HB 586 appropriates $2 million from the state General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to fund the expansion of the Midtown YMCA in Wilmington, North Carolina. The grant will support the YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina's $15 million project to build a 50,000-square-foot facility on a 10-acre site, directly benefiting youth and families in New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, and Sampson counties. Key provisions include funding new fitness, aquatic, child care, and educational spaces, with the expansion expected to serve 6,000 additional members and provide water safety lessons to all 2nd graders in New Hanover County. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, and requires the funds to be disbursed as a grant to the YMCA.
HB 579, the NC House Public Access Act of 2025, allocates $91,000 (one-time) and $4,000 annually to install video and audio recording equipment in North Carolina House committee rooms and the chamber. This enables the public to view live legislative sessions online and access recorded sessions for 10 years via the internet. The bill requires committees to maintain audio minutes and written records if they opt not to record video, with advance notice to the public. It directly affects North Carolina residents seeking greater transparency in legislative proceedings.
HB 585 appropriates $300,000 in recurring funds for the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission to develop and support a secure, technology-driven reporting and response system focused on survivor-centered care. The system will specifically target western North Carolina, where access to anti-human trafficking resources is limited, and includes funding for a regional coordinator to oversee implementation and partnerships with law enforcement. It also allocates resources for a public awareness campaign to increase system use among at-risk communities and first responders. The bill requires the Commission to coordinate this system as part of its duties under state law.
This bill establishes new regulations for hemp-derived consumable products (like edibles, vapes, and beverages) intended for human ingestion or inhalation, limiting THC content to 0.3% or less. It requires retailers to verify ages (21+), use child-resistant "exit packages" at point-of-sale, and obtain licenses from the Alcohol Law Enforcement Division. Manufacturers must use independent labs for testing, and sellers face fines up to $2,000 or license suspension for violations like selling to minors or exceeding THC limits. The rules exclude topical products and hemp seeds, focusing solely on ingestible/inhalable items.
HB 589, "The Second Look Act," allows North Carolina courts to reduce prison sentences for certain inmates who have served significant time. It directly affects people sentenced under specific laws (like those for violent crimes) who have served at least 10 years in prison or 50% of their sentence if under 10 years. Courts must consider factors like the person’s age, rehabilitation progress, community safety, and victim input before reducing a sentence. The bill takes effect December 1, 2025, and applies to requests filed after that date.
HB 601 appropriates $10 million annually from North Carolina's General Fund (2025-2027) to fund grants for Disabled American Veterans (DAV) chapters. The bill provides up to $1 million per chapter per year to renovate or expand facilities and offer additional resources directly to disabled veterans served by these nonprofit chapters. Grants must be distributed statewide, with unspent funds rolling over annually instead of returning to the state treasury. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs must report annually on grant recipients, amounts, and county distribution starting in 2026.
HB 583 allows North Carolina law enforcement agencies to destroy unclaimed firearms (after 180 days of storage) or firearms confiscated following certain convictions, directly affecting police departments managing large inventories. The bill requires agencies to publish a 180-day notice in a local newspaper before disposing of unclaimed firearms, with a 30-day claim period afterward. Firearms without legible identification numbers or deemed unsafe may be destroyed, while those with valid IDs can be sold to licensed dealers, with proceeds funding public schools. This addresses the storage burden of over 74,000 firearms held by police, reducing risks of theft or accidents from long-term storage. The law amends existing statutes to streamline disposal without requiring court orders for most cases.
HB 611 requires North Carolina public schools to increase full-time assistant principal positions based on student enrollment, directly affecting all local school districts. It mandates funding to achieve specific student-to-assistant-principal ratios: 1:90 students in the 2025-2026 school year ($23.56 million) and 1:80 students starting in 2026-2027 ($57.57 million), with funds supplementing but not replacing existing budgets. The bill, effective July 2025, directs the Department of Public Instruction to allocate these funds through the school building administration allotment. This policy change aims to support school operations and develop future principals by expanding administrative staffing.
HB 603 creates a $40 million revolving loan fund within North Carolina's Housing Finance Agency to cover preconstruction costs (like land surveys, permits, and site work) for workforce housing projects. It directly affects developers building housing affordable to households earning 60%-120% of local median income, requiring them to contribute 20%-35% in project equity. The fund reserves 80% of loans for high-priority counties (tier 1-2) and 20% for other counties, with each loan capped at $1 million. The program requires annual reporting on loan details and becomes effective July 1, 2025.
HB 604 creates two grant programs to support economic development: the Rural Community Development Grant Program and the Downtown Revitalization Grant Program. Both programs allocate $40 million each from the state budget for 2025-2026, providing grants to local governments (counties and municipalities) to fund projects that improve community amenities like grocery stores, childcare, parks, or downtown infrastructure. Grants require a 1:1 local match, max $2 million per award, and must align with comprehensive plans for revitalization or community growth. The programs aim to reverse rural depopulation, attract business investment, and enhance downtown livability through targeted, competitive funding.
HB 617 creates a $20 million grant program for North Carolina small farmers with gross income under $300,000, funding equipment (like harvest machinery), infrastructure (such as fencing), and cold storage. It also lowers the income threshold for farm sales tax exemption from $10,000 to $7,500 annually, expanding eligibility for tax relief. The bill directly affects small farmers meeting these income criteria by providing financial support through grants and reduced tax burdens. Grants require applications and prioritize those facing economic hardship, with funding allocated for specific purposes like equipment and the FarmsSHARE program.
HB 580 updates North Carolina election laws based on recommendations from the State Board of Elections. It requires county boards to keep absentee ballot request records confidential until voting begins, then make daily lists of approved absentee applications public. The bill also sets specific timing rules for counting different ballot types (e.g., election day ballots must start counting immediately after polls close, while early voting ballots can start between 9 AM-5 PM on election day) and mandates counties to notify voters of fixable absentee ballot errors (like missing signatures) with a deadline to correct them by 12 PM on the third business day after the election. These changes directly affect county election boards and voters requesting absentee ballots.
