This North Carolina bill prohibits charter schools from being managed by for-profit organizations, restricting them to nonprofit management instead. It also mandates that students in remote charter academies take state-mandated tests in person with a social worker present and limits the renewal terms for these remote schools to one year. Additionally, the legislation requires annual financial audits for remote charters and bars renewal for any remote academy deemed low-performing. To support affected families, the bill allocates funding for coaches to assist with school transitions and to establish the new in-person testing program.
This bill requires individuals and companies in North Carolina to obtain a license or permit from the State Fire Marshal to install, service, or inspect portable fire extinguishers and fire suppression systems. It mandates that all inspections and maintenance be reported digitally to local authorities and the state office, ensuring that records are linked to specific equipment locations. Additionally, the legislation calls for the digital tagging of fire sprinklers and fire alarm systems to improve tracking and accountability. The State Fire Marshal will have the authority to create rules for these requirements and may require applicants to pass an examination to prove their competence.
This North Carolina bill creates a joint program for the Department of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Management Commission to use artificial intelligence tools when drafting and reviewing environmental permits. While the law encourages using AI to speed up routine tasks, it requires human staff to independently review and modify any AI-generated work before finalizing a permit decision. The legislation mandates transparency by requiring the department to publish details about the AI systems used and to inform applicants when AI assists in their permit processing. Additionally, the bill sets specific rules for data security and prohibits using applicant information to train third-party AI models without state authorization.
This bill reformulates the composition of hospital authority boards in North Carolina to ensure greater public and elected official representation. It mandates that each board include at least four public members and four elected officials, while also requiring that board meetings follow specific open meeting laws. To prevent all members from leaving at once, the law establishes a staggered term system where initial terms range from one to two years before standardizing to three years. Additionally, the state provides $50,000 in funding to assist hospital authorities with the transition to these new requirements by December 2026.
SB 946, titled the Keep Our Schools Standing Bond Act of 2026, proposes to issue up to $50 billion in state bonds to fund public school construction, repairs, renovations, and security improvements in North Carolina. The funds would be distributed as grants to counties through the Department of Public Instruction, while excluding expenses for salaries, trailers, and administrative buildings. This legislation requires approval from North Carolina voters via a special election before the State Treasurer can issue the bonds.
This bill mandates that all public schools in North Carolina, including charter and laboratory schools, provide free breakfast and lunch to every student starting in the 2026-2027 school year. To support this requirement, the state will allocate $116 million from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction, with additional flexibility to use existing state aid if necessary. The legislation outlines specific criteria for distributing these funds, such as school size, the number of eligible students, and the quality of food provided, while ensuring that state money supplements rather than replaces other funding sources.
This bill, titled the Workforce Act of 2026, provides funding and policy changes to expand workforce development programs in North Carolina. It allocates $3.1 million to the Community Colleges System Office to support the ApprenticeshipNC program, which helps connect employers with learners through work-based training. The legislation also directs the Department of Commerce to maintain a list of industry-valued credentials and collect data on wages and job outcomes to better align education with labor market needs. Additionally, it increases financial aid for short-term workforce development grants to help students pursue credentials that are not eligible for federal funding.
This bill directs North Carolina's Department of Transportation to create a new method for funding bridge replacements that operates separately from the current Strategic Mobility Formula. To accomplish this, the state will allocate $100,000 in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to support the development of this alternative plan, which must include a prioritization process and a specific revenue source. The department is required to submit its proposed formula and legislative recommendations to various committees by December 1, 2026, and the law takes effect on July 1, 2026.
SB 1065 establishes a temporary pause on new rules that would restrict commercial and recreational fishing in North Carolina's coastal waters. This bill directly affects fishermen, charter operators, seafood dealers, and related businesses by preventing state agencies from reducing bag limits, shortening seasons, closing fishing areas, or adding new reporting and gear restrictions. The legislation also requires the state to restore recreational fishing regulations to the limits that were in place on January 1, 2019, and prohibits the reallocation of existing fishing quotas. These measures are designed to provide economic stability while a comprehensive study of the state's fisheries is completed and reviewed by the General Assembly.
This bill appropriates $15 million to Wilson County to support its volunteer fire departments with equipment upgrades. The funds are specifically designated for improving emergency lighting on fire trucks to enhance visibility when vehicles are stationary and covering costs for maintaining or replacing fire equipment and vehicle parts. The legislation becomes effective on July 1, 2026, and directs the Office of State Budget and Management to provide these nonrecurring funds to the county.
This bill allocates $200 million in recurring state funds to expand access to the North Carolina Pre-K program for all income-eligible four-year-olds. The additional money is directed to the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure these children can participate in the program starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The legislation becomes effective on July 1, 2026, and does not alter existing eligibility criteria or program requirements.
HB 1178, known as the NC Teacher Pay Competitiveness Act, establishes a permanent salary increase plan for public school teachers in North Carolina to help the state compete with neighboring regions. The bill creates a new salary schedule that begins in the 2026-2027 school year and mandates annual raises of 3.67% until 2033, after which increases will be tied to federal employment cost data. Additionally, the legislation provides specific monthly bonuses for teachers with advanced certifications or degrees and adjusts funding for the Opportunity Scholarship program.
