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As expected, both the House and Senate gaveled into session Sunday night, and gaveled out almost immediately.

There had been some intense, and pretty much unfounded (link), speculation that the Republican-controlled House would try to take up some veto overrides Sunday night. That didn’t happen.

So why did they come in a day early rather than waiting until Monday. One reason, according to House staffers, is a House rule that require conference reports to be read in the day before they are voted upon. (Conference reports are the final compromise draft of bills worked out by House and Senate negotiators.) One bill (noted below) will carry three different bits of legislation is a conference report and was reported in tonight.

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A crowd of about 50 or 60 anti-fracking (link | link | link) protestors was outside the legislative building Sunday night, some of who came in and watched nothing happen in the gallery.

The bill the protestors are concerned about is S 709 (link), which Gov. Bev Perdue, a Democrat, has vetoed. It is one of several vetoed bills that remain on the House’s “unfinished business” calendar.

On that particular measure, it’s looking less and less likely that it will get taken up this week. To override a veto if all, or almost all, the chamber is present, they’d need 72 votes. When the bill passed this summer, Republicans only had 68 votes, with three members not voting. That means they’d have to keep all 68 and pick up four more – either among the non-votes or through changed minds.

I don’t know how the picking up four more is going (I haven’t heard of any switches) but the keeping all 68 hasn’t gone that well. Rep. Ric Killian, a Republican and an army colonel, is deployed overseas at the moment. As well, it appears the three Democrats who voted with Republicans this summer might not vote to override.

“There are just a few small problems I have with the bill,” said Rep. Bill Owens, who originally backed S 709. “The truth is, I found out something I didn’t know was in there when I voted for it.” He wouldn’t say what that something was, but he said Sunday night that he would not vote to override.

So what might get done this week?

IN THE SENATE: Senators could vote to repeal the most meaningful parts of the Racial Justice Act, a two-year-old bill that allows death row inmates to challenge their sentence based on statistical data. (Background) The Senate Judiciary I committee will meet at 2:30 p.m. to look at the bill.

IN THE HOUSE: There are a passel of veto overrides on the calendar. Reporters asked Tillis which ones might come up over the next two days. “Overrides are always on the calendar. That’s why they call it unfinished business.”

So, that’s not clear, is it? Translation: expect Republicans to press their advantage if they get the numbers they need on one the vetoed bills this week. But I’ve not heard any whip count or other intelligence that makes me think any one vetoed bill is a slam dunk to get done.

This House is also due to take up a bill that makes appointments to various boards and commissions.

HOUSE AND SENATE: H 796 (link) is the conference report that had to be read in Sunday night. It was, up until now, a bill that deals with alcohol sales. Now it deals with three matters: allowing breweries to sell their own products, a “fix” for the community college system and a “local fix” for Cherokee County schools. The House Rules Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to vet that measure.

The legislature is still awaiting word on whether the governor’s office and the Eastern Band of Cherokees have worked out a compact that would allow for live table games at their casino in western North Carolina.

Tillis said Republicans in the House were talking about some way to cap the gas tax, which is expected to rise in January (link). The Senate has been less enthusiastic about this idea and I’d say it is far from a slam dunk.

And there is apparently some kind of fix for a problem involving how teachers get paid in the works.

Of course, there could be other surprises, which is why we scruffy media types will be here this week. Staffers on both sides of the building said not to expect the session to run past Tuesday.