North Carolina Bills

died · North Carolina · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 875: No Firearm Possession After DV Misdemeanors.

This North Carolina bill prohibits individuals convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence offenses from purchasing or possessing firearms, machine guns, ammunition, or related permits. It expands the definition of domestic violence to include crimes committed against intimate partners, dating partners, and other individuals in similar relationships, not just spouses or parents. The legislation also allocates one million dollars to the state's Domestic Violence Commission to create an educational program on domestic violence. These provisions will take effect on December 1, 2026, and apply to offenses committed on or after that date.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

died · North Carolina · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 891: Small Business Investment Grant.

This North Carolina bill establishes a $250 million grant program to help small businesses recover from financial losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To qualify, businesses must have had annual receipts of $8 million or less in 2019 and experienced at least a 25% drop in sales tax collections in 2020 compared to the previous year. Eligible recipients can receive a one-time payment of up to $250,000, which is capped at the amount of their verified sales tax reduction. The law requires businesses to remain open for at least six months after receiving the funds, with any unspent portion subject to repayment if operations cease prematurely.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

died · North Carolina · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 853: Create Dept. of Housing and Comm. Development.

This bill creates a new cabinet-level Department of Housing and Community Development in North Carolina to consolidate housing and community development functions. The department will be organized into four divisions: Operations, Community Development, Housing, and a Policy and Legislative Office, each with specific duties such as managing broadband expansion, overseeing disaster resilience, and certifying building officials. A nine-member advisory board will be established to guide the department, with members appointed by the Governor and state legislative leaders. Starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the state will allocate $30 million in recurring funds to support the department's operations.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Technology

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 856: Const Amend: Legislative Terms/Compensation.

This bill proposes constitutional changes to North Carolina's General Assembly, including a salary cap tied to public school teacher pay, a 16-year consecutive term limit for legislators, and a shift to four-year terms for Senators. The salary provision would set Assembly member pay equal to the average starting salary of state-funded public school teachers and align their travel and per diem allowances with those of state employees. Additionally, the bill would extend Senator terms from two to four years, beginning with the 2028 election, while keeping House terms at two years. All these changes are currently set for a public vote at the November 3, 2026 election, where voters will decide whether to adopt or reject the amendments.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

died · North Carolina · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 867: Increased Admin Fund for Medicaid.

This bill allocates $6.5 million in one-time funding to North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services to cover increased administrative costs within the Medicaid program. The money will be distributed to county departments of social services to help them manage expenses resulting from recent federal changes. The legislation allows these funds to be used without requiring additional state reporting that would normally be needed for such financial transfers. Effective retroactively from July 1, 2025, the act aims to ensure counties have the necessary resources to handle their Medicaid administrative duties.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 860: Nonprofit Fundraising Sales Tax Exemption.

This bill expands sales tax exemptions in North Carolina for specific nonprofit organizations and adds a new exemption for diapers and incontinence underpads prescribed by Medicaid providers. It clarifies which types of nonprofits, such as hospitals and certain 501(c)(3) groups, qualify for tax-free purchases of goods and services needed for their operations, while explicitly excluding certain utility services and liquor. The legislation also establishes a formal application process requiring nonprofits to obtain an exemption number from the state and imposes liability for back taxes if the exemption number is misused. Additionally, the bill modifies ownership rules for property used by charities and sets annual dollar limits on the total tax exemptions and refunds available to eligible entities.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 864: Safe and Responsible AI in Schools Act.

This bill requires North Carolina public schools to update their computer science standards to include age-appropriate artificial intelligence literacy for students from kindergarten through 12th grade, with a focus on ethics, privacy, and safety. It mandates that all local school boards, charter schools, and state agencies adopt specific AI use policies based on a model policy developed by the Department of Public Instruction by mid-2027. Additionally, the bill establishes a framework for evaluating AI educational tools and requires the state to contract with the Friday Institute to provide training for educators and administrators on using AI effectively. These measures are designed to ensure that schools have clear guidelines and resources for integrating AI into their educational environments while protecting student data and maintaining academic integrity.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 29, 2026

HB 1066: Child Care Stabilization and Affordability Act.

HB 1066, the Child Care Stabilization and Affordability Act, aims to address North Carolina's child care shortages by redirecting funds from the Opportunity Scholarship Program to support child care services. The bill reduces scholarship funding for private school vouchers, with the savings used to expand child care subsidies, stabilize existing programs, and improve early childhood educator pay and benefits. It also streamlines administrative rules for child care providers and clarifies regulations for religious programs. These changes directly affect families seeking child care subsidies, private school scholarship recipients, and child care providers across the state.

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

in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 29, 2026

HB 1072: Affordable Housing Infrastructure Development.

This bill creates a new loan program in North Carolina to help nonprofit organizations prepare land for affordable housing by offering below-market interest rate loans. The funds, totaling $50 million for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, can only be used for site-related expenses like land acquisition, utility installation, and environmental testing, but not for building the actual homes. To qualify, borrowers must be experienced nonprofits that provide zero-interest mortgages to buyers and ensure at least 40% of units in mixed-income projects are reserved for low- and moderate-income families. The program is designed to support the development of housing for households earning up to 80% of the local area median income.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

died · North Carolina · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 854: Tier One County Assistance.

This bill, known as the Economic Empowerment for Tier One Counties Act, allocates $400 million from the state's General Fund to support specific counties in North Carolina designated as "development tier one areas." The Department of Commerce will distribute these funds as grants to eligible counties for projects focused on self-sufficiency, infrastructure improvements, education, or workforce development, with no single county able to receive more than $10 million. To receive funding, counties must submit a proposal detailing their plans, which the Department must approve before any money is released, and counties must submit annual reports on how they use the funds. The legislation also includes a provision requiring counties to repay any grants they receive if they are later found to be ineligible.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

died · North Carolina · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 870: Funds for Veterans/HBOT.

This bill appropriates $3 million from the state's General Fund to provide free hyperbaric oxygen therapy to North Carolina veterans diagnosed with traumatic brain injury or posttraumatic stress disorder. The funding is directed to a nonprofit organization called HBOT 4 HEROES, which will administer the treatment, manage the program, and conduct outcome assessments for an estimated 350 veterans. The act requires the organization to submit a detailed report to state oversight committees by June 30, 2027, covering the number of patients served, their locations, and how the funds were spent. These changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Veterans

died · North Carolina · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 850: Pay Teachers What They're Worth Act.

This North Carolina bill aims to address teacher shortages by increasing salaries and creating new financial support for educators. It establishes a new monthly salary schedule for teachers starting in the 2026-2027 school year and reinstates specific pay bonuses for those with advanced degrees or professional certifications. Additionally, the legislation creates a grant program to help student teachers earn money while completing their training and directs a state study on how to further improve educator pay.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results