Today@NCCapitol (Aug. 13): Few happy more budget negotiations coming

RALEIGH, N.C. — Good morning and welcome to Today@NCCapitol for Thursday, Aug. 13. Here's what's going on at the General Assembly and elsewhere in state government.

BUDGET: Lawmakers have given themselves another 17 days to agree on a state budget – after not being able to put together a deal in the first 45 days after the 2015-16 budget was due. The continuing resolution passed Wednesday extends state spending to Aug. 31, and top budget writers in both the House and the Senate expressed confidence Wednesday that a deal would be in place by then.

TAs: One of the concerns about the delayed budget is that school systems start classes in the coming weeks with no idea how much state funding to expect. Liberal advocacy group Progress NC and some teaching assistants plan to hold a 10 a.m. news conference at the legislature to protest the lack of a budget and the resulting impact on North Carolina schools.

BILLY GRAHAM: The House Rules Committee meets at 9 a.m. to debate a resolution to urge the U.S. Postal Service to create a commemorative stamp honoring evangelist Rev. Billy Graham.

THE GOVERNOR: Gov. Pat McCrory will attend the North Carolina Chamber's education conference in Durham.

HOUSE: House lawmakers are expected to take up proposals on drones and changes to the state's unemployment insurance program, as well as casting a final vote on a measure that would crack down on the fraudulent classification of workers as independent contractors by unscrupulous employers. WRAL.com plans to carry the House session live at 11 a.m. Check the Video Central section on the homepage.

SENATE: The Senate has no bills on its Thursday calendar.