|
There
are so many committees
in the General Assembly that scheduling
is a problem. The center said it found 50 cases
in
which legislators serve on two standing committees
scheduled
to meet at the same time. |
North
Carolina ranks second nationally
in number of legislative committees
 The North
Carolina legislature now has
the second-largest number of committees and the most committee
chairs of any legislature in the country, the N.C. Center for
Public Policy Research said in a report released Wednesday.
The center noted that there are 78 committee chairs in the 120-member House and 35
chairs in the 50-member Senate. The total of 73 committees --
25 in the Senate and 48 in the House -- puts N.C. second
nationally, after New York with 78 committees and a 211-member
legislature, and ahead of Florida with 66 committees and a
160-member legislature.
The center said it found 50 cases in
which legislators serve on two standing committees scheduled
to meet at the same time. It cited Rep. Nelson Cole
(D-Rockingham), who chairs the Economic Growth and Community
Development Committee and is a member of the Financial
Institutions and Highway Safety/Law Enforcement committees --
all of which are scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
The center said the rapid growth of committees is a result of
the balance of political power in the legislature,
particularly in the House. However, the center said that even as the number of committees grows, only two continue to
command a lot of clout -- Appropriations and Finance.
The center's report is
part of "Article II: A Guide to the 2001-2002 North
Carolina Legislature." Among the trends highlighted in
this year's report, the number of retirees, 46 of 170, is at
an all time high; six of the top 15 leadership positions in
the Senate and 14 of the top 23 leaders in the House are from
rural areas; and 24 members were first appointed to vacant
seats, not elected.
Copies of Article II and a supplement with
members' office and e-mail addresses, committee assignments
and other information can be obtained from the center for $25,
which includes tax, postage and handling. To order, write the
Center at P.O. Box 430, Raleigh, N.C. 27602, call (919)
832-2839, fax (919) 832-2847. Orders can also be placed
through the Center's Web site, at www.ncinsider.com/nccppr.
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