Today @NCCapitol (March 17): McCrory hits the road for roads; House panel takes up free college for high achievers

RALEIGH, N.C. — Good morning and welcome to Today @NCCapitol for Tuesday March 17. Here's what's going on at the legislature and elsewhere in state government.

THE GOVERNOR: Gov. Pat McCrory will be in Washington, D.C., testifying to a congressional committee testifying on behalf of the reauthorization of the surface transportation bill.

FLOOR SESSIONS: Both the House and the Senate meet at 2 p.m. The Senate has no bills on its calendar. The House will handle three bills, one of which increases the penalties for school staff who engage in inappropriate sexual relationships with students.

ICYMI: Lawmakers say they won't confirm a slate of gubernatorial appointments as planned this week due to an ongoing fight over appointments to certain boards and commissions. A three-judge panel sided with McCrory on Monday, saying that lawmakers had unconstitutionally overstepped their authority.

THE COMMITTEES WE'RE WATCHING: House Judiciary II will take up changes to the state lottery meant to make its operation more transparent – and perhaps less appealing – to players at 1 p.m. A House Education committee will take up a bill that would grant two years of community college scholarships to high-achieving students, a proposal not dissimilar to one made by President Barack Obama.

ADVOCATES: News conferences at the legislature include House Democrats at 10 a.m. calling for college IDs counted as voter IDs, the N.C. Alliance for Health with a bipartisan push at 10:30 a.m. to promote healthier corner store options in order to fight food deserts and a noon presser by Environment NC marking the first day someone could file the paperwork to apply for a gas drilling permit in North Carolina.