Legislature moving quickly

Legislators are attempting to pass bills on topics ranging from the death penalty to eugenics in the short session, which began May 16.

Bill could make it harder to challenge death sentences

The Amend Death Penalty Procedures bill seeks to prevent the use of statistical evidence of racism in the court to overturn death sentences.

The bill represents a second attempt by lawmakers to weaken the 2009 Racial Justice Act, which allows minorities to challenge their death sentence if evidence of racial bias is found in their sentencing.

Proponents of the law have argued that the changes are necessary to prevent convicted criminals from avoiding the death penalty.

But N.C. American Civil Liberties Union spokesman Mike Meno said such statewide statistical evidence provides context to judges about how pervasive racial bias is in capital punishment.

The bill has passed votes in both the House and Senate, and is currently in a Senate committee.

Gov. Bev Perdue has vetoed similar legislation in the past.

Sea level data questioned by the General Assembly

The growing standoff between environmental and economic concerns is reflected in the Coastal Management Policies bill.

The bill requires the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission to create regulations that anticipate rising sea levels based on historical trends, rather than scientific data.

The commission’s science panel predicted in March 2010 that the state could face as much as a 39-inch sea level rise by the year 2100. But the bill would require the commission to plan for a much lower rise.

Supporters of the legislation have said the bill is needed to ensure development in coastal areas is not neglected based on a long term forecast.

Michele Walker, spokeswoman for the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, said there are no plans to regulate development in coastal regions yet.

Opponents have said the bill ignores a scientific consensus on the matter.

The bill has passed the Senate and was sent to a House conference committee Tuesday.

Eugenics program victims could receive up to $50,000

In contrast to many of the controversial bills debated so far in the short session, bipartisan support has emerged for a bill that would compensate victims of a historic state-sponsored injustice.

The Eugenics Compensation Program bill would pay $50,000 to each of the estimated 2,994 surviving victims according to the State Center for Health Statistics.

Thousands of residents were sterilized by the state for decades, often without their knowledge or consent, until the practice was outlawed in the 1970s.

Sen. Floyd McKissick, D-Durham, said there was a bipartisan effort among the House leadership and Perdue to create a reasonable bill, but some legislators have expressed concern about the potential cost of the bill.

The bill has passed the House and is currently in the Senate.

Contact the State & National Editor at state@dailytarheel.com.