By Gary Robertson, Associated Press
Raleigh News and Observer
RALEIGH – A lawsuit over North Carolina’s lottery legislation finally reached the state Supreme Court on Monday, 2 1/2 years after the first ticket was sold, with lawyers for lottery critics urging the justices to agree that the law generates taxes.
The justices heard oral arguments in a lawsuit filed by taxpayers and groups who contend the lottery legislation wasn’t passed properly in 2005 because the state constitution dictates the House and Senate must each hold two separate votes on separate days.
The multiple votes are required on bills that generate money for the state, raise money on the state’s credit or pledge the state to repay any debt.
Instead, the House and Senate each took one day to vote on the bill and narrowly approved the creation of the N.C. Education Lottery. Gov. Mike Easley signed the bill into law. Read the rest of this entry
