This bill allocates $1,000,000 from the General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to Edgecombe Community College. The funds are specifically designated as a directed grant to construct an Industrial Technology and Skilled Trades Facility. This facility aims to strengthen the local workforce by providing training infrastructure. The appropriation becomes effective July 1, 2025, and directly affects Edgecombe Community College and the regional workforce development efforts.
SB 238 allocates $530,000 in recurring state funds for Edgecombe County Public Schools and $1.675 million for Pitt County Schools to ensure every public school in both counties has at least one full-time, permanent school nurse starting July 1, 2025. The funds must supplement - not replace - existing resources for school nursing services. This bill directly affects students and school staff in all public schools within Edgecombe and Pitt Counties by providing dedicated nursing support. It does not create new positions but secures ongoing state funding to address staffing needs.
SB 247 redirects $6.25 million annually from crisis pregnancy centers to evidence-based maternal and infant health programs administered by North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services, starting July 2025. It requires the State Auditor to audit Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship by March 2026 and mandates detailed reporting from all crisis pregnancy centers receiving state funds. These centers must disclose service types, demographics of clients, funding sources, and whether they misrepresent as medical facilities. The bill aims to increase transparency and reallocate resources toward proven maternal health initiatives.
SB 239 increases the hourly wage for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) serving Medicaid beneficiaries under North Carolina's Innovations waiver program by $5 per hour for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and another $5 per hour for 2026-2027. The law requires providers receiving this funding to use at least 90% of the increased payments to raise DSP wages directly, with verification through payroll documentation. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHB) will adjust payments to managed care organizations (LME/MCOs), which must pass the increase to providers and report quarterly on DSP wage changes. This policy directly affects DSPs working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their employers under the waiver program.
SB 246 increases North Carolina's Medicaid Innovations Waiver slots by 5,000 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and another 5,000 for 2026-2027, directly serving approximately 19,000 people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) currently on a waiting list. The bill allocates $134 million (2025-2026) and $357.34 million (2026-2027) in state funds to cover a state match for federal funds, enabling these slots to be distributed based on waitlist length. It requires that direct care workers receive at least $20 per hour and ensures unused slots are redistributed to providers meeting wage and service capacity standards. This policy aims to reduce the waiting list, support caregivers in returning to work, and stimulate local economies through new jobs and community-based services.
SB 234 appropriates $690,000 from North Carolina's General Fund to the City of Greenville for a new fire truck. The funds are a one-time grant specifically for the Greenville Fire Department to purchase equipment, effective July 1, 2025. This bill directly affects Greenville's fire department operations by providing dedicated funding for vehicle acquisition. It does not create new policies or alter existing laws, but allocates existing state resources for a specific municipal need.
HB 224 renames the "North Carolina Gaming Education Revenue Fund" to the "Indian Gaming Education Revenue Fund" and allocates specific recurring and one-time funds for tribal communities in North Carolina. The bill directs $2 million annually to the North Carolina State Commission of Indian Affairs for operations, $5.25 million annually to seven non-gaming tribes (including the Coharie, Lumbee, and Haliwa-Saponi) for cultural, educational, and economic development, and $400,000 annually to four Urban Indian Organizations for similar purposes. It also provides $100,000 yearly to support the State Advisory Council on Indian Education and $1.1 million nonrecurring funds for specific tribal school projects like the Haliwa-Saponi Tribal School. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, with all funds to be used for designated community development purposes.
HB 29 would allow tribal enrollment cards issued by State or federally recognized North Carolina tribes to be used as valid ID for purchasing alcohol and tobacco. It amends existing state laws to explicitly include these cards alongside driver's licenses, passports, and military IDs when verifying a customer's age at point-of-sale. Businesses selling alcohol or tobacco would be permitted to accept tribal cards as proof of age under the same rules as other official identification. The policy change would take effect on December 1, 2025, if the bill is enacted.
HB 82 establishes a 9-member Study Commission to examine whether North Carolina's five largest school districts face negative outcomes due to their size. The commission, appointed by legislative leaders and local education boards, will study size-related issues in these districts and develop recommendations for potential remedies. It must report its findings and suggestions to the 2026 General Assembly by December 31, 2026. The bill creates a study body with no immediate policy changes; it solely directs an analysis of school district size impacts.
HB 103 exempts members of North Carolina-recognized tribes from needing hunting, trapping, or fishing licenses when hunting or fishing on tribal land (requiring ID verification) or off tribal land (requiring ID plus compliance with reporting, hunter education, and federal stamp rules). It directly affects tribal members recognized under Chapter 71A of North Carolina law, both on tribal property and in state waters/lands outside tribal areas. The bill amends licensing rules to remove fee requirements while maintaining other regulatory obligations like wildlife reporting and federal stamp purchases. It becomes effective October 1, 2025.
This bill appropriates $13,215 from the state General Fund to the Town of Milton for repairs at its wastewater pump station. The funds are designated for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and become effective July 1, 2025. The bill directly affects the Town of Milton by providing targeted financial support for critical infrastructure maintenance at a specific facility. It is a straightforward funding measure with no policy changes beyond the allocation.
SB 186 appropriates $2 million from North Carolina's General Fund to the City of Winston-Salem for a one-time purchase of a ladder truck for Fire Station 19. The funds are directed as a grant specifically for the Winston-Salem Fire Department's Station 19, which serves the local community. This bill creates a nonrecurring allocation for equipment procurement, with no ongoing funding implications. The measure becomes effective July 1, 2025, and directly affects the operational capacity of Station 19.
