The House voted today 108-8 to repeal a special budget provision authored by former speaker Jim Black on behalf of NC chiropractors -- from whom, as you'll recall, Black has admitted taking bags of cash in return for legislative favors.

H502 is the repeal bill, authored by Maj. Leader Hugh Holliman and Min. Leader Skip Stam.  With credentials like that, you'd think the vote itself would be a gimme.  I certainly did. And boy, was I wrong - at least about the debate, which was lengthy and often entertaining. The day's best soundbites are below.

Before the provision

Blue Cross Blue Shield and other insurers routinely charged patients higher copays to see chiropractors than regular doctors, under the argument that chiros counted as specialists.  What Black's provision did is legally require insurers to consider chiros equivalent to GPs - and to charge the same lower copays for both.

Who benefits?

Well, chiropractors, clearly.  Lower copays let their clients visit more often, and help attract new clients, too.  But their patients also benefit -- a fact that wasn't lost on the eight legislators who refused to support the repeal.

Who said what?

Among the opponents was Gaston Republican Debbie Clary, who pointed out that two wrongs don't make a right.  Her accusations of hypocrisy were seconded by Robeson Dem Ronnie Sutton, who delivered one of the better comments of the day. Hear it here. 

And Alamance Republican Cary Allred let it be known he'd mince no words when he asked the Speaker for permission "to tread on dangerous waters." He lived up to it, too, calling the repeal "demagoguery" and excoriating Blue Cross for seeking higher copays while paying out six million dollars last year in executive bonuses.

Others spoke against the bill, but voted for it anyway...like Durham Dem Mickey Michaux, the perennial realist who didn't hold back this time, either. Guilford Dem Earl Jones said he's worried about the effect on chiro patients' pocketbooks.  But, as sponsor Hugh Holliman pointed out, somebody's paying either way. Under the current law, he says, everyone in the system pays a little more to subsidize lower copays for chiros.  (Holliman was one of several who said they'd run a bill to reconsider the copay limit "if no one else does."   Such commitment.)

Meantime, supporters weren't giving up any ground. Wake Republican Nelson Dollar got his Machiavelli on with an argument about ends and means and justification. Guilford GOP gadfly John Blust said the repeal is a "prudent" move.  And Wake Dem. Grier Martin called the chiropractor copay law "a stain on [his] honor" as a member of the House.

The only present member who didn't vote?  New Hanover Dem. Thomas Wright, a former Black ally who's now under investigation by the State Elections Board, who might find today's "walk" interesting.

The repeal now goes to the Senate, where it's likely to be welcomed with open arms.

Speaking of Black...

The talk on Jones St. today was the N&O's coverage of Speaker Joe Hackney keeping two former Black staffers in his office.  Many folks were upset about today's column by Barry Saunders, all but accusing Mike Wilkins and Allen Rogers of complicity in Black's bribery schemes. 

Of course, as far as we know, there's no proof of anything like that.   But there is plenty of anger directed toward Saunders, who, as several staffers pointed out, apparently didn't meet or speak to either Wilkins or Rogers before attacking their characters in print.  As one old-timer put it, "Beating up on Allen Rogers is like beating up on Mr. Greenjeans."  The words "witch hunt" are now being spoken - loudly, even - in the hallways. 

Should Hackney have dumped them? Conventional wisdom says that's how the game works.  All sorts of folks lose their jobs in a regime change, many for no better reason than their loyalty to an unpopular predecessor.  But Hackney's following his own lights on this one - idealistic enough to believe Wilkins and Rogers weren't calling the shots, and pragmatic enough to value their considerable experience.  

Hog handouts

Hog farmers, environmentalists, and lawmakers joined forces today to tout a proposal that makes the state the underwriter for new technologies that could help pork producers clean up their lagoons.  The proposal requires all new operations to use new, cleaner systems.  But it also includes 50 million to help farmers convert existing lagoon systems to cleaner tech, too.  The state would pay up to 90% of the cost for up to 100 farms. 

Supporters say state money is needed to start the process.  They say once some farmers have the systems up and running profitably, others will be more willing to convert, even without a state subsidy.   But opponents say pork is a for-profit industry, so the state shouldn't be paying for what amounts to a cost of doing business.

NC hearts Huckabee?

Former Arkansas governor and '08 GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee came to town today. After a breakfast with lawmakers in the Legislative Cafeteria, Huckabee headed out for a fundraiser lunch in Raleigh.  Tomorrow, former State Sen Woody White hosts another Huckabee fundraiser in Wilmington, co-hosted by former state GOP chair/Congressman Bill Cobey. Interesting.

While we're talking about '08, rumor has it the Civitas Foundation is working on bringing GOP frontrunner Rudy Giuliani to Raleigh for a symposium in late April.  It isn't official yet - details are still forthcoming. 

Other news

The House Education committee cleared two interesting measures today. One bill would roll back NC's kindergarten start date.  Current law requires that kids turn 5 by October. The proposal approved today would make it no later than Aug. 31st, though parents could still appeal to principals if they think their kids are ready for school.  The panel also approved a proposal to allow high schools to add American Sign Language to their for-credit foreign language curriculum.

Comments? Drop me a line.