries, municipal elections, or general elections only.

In the meantime, Republicans and Democrats remained at loggerheads over extension of unemployment benefits for an estimated 42,000 North Carolinians. The sides haven’t reached an agreement on a GOP-backed bill that would extend the benefits while restricting Perdue’s muscle in budget negotiations.

Cultural issues also took a more prominent role this week when thousands rallied in downtown Raleigh Tuesday in favor of a proposed constitutional amendment (House Bill 777, Senate Bill 106) defining civil marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Inside the Legislative Building, Democrats and some clergy held a press conference denouncing the effort as bigoted.

The House Transportation Committee OK’d an “omnibus” specialty license-plate bill that includes a “Choose Life” tag. Its next stop is the House Finance Committee. Also this week, the House Appropriations Committee passed House Bill 854, Abortion-Woman’s Right to Know Act, in a 9-5 vote, sending it to the House floor.

Debate on a compromise bill addressing medical liability reforms was postponed until late May. Another measure to overhaul The Racial Justice Act was delayed until after the crossover deadline June 9.

Rare cooperation

Two rays of sunshine peeped through the clouds when lawmakers reached a consensus on annexation reform and the State Health Plan. House Bill 845, Annexation Reform Act of 2011, passed the House Monday night in a bipartisan 107-9 vote. The legislation would prevent a municipal annexation if 60 percent of landowners filed petitions against it.

In a rare compromise, foes and supporters of forced annexation backed the bill. The N.C. League of Municipalities preferred it over another measure that would impose a two-year moratorium on forced annexation.

In addition, GOP leaders and Perdue worked out a deal on a bill rescuing the State Health Plan, which faced a $515 million deficit. In April, Perdue vetoed Senate Bill 265, a measure forcing state employees for the first time to pay premiums for health insurance and boosting deductibles and co-payments.

The General Assembly announced this week that the health plan had spent roughly $50 million less than expected. That cushion will allow the state to continue requiring no premiums to employees with the most basic policies and modest premiums for employees with the more expensive version.

The reworked compromise passed the Senate 33-16 and the House 90-24. Perdue is expected to sign it.

Action on other bills

• House Bill 877, Check Off Donation: Government Funding: Would allow taxpayers to make donations to state government and offset budget cuts. Passed by the House Government Committee Thursday. Now goes to the House floor.

• House Bill 348, Offenders/No Access to Personnel Records: Would prevent persons in the custody of the Department of Correction, or in the custody of local law enforcement, from accessing personnel records on state employees. Passed the House unanimously Wednesday. Now goes to the Senate.

• House Bill 503, Nutrition Stds./All Foods Sold at School: Requires that federal school-lunch standards apply to all food items sold in North Carolina public schools, including items sold at bake sales, in school stores, and at school snack bars. Passed the House Education Committee Wednesday. Now goes to the House floor.

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