RALEIGH, N.C. – Lawmakers across party lines said they were glad to see businesses reopening but they didn't agree on what should come next.

Both Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly said they were glad more businesses will be able to reopen when Phase 2 of the state's reopening plan begins at 5 p.m. Friday. The stay-at-home order will be lifted and all businesses, except for indoor fitness and entertainment venues, will be able to reopen subject to cleaning and social distancing guidelines.

The parties diverge on whether the order should have come sooner and where to go next. Cleveland County Republican Sen. W. Ted Alexander's two children both lost their jobs when the pandemic hit. His son works in a restaurant and his daughter is a nurse. Alexander said his daughter was able to find another job and he expects his son will now that Phase 2 is about to begin. Still, he would rather have avoided the situation in the first place.

“I know that many, many other people are not in that situation and are in a much worse situation, and that's what I'm concerned about,” he says.

Alexander said state officials need to carefully weigh how to respond to future pandemics. He said the state can't afford to shut down every time it faces a new illness. Sen. Rick Horner, R-Nash County, went a step further. He said once the pandemic ends, lawmakers should review the governor's emergency authority and ensure the rest of the Council of State is part of the decision-making process.

While Republicans in the General Assembly are impatient to reopen the state, some Democrats wonder if the state is moving too quickly as it is. Sen. Paul Lowe, D-Forsyth County, said North Carolina is still registering new cases and deaths from COVID-19. He said he still strongly encourages North Carolinians to stay home when possible and avoid large crowds if they have to go out.

Orange County Sen. Valerie Foushee was more optimistic. She said the state's phased approach strikes a good balance between the need to protect lives and livelihoods. Foushee said healthcare policy changes would help ease the economic pain of future pandemics.

“We need to expand Medicaid so that we can ensure that when people lose their jobs, they don't lose access to healthcare, that people are protected in such a way that they can be treated,” she saiys.