Today was another great day but sad knowing that it was our last day at the NCGA. I attended an appropriations meeting for the Agriculture Committee with Bella in the morning, and then we headed over to the House gallery where we watched voting take place on a number of bills. A few of the bills being voted on passed without much discussion, but one bill regarding concealed carry weapons in places of worship emerged extremely controversial and sparked heavy debate between the representatives, falling mostly between party lines. Hefty concepts such as gun control and the Second Amendment were brought up, and hearing representatives speak on such serious and far-reaching issues was very riveting. It was also interesting to observe the various tactics members used during the debate to further their arguments, like employing specific statistics, metaphors, personal stories, and relatable examples. After the bill was moved along, Andrew and I were recognized by the Speaker of the House, Tim Moore, and received a standing ovation from all of the members, which was a really cool moment.
View from the gallery as the House convened
In the afternoon, I went to lunch with Ashley and lobbyist Rachel Beaulieu as well as T. Jerry William’s, a friend of Ashley and Rachel’s and a well-respected lobbyist. He has been in this profession for 50 years, and was able to give me some great advice as well as explain how lobbying has evolved over time. It was a really nice way to end out the week!
Picture with Ashley at lunch!