House Leader: Judicial Deal May Not Be Ready In January

A key North Carolina legislator says chances may be fading for approving dramatic changes to how judges are selected in the state when the General Assembly reconvenes in a few weeks.

House Rules Committee Chairman David Lewis said Friday the agenda for a special session set for Jan. 10 would narrow significantly if there's no deal between the House and Senate on judicial changes.

Lewis says House Republicans had hoped a Senate committee examining proposed judicial election maps and alternatives to head-to-head partisan judicial elections would be farther along in their work. The Senate panel has met three times.

The top aide for Senate leader Phil Berger said earlier this week that judicial redistricting is needed but that acting on a "merit selection" plan "may wait for another day."