Today@NCCapitol (July 15): NC elections officials to hold hearing on sweepstakes donations

RALEIGH, N.C. — Good morning and welcome to Today@NCCapitol for Wednesday, July 15. Here's what's going on at the General Assembly and elsewhere in state government.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE: The State Board of Elections is scheduled to hold a hearing at 10 a.m. into whether sweepstakes businesses illegally gave to North Carolina campaigns, including Gov. Pat McCrory's 2012 campaign. Adding extra interest to the proceedings is an Associated Press report that elections board member Paul Foley, who was appointed by McCrory, "demanded regular updates about the confidential investigation into $235,000 in political contributions to the campaigns of the governor and dozens of other elected officials."

A report by the Attorney General's office found Foley's inquiries didn't influence the professional staff but said he should recuse himself from the case. Foley's law firm had ties to one of the sweepstakes businesses.

GOVERNOR: McCrory holds a meeting with his Education Cabinet at 2 p.m. McCrory announced Tuesday that senior education policy adviser Eric Guckian will become a vice president of Educational Equity, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Teach For America members and alumni to grow as leaders.

HOUSE: Members of the House meet at 2 p.m. and could take a final vote on repealing protest petitions, a tool used by existing neighbors to fight new construction projects.

SENATE: Senators are scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. and vote on a measure that would ban a synthetic form of LSD and three bills that give some counties the ability to issue no-bid contracts for food provided to some prisons.

ADVOCATES: Manufacturer Alevo and pro-solar advocates will give a presentation on industrial batteries used to store solar energy at 11 a.m. in the legislative auditorium.

COMMITTEES: The General Assembly publishes a daily calendar of committee hearings, but here's what we'll be keeping an eye on Wednesday:

House Judiciary IV (10 a.m.): The committee reviews a bill regulating the use of automated license plate readers by police departments.

Senate Transportation (11 a.m.): Committee members look at a bill to regulate autocycles, three-wheeled enclosed vehicles with characteristics of both a motorcycle and a car.

House Judiciary I: Two bills dealing with consumer debt and debt collections are before the committee. Advocates are worried that at least one of the bills could make it easier for debt buyers to push consumers to repay money they don't actually owe.