HB 251 prohibits North Carolina state agencies from denying disaster recovery assistance (like grants) based on a person's political affiliation or political speech. It applies to all applicants for state disaster aid, including U.S. citizens, nationals, and qualified aliens, and sets penalties of a Class I felony for violations. The bill also defines "temporary housing" (such as trailers or tents) and adds criminal penalties for stealing such housing during declared emergencies. These changes aim to ensure state disaster aid is distributed fairly and protect emergency housing resources.
HB 40 is a technical correction bill that revises North Carolina's inheritance law regarding surviving spouses' property rights. It clarifies that a surviving spouse can choose between taking a life interest in one-third of the deceased spouse's real estate or a life interest in their primary residence (including household furnishings), whichever provides greater value. The bill details the election process, requiring a court filing within specific timeframes after death, and specifies how property must be formally allotted by a court-appointed jury. This change directly affects surviving spouses in probate cases involving real estate inheritance. The bill is currently pending in the House Judiciary Committee (as of February 2025).
HB 476 is a procedural bill focused on technical corrections and administrative updates to the State Treasurer's office operations. It does not introduce new policies or directly affect residents, but rather aims to fix minor errors or update existing procedures within the department's statutory framework. The bill is currently in committee review (referred to Judiciary and Pensions committees) and has passed its first reading. As a technical corrections bill, it involves no substantive policy changes or public impact.
SB 400 establishes local "Adult Protection Multidisciplinary Teams" in North Carolina counties to address abuse, neglect, and exploitation of disabled adults (18+ with incapacity) and older adults (65+). These teams, composed of social services staff, law enforcement, prosecutors, healthcare providers, mental health professionals, and community advocates, will review specific cases and coordinate multi-agency responses to prevent re-victimization. The bill mandates county-level teams (or multicounty collaborations) to share information, address systemic service gaps, and develop community education programs. It directly affects vulnerable adults receiving adult protective services by creating a structured system for cross-agency collaboration to enhance safety and well-being.
SB 771 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow North Carolina to provide state funds for restoring privately-owned business buildings damaged by federally declared natural disasters. Currently, the state constitution prohibits such payments under its "emoluments" clause, but this bill would create an exception specifically for disaster recovery. If approved by voters in March 2026, the amendment would permit the state to use funds for rebuilding private structures after events like hurricanes or floods officially labeled major disasters by the federal government. This change directly affects businesses that own property damaged in these events, removing a legal barrier to receiving state disaster relief.
This Senate Resolution (SR 766) formally asks the North Carolina Senate to confirm D. Reid Wilson's appointment as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). It follows state law requiring Senate confirmation for heads of state departments, directly affecting DEQ's leadership structure. The resolution does not create new policy but initiates the confirmation process for Wilson, who was appointed by the Governor pending Senate action.
This resolution formally asks the North Carolina Senate to confirm Governor Josh Stein's appointment of Leslie Cooley Dismukes as Secretary of the Department of Adult Correction. It follows standard procedure where the Governor nominates a department head and the Senate must provide advice and consent under state law. The bill does not change any policies or create new programs - it solely addresses the confirmation process for this specific appointment.
HB 421 clarifies North Carolina's motor vehicle dealer licensing rules. It extends the license renewal grace period from 30 to 60 days after expiration, requiring the Division to issue temporary licenses during this time. The bill also aligns dealer license plate renewals with dealer license cycles (now two years) and mandates that dealer plates be replaced every three to four years. These changes directly affect all licensed motor vehicle dealers in North Carolina who must renew licenses or plates. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.
HB 352 exempts the towns of Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina from North Carolina's standard competitive bidding rules for public infrastructure projects. To use this exemption, town councils must adopt a resolution approving each project, conduct annual audits of all such contracts, publicly disclose awarded contracts, and document their justification for bypassing bidding. The bill applies to contracts entered into on or before December 31, 2030. This change directly affects these two towns' procurement processes for infrastructure work like roads or utilities.
HB 79, "North Carolina Work and Save," creates a voluntary retirement savings program for North Carolina workers without access to employer-sponsored plans. It allows covered employers (small businesses not already offering tax-qualified retirement plans) to set up payroll deduction IRAs (traditional or Roth) for employees, enabling automatic retirement savings. The program is administered by a 12-member Board under the Department of Commerce, with funds held in a trust managed by private entities. It directly affects approximately 1.7 million North Carolina workers in small businesses, focusing on moderate- and lower-income households to improve retirement security. Participation is voluntary for both employers and employees, with no state funding required for employer participation.
HB 59 would increase the income eligibility limit for North Carolina's elderly or disabled property tax homestead exclusion from $25,000 to $48,000 for taxable years beginning July 1, 2026. This change would directly affect homeowners aged 65 or older, or those who are totally and permanently disabled, who meet other criteria (like being a North Carolina resident and owning their home as a permanent residence). The bill modifies the existing rule that currently limits eligibility to those with incomes under $25,000, raising the threshold to $48,000 while maintaining the exclusion amount as the greater of $25,000 or 50% of the home's appraised value. The change aims to expand access to this property tax relief for qualifying low-to-moderate income homeowners. (Note: The bill was withdrawn in June 2025 and has not become law.)
HB 348 extends the period for carrying forward deferred property taxes on agricultural, horticultural, and forest land from three to six years. It creates local grant programs for counties and cities, using the excess tax funds generated by this change, to provide financial support to qualifying farmers for farm sustainability. The bill also requires cities to obtain county commission approval before annexing land classified under present-use value taxation. These provisions directly affect farmers who qualify for present-use value property taxation and local governments managing tax funds and annexation decisions.
