Democrats in the N.C. General Assembly are certainly correct in expressing their skepticism about Republican legislative leaders’ statements that they won’t hold votes on any bills when lawmakers reconvene Thursday for a three-day session.

“No matters will be taken up on the floor except for the unrecorded votes to adopt the journal and to adjourn,” N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, wrote in an email to House members. “There will be no need for you to attend the session.”

It’s easy to understand why House Democrats are loathe to take Tillis at his word, based on the last time they convened in early January, ostensibly only to consider Gov. Bev Perdue’s veto of a death-penalty bill.

Republicans deferred House debate on that bill and used parliamentary maneuvers to reconvene another work session at 12:45 a.m. to override the veto of another bill that would make it more difficult for the N.C. Association of Educators to collect member dues. The Senate has overridden that veto earlier, but the House lacked the votes to overturn. They were able to override it during the early-morning session because several Democrats had left for home before the session convened.

House Democrats say they plan to be well-represented at the session in case Republicans change their plans, and it’s easy to understand why.

The session was scheduled in case the legislature’s redistricting plans had been challenged successfully in court, which so far hasn’t occurred. But an adjournment resolution stated that the legislature could consider other vetoed bills and election-related legislation in this week’s session.

The GOP’s maneuvering in the January session certainly made a mockery of the pledge Republicans made to bring more transparency to the legislative branch. If they have any plans to do take up any work this week, they should say so in advance.