This bill creates a special fund to protect North Carolina state employees from having their take-home pay reduced if their health insurance premiums rise. To achieve this, the state will transfer $150 million from scholarship reserves to the new fund, which will be used to supplement employee compensation and maintain their net income. The State Treasurer, in consultation with the Office of State Human Resources, will manage the fund and establish rules for its administration. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026, and applies specifically to participants in the North Carolina State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees.
This bill modifies North Carolina's sales tax laws to exempt feminine hygiene products, diapers, and groceries from state and local sales taxes. It specifically adds items like tampons, menstrual cups, and sanitary napkins to the list of tax-free feminine hygiene goods and clarifies that certain grooming products such as soap and shampoo remain taxable. Additionally, the legislation ensures that children's and adult diapers purchased with a prescription from a Medicaid provider are not subject to sales tax. The bill also includes a provision to distribute $1.6 million in state funds to regional councils of government to inform the public about these new tax exemptions.
This bill requires the North Carolina General Assembly to attach a fiscal note to every piece of legislation before it is considered, ensuring lawmakers understand the financial impact of their proposals. The Fiscal Research Division must prepare these notes to estimate costs for the first five years, with specific requirements for new state buildings, programs, and laws that increase incarceration. Bills proposing changes that could lead to more people being incarcerated or staying in prison longer must include a detailed cost analysis prepared in consultation with the Sentencing Policy and Advisory Commission. The legislation also mandates that these fiscal notes be separate documents that do not express legislative intent, while providing $50,000 in funding to cover the administrative costs of implementing this new requirement.
This bill establishes the North Carolina Small Business Capital Access Act to help small businesses and companies in underserved areas get the money they need to start, run, and grow. It creates a new state office and an oversight board to manage a program that includes loan guarantees, direct investments, and technical assistance for eligible businesses. The loan guarantee component is designed to encourage private lenders to provide financing by covering up to 90% of the loan amount for businesses in the most disadvantaged regions. The program specifically targets small businesses with fewer than 500 employees and those operating in low-income or rural census tracts.
This bill establishes the Affordable Housing Efficiency Grant Program in North Carolina to provide funding for energy efficiency and electric upgrades in affordable multifamily housing buildings. The program targets residential complexes with at least 50% of units reserved for low-income households that have been in service for at least 15 years, with a focus on projects located in underserved communities. Eligible buildings can receive grants of up to $0.75 per square foot to cover costs for measures such as heat pumps, electric water heaters, insulation, and related planning or health improvements, provided they maintain their affordability status. The Department of Environmental Quality will manage the program using $5 million in recurring state funds starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year, while recipients must report annually on energy savings and other outcomes.
This bill establishes a Tropical Storm Chantal Mitigation Fund within North Carolina's Division of Emergency Management to assist homeowners in seven specific counties affected by the storm. The fund will provide financial support for buying out homes, relocating residents, or repairing and rebuilding properties, with each person eligible to receive up to $500,000. A total of $25 million is allocated from the state's general fund for these purposes, with unused money returning to a disaster relief fund by June 2028. The legislation is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026.
This North Carolina bill creates a new program to help workers who lose their jobs due to artificial intelligence or automation. It establishes a $50 million fund to pay for job retraining and education, with a focus on skilled trades like healthcare and advanced manufacturing. The law also requires companies receiving state economic incentives to report any layoffs caused by AI or automation. Finally, it directs the State Education Assistance Authority to transfer the necessary funds to the Department of Commerce to launch this program on July 1, 2026.
SB 1045, titled the Utility Profit Oversight Act, requires the North Carolina General Assembly to explicitly approve any proposed electric utility rate increases that would raise the utility's authorized return on equity. Under this bill, the Public Service Commission must immediately suspend such rate changes until the legislature passes a specific act ratifying them, ensuring that significant profit increases receive direct legislative oversight. The legislation also mandates a study by the Commission to evaluate the cost of equity capital for electric utilities in the state. By shifting the approval power for these specific financial adjustments from the regulatory commission to the state legislature, the bill aims to add a layer of political accountability to utility pricing decisions.
This North Carolina bill creates a new Human Trafficking Records Commission within the Department of Justice to review and release records related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, while redacting victim information. The legislation modifies existing laws on legislative privilege to allow the commission to investigate lawmakers and authorizes the State Bureau of Investigation to assist with inquiries into individuals identified in the released documents. Additionally, the bill establishes a legal mechanism for courts to issue Extreme Risk Protection Orders that temporarily remove firearms from people named in the commission's records. To support these new operations, the act appropriates ten million dollars in state funds for the commission and investigative activities for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
This North Carolina legislation creates a Military Sexual Trauma Study Commission and a two-year pilot program to assist survivors of military sexual trauma. The Commission will investigate barriers to reporting and support access among active duty, reserve, and veteran populations, with a requirement to submit findings to the General Assembly by April 2027. The pilot program, managed by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, provides a confidential hotline, counseling, legal referrals, and emergency assistance to affected service members and families. These provisions aim to improve care coordination and inform future statewide implementation without duplicating existing federal services.
This bill directs $34.88 million in state funds to three North Carolina entities for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to support emergency services, public safety, and affordable housing. The Town of Davidson receives $20.44 million to build a fire station, buy an emergency vehicle, and purchase police and breathing apparatus equipment. The Town of Cornelius is allocated $10 million for land acquisition for a future public safety facility, replacing a fire engine, improving pedestrian safety, and constructing a recreation center. Additionally, the Lake Norman Community Development Corporation gets $4 million to develop affordable housing in Cornelius, including specific funding for the Smithville community. These nonrecurring funds are scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026.
This bill requires North Carolina public schools to create policies limiting the use of wireless devices like phones and tablets during instructional time. It mandates that students in kindergarten through fifth grade cannot use any such devices in classrooms, while older students face stricter limits on device usage and access to non-instructional content like social media. To support these restrictions, the legislation appropriates funds to hire one teacher assistant for every classroom serving students in grades K through five. Additionally, the law grants parents the right to opt out of their children being issued wireless devices by the school and ensures that printed materials are used for instruction in elementary and middle schools.
