HB 660 appropriates $22.65 million in nonrecurring state funds for specific projects in Cabarrus County and its towns. The bill directs $7 million to the Town of Midland for road improvements in Bethel Glen and Tucker Chase developments, $12.7 million to Harrisburg for turf fields, a passenger rail station, and YMCA building completion, $1.95 million to Cabarrus County for health center expansion, and $1 million to Cabarrus Cooperative Christian Ministry for crisis assistance. These funds are allocated for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and become effective July 1, 2025. The bill directly affects local governments and community organizations in Cabarrus County through targeted infrastructure, health, and social services funding.
HB 646 is a constitutional amendment that would permanently ban all slavery and involuntary servitude in North Carolina, removing the current exception allowing forced labor as punishment for crimes. If approved by voters in the November 2026 election, the amendment would change the state constitution to state that slavery and involuntary servitude are "forever prohibited" without any exceptions. This change would directly affect incarcerated individuals by ending the legal basis for requiring prison labor as punishment. The amendment requires voter approval through a statewide referendum before taking effect.
HB 624 requires drug manufacturers to notify state agencies, insurers, and pharmacy benefit managers 60 days before raising prices on prescription drugs by 10% or more in a year. Manufacturers must disclose the justification for price hikes, previous marketing budgets, and historical pricing data within 30 days of notification. The bill also mandates rapid disclosure of pricing for new FDA-approved drugs and requires manufacturers to inform prescribers if a drug contains ingredients known to cause dependency. The state will create a public online portal for transparency, including annual reports on the most prescribed, costliest, and fastest-increasing drugs, but does not set price limits.
HB 633 appropriates $1.678 million annually in recurring funds and additional nonrecurring funds to expand sickle cell disease services in North Carolina. The bill directly supports approximately 7,000 North Carolinians living with sickle cell disease by funding comprehensive medical centers (like Atrium Health, Duke, and UNC Chapel Hill), creating transition coordinators to help patients move from pediatric to adult care, and providing grants to community organizations in underserved areas. Key mechanisms include distributing $1.3 million yearly to medical centers for care coordination, allocating $75,000 annually per center for transition staff, and funding a statewide emergency department toolkit to improve acute care. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, with funds designated for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium.
HB 647 expands North Carolina’s agricultural tax program to include land owned by qualified conservation organizations. It allows conservation holders (nonprofits dedicated to preserving farmland/forestland) to have land taxed at its current agricultural or forest use value, rather than its full market value, when they acquire it. To qualify, land must be appraised at present-use value upon transfer to the conservation holder, and the holder must continue using it for conservation purposes while assuming tax liability for any deferred taxes. This bill directly affects conservation groups and landowners transferring property to them, aiming to support long-term land preservation through tax incentives. The law takes effect for taxes due in 2026.
HB 622 prohibits the possession, sale, or manufacture of ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds for standard firearms or more than 8 shotgun shells, classifying first violations as a Class 2 misdemeanor. It directly affects most firearm owners and sellers in North Carolina, with key exceptions for law enforcement, military personnel, federal agencies, and manufacturers transferring magazines to approved entities. Current owners of such magazines must permanently modify them (to hold ≤10 rounds), surrender them to law enforcement, or transfer them to a federally licensed dealer within 180 days of the law's December 1, 2025, effective date. The bill also increases penalties for violations committed during other felonies, treating them as Class I felonies.
The Transportation for the Future Act reorganizes North Carolina's transportation funding to prioritize sustainable projects like public transit (including bus rapid transit and commuter rail), bike lanes, and pedestrian pathways. It requires at least 20% of transportation funds to be allocated to non-highway projects and caps state funding for commuter rail and light rail at 10% of project costs. The bill establishes three funding categories with project selection criteria emphasizing safety, congestion reduction, economic growth, and multimodal transportation. This change affects statewide transportation planning and funding decisions to modernize the system for future sustainability.
HB 628 reenacts North Carolina's state-level child tax credit, which expired, to provide financial support to families with children. It directly affects low- and middle-income North Carolina residents who qualify under federal child tax credit rules, offering up to $250 per child annually based on household income. Key provisions include income-based credit amounts (e.g., $250 for married couples filing jointly with under $40,000 income) that phase out at higher earnings, and the credit is refundable - meaning families may receive cash payments even if they owe no state tax. The bill takes effect for 2025 tax years and mirrors the federal credit structure without creating new policy.
HB 654 designates the week containing March 12 each year as "Girl Scouts Week" in North Carolina. This ceremonial bill recognizes Girl Scouts of the USA's history and the achievements of Gold Award recipients, who complete community-focused leadership projects. It does not create new policies, funding, or obligations - it simply establishes an annual observance period for celebration. The bill directly affects public recognition efforts by state and local governments, schools, and community groups.
HB 653 lowers the federal funding threshold that would trigger loss of Medicaid coverage for North Carolina's newly eligible expansion recipients. Currently, coverage would end if federal funding for this group drops below 90% compared to non-expansion recipients; the bill reduces this threshold to a lower percentage. If funding falls below the new threshold, Medicaid coverage for this group must discontinue promptly, with state agencies required to notify lawmakers and CMS. The bill affects only those added to Medicaid through the 2014 expansion, not all Medicaid beneficiaries.
HB 644 requires North Carolina's Department of Transportation to study traffic congestion near Fort Bragg, specifically between Vass Road and N.C. Highway 87, using $500,000 in highway funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The study must identify economic benefits of reducing congestion and examine options like expanded rail routes and other surface transportation solutions. This bill directly affects the Fort Bragg military installation and surrounding communities by funding a traffic analysis, but does not implement any traffic solutions itself. It becomes effective July 1, 2025, after the study period.
HB 626, the Housing Choice Act, allows North Carolina municipalities to adopt specific zoning changes to encourage more housing options and qualify for priority water infrastructure funding. Smaller cities (under 100,000 residents) can permit multifamily housing by right in residential zones, waive fees for affordable housing construction, and allow accessory dwelling units. Larger cities (100,000+ residents) must implement minimum density standards, eliminate parking requirements, and permit duplexes/triplexes in single-family zones. Both sizes must preserve existing affordable housing through incentives or funds and adopt zoning that aligns with state housing goals. The bill directly affects local governments seeking to streamline housing development while meeting criteria for state water infrastructure grants.
