Budget & Taxes

HB 58 modifies local election rules across North Carolina. It extends Kittrell's mayor and commissioners' terms from two to four years, changes Asheboro's school board to seven partisan-elected members (down from 11) with four-year staggered terms, and eliminates a mandatory school funding floor for Scotland County. The bill also establishes residency districts for Anson County commissioners, clarifies vacancy procedures for Caswell County, and allows Scotland County to set school budgets without state-mandated funding minimums. These changes directly affect local governments and school boards in multiple counties, altering election structures and budget authority.

HB 48 raises North Carolina's maximum weekly unemployment benefit from $350 to $400 for claimants filing on or after March 2, 2025, directly affecting unemployed workers. It also creates a 2025 tax credit for employers, allowing them to offset unemployment insurance taxes paid on 2024 fourth-quarter wages against their 2025 tax liability. The credit applies only to contributions remitted by January 31, 2025, and must be claimed via a specific report. The bill ratifies a governor's temporary disaster-related unemployment expansion but focuses on permanent changes to benefit levels and employer tax treatment.