RALEIGH, N.C. – A North Carolina House committee has cleared legislation that would allow people who are illegally denied requests for public documents to get their legal fees paid by the offending government agency.

The House judiciary committee on Thursday unanimously approved a bill that in most cases would eliminate the discretion of judges whether or not to award the legal fees. Government agencies could avoid payouts if they relied on an appeals court ruling or advice from the attorney general’s office that was later overturned.

Lobbyists for two local government associations said their trade groups opposed the measure. They said attorneys working for local governments also ought to be authoritative sources of legal opinions.

ALBANY, N.Y. – New York Gov. David Paterson and opponents of gay marriage square off for another round tomorrow.

Patterson is making another push to legalize gay marriage in New York by introducing the same bill that died in 2007 and which opponents vow to kill again.

Patterson seeks to tap into the momentum of other states that have recently allowed same-sex couples to wed, but the measure will face stiff opposition in the Legislature.

The Democrat-controlled Assembly passed the bill 85-61 in 2007, but it died in the Senate, where the Republican majority kept it from going to a vote.

The Democrats gained a 32-30 majority in last November’s elections. Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith says he still doesn’t believe there are enough votes to pass it.

Paterson says gays and lesbians in civil unions are denied a host of protections such as health care and pension rights.

RALEIGH, N.C.  – A government agency that illegally withheld public records or documents would have to award reasonable legal fees under a bill introduced in the state House.

North Carolina Press Association executive director Beth Grace said Tuesday the legislation can prevent people who fight city hall from going broke even if they win their case. Agencies that rely on legal advice to keep records closed wouldn’t have to pay.
 
Judges can now order government officials to pay legal bills, but are reluctant do so.
 
The measure introduced by Wake County Democrat Deborah Ross would create an Open Government Unit in the attorney general’s office that would mediate disputes before they went to court.

A similar plan passed the state Senate last summer but it died in the House.

The N&O reports that Gov. Beverly Perdue is not in favor of legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

House Speaker Joe Hackney says he wants to try again for a bill that would give legal fees to those who win in public records lawsuits, the N&O reports.