The General Assembly has officially completed this year's work session after more than eight months on the job. It was the longest legislative session since 2001.

It was after 4 a.m. Wednesday when the session officially ended.

It began in mid-January, and lawmakers hoped for the traditional early summer closing. But legislators got bogged down by a budget stalemate and extended negotiations on overhauling Medicaid and economic recruitment incentives.

Once the budget was finalized, lawmakers  tackled a number of controversial bills.

One was a last-minute effort to enact stricter state regulation over local government ordinances, such as telling businesses how much they must pay workers or how they treat tenants. Opponents feared this might dilute some local LGBT rights protections. The measure was tacked on to an unrelated sex education bill.

In the end, the local ordinance section of the bill didn't have enough support to move forward.

Another bill bans the sale of fetal tissue in North Carolina, which already violates federal law. That bill passed overwhelmingly in both houses.

Barring any vetoes by Gov. Pat McCrory, the legislature will be out of session until the end of April 2016.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

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