North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, talks to reporters at the Legislative Building in Raleigh, N.C., on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Moore told colleagues earlier Thursday that they would like stop meeting after next week while a budget impasse between House and Senate Republicans is worked out. House Minority Leader Rep. Robert Reives, D-Chatham, asks Republican House Speaker Tim Moore a question on the House floor at the Legislative Building in Raleigh, N.C.
And while the House and Senate managed to approve $67.5 million to help for six months child care centers at risk of closing after federal grants expire, they couldn’t agree on setting aside close to $500 million for scholarships and other funds for K-12 students to attend private schools or receive services.
“It would be a real shame and a missed opportunity if we don’t get those Opportunity Scholarship dollars out,” Moore told reporters earlier Thursday. “At the same time, we need to make sure we’re doing all that we can for our public schools.” Lawmakers will still get another crack at these and other matters. The General Assembly formally agreed to reconvene occasional short sessions for the rest of the year mainly to address veto overrides or emergencies, but also to deal with larger matters.