North Carolina Bills

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 398: Prohibit Weapons at Voting Place.

SB 398 bans the possession or carrying of dangerous weapons at North Carolina voting locations, within 100 feet of a polling place entrance, and while in line to vote. It directly affects voters and others near polling sites during voting hours, applying to all weapons defined under existing law (G.S. 14-277.2). The law creates a Class 1 misdemeanor penalty for violations, with an exception for law enforcement officers performing official duties. This bill aims to enhance safety at polling places by restricting weapons in specific proximity to voting areas during active voting periods.

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 455: Main Street Resilience Act.

SB 455, the Main Street Resilience Act, provides North Carolina small businesses with a new income tax deduction starting in 2026. It allows eligible small businesses to deduct up to $75,000 of their net business income from taxable income each year, with married couples filing jointly able to deduct up to $150,000 total. To qualify, a business must have fewer than 50 total employees (including related entities) and annual revenue under $5 million, excluding passive income. This deduction directly reduces tax liability for qualifying small businesses operating in North Carolina.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 407: Prohibit Defense Based on Sex or Gender.

SB 407 prohibits using someone's sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation - whether accurate or not - as a defense in homicide or assault cases in North Carolina. It amends Chapter 14 to explicitly state that such beliefs cannot be used to justify the crime or negate elements like malice in murder prosecutions. The bill applies only to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2025, and does not affect past cases. It clarifies that evidence about a victim's conduct may still be admitted if relevant and admissible under existing rules.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 448: Remove Employment Barriers/Ppl w Disabilities.

SB 448 removes two key barriers to Medicaid eligibility for North Carolina workers with disabilities under the "Health Coverage for Workers with Disabilities" program. It eliminates the federal limits on unearned income (like Social Security benefits) and countable assets (savings) that previously disqualified people from maintaining Medicaid coverage while working. The bill requires the state to seek federal CMS approval within 90 days to remove these limits, with implementation effective after CMS approval (targeting a July 2025 effective date). This change directly affects individuals with disabilities who currently face penalties for saving money or receiving certain benefits while enrolled in Medicaid, allowing them to retain healthcare coverage without losing eligibility due to income or asset thresholds. The state will provide $165,000 annually in funding for implementation starting July 2025.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 466: Ensure Continuity of Care in Tailored Plans.

SB 466 ensures continuity of care for North Carolina Medicaid beneficiaries with behavioral health and intellectual disabilities (BH IDD) who use specialized "Tailored Plans." It allows these individuals to stay in the standard Medicaid fee-for-service program (Medicaid Direct) if their current healthcare providers aren't in their Tailored Plan's network, and to choose a Tailored Plan outside their geographic area if it offers better services or provider access. The bill also requires the state to submit CMS waiver amendments by July 2025 and report to lawmakers by August 2025 on promoting competition among managed care organizations to improve care quality. These changes directly affect BH IDD Medicaid participants and aim to reduce disruptions in their healthcare.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 434: School Workers Fair Pay Act.

SB 434, the School Workers Fair Pay Act, requires North Carolina public schools to pay all noncertified employees (such as cafeteria workers, custodians, and administrative staff) a minimum hourly wage of $17.00, effective July 1, 2025. The bill mandates the State Board of Education to adjust salary schedules to meet this rate and allocates $144.7 million from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to support this change. Funds must supplement existing salaries without replacing current state or local funding. This policy directly affects thousands of non-teaching school staff across all North Carolina public school districts.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 446: Expand Workforce Housing.

SB 446 increases funding for North Carolina's Housing Trust Fund to address the state's affordable housing shortage. It allocates $30 million in one-time funding for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and establishes recurring revenue streams: 1.5% of property transfer fees and 33% of real estate excise tax proceeds will now flow directly to the fund. This funding supports affordable housing solutions like rentals, home ownership, and repairs for North Carolinians struggling with housing costs - over 815,000 residents currently lack access to affordable housing. The bill aims to rebuild the fund's capacity after a 68% funding decline over the past decade.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 456: Healthy Start NC.

SB 456, "Healthy Start NC," creates a program providing cash assistance to reduce maternal mortality and childhood poverty. It allocates $161.6 million annually from TANF funds and $146.3 million from the General Fund for the 2025-2027 biennium to give expecting mothers a one-time $1,500 prenatal allowance and $500 monthly for the first year after birth for infant needs like food, diapers, and childcare. Eligibility uses a means-based test tied to federal poverty levels, with funds administered through nonprofit partners to avoid affecting other benefits. To offset costs, the bill gradually reduces the corporate income tax rate from 2.25% (2025) to 0% (2029). The program becomes effective July 1, 2025, with tax changes starting January 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 473: Capital for Communities Act.

SB 473 creates the Capital for Communities Special Fund, a dedicated state fund that will receive 3.5% of certain investment earnings (when quarterly returns exceed 7%) from state funds managed by the Treasurer. The fund will provide grants for economic development projects in North Carolina, specifically targeting affordable housing, childcare centers, healthcare facilities addressing shortages, medical research, workforce development, living-wage jobs, and nonprofit education facilities. These grants must directly support community-based initiatives meeting the specified criteria. The bill establishes clear eligibility rules for fund usage but does not detail application processes or allocation priorities.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 441: Revive High-Need Retired Teachers Program.

SB 441 revives and expands a program allowing retired teachers to return to work in high-need North Carolina schools without losing their retirement benefits. The bill requires school districts to certify these teachers to the retirement system annually and mandates monthly reports on their employment terms and pay. Retired educators rehired under this program retain their full retirement allowance, and school districts must cover employer health insurance premiums for them. This directly affects retired teachers returning to high-need schools, school districts hiring them, and the state retirement system’s benefit calculations. The program expires June 30, 2027, unless IRS status is jeopardized, triggering automatic repeal.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 432: Home Ownership Market Manipulation.

SB 432 prohibits large business entities from purchasing 100 or more single-family homes in qualifying counties (population over 150,000) for rental use. It directly affects real estate investment firms and corporations that buy homes solely as rentals, aiming to prevent artificial inflation of home prices by limiting excessive bulk acquisitions. The law defines "single-family home" as detached, semi-detached, or townhomes meeting specific separation criteria and imposes civil penalties of up to $100 per day per home for violations. Enforcement is handled by the Attorney General or individuals through civil lawsuits, with remedies including damages, attorney fees, and joint liability for affiliated entities. The bill applies to home purchases occurring on or after its effective date.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 436: Age with Dignity Act (Caregiver Tax Credit).

SB 436, the Age with Dignity Act, creates a new tax credit for North Carolina taxpayers who care for adult dependents. It provides a $15,000 credit for caregivers supporting a veteran relative and $12,000 for others, directly affecting families claiming dependent adults as tax exemptions. To qualify, taxpayers must earn below specific income thresholds ($75,000 single, $112,500 head of household, $150,000 married filing jointly) and have adjusted gross income under these limits. The credit reduces state tax liability for qualifying taxpayers and takes effect for 2025 tax years.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

Bill results