Wednesday Wrap: Getaway day, medical marijuana, juvenile justice

But first, a bit of history was accomplished, as the Senate Judiciary committee voted in favor of a proposal to legalize marijuana use in North Carolina to treat a specific list of ailments. Medical marijuana bills are filed every session, but this marked the first time one had ever gotten a hearing in the Senate, let alone a positive vote.

A House committee also advanced a bill to raise the age at which children could be taken to juvenile court for offenses from 6 to 10. North Carolina has the lowest age for juvenile offenders in the nation, and bill backers said they want to put the age on par with what many other states have.

A second House committee signed off on a measure that the NAACP has labeled racist, contending it grew out of a critical state audit of Rocky Mount government released last year. The bill would make it a felony for local elected officials to use their positions for financial gain. The NAACP says it's targeting Black elected officials.