HB 810, effective July 1, 2025, provides North Carolina state employees with paid bereavement leave: up to 40 hours for the death of an immediate family member (spouse, parent, child, sibling, or dependent living with them) and up to 8 hours for the death of a colleague. It applies to all state employees, public school staff, and community college workers, requiring documentation like a death certificate but allowing leave without exhausting sick or vacation time. Employees must use family leave within 180 days of the death and provide funeral attendance proof for colleague leave, with no annual limit on usage. The bill appropriates $2 million annually from the General Fund to cover these leave costs through the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium.
HB 798 appropriates $1.72 million annually from the General Fund to create a Cold Weather Shelters Grant Program, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Aging. The program provides grants to municipalities and nonprofits to establish or expand temporary emergency shelters for people experiencing homelessness during severe weather events. Grants are limited to $215,000 per recipient annually, with selection considering poverty rates in the service area and existing funding availability. Recipients must report annually on shelter usage, funds spent, and the number of people served, starting in 2027.
HB 930 creates two separate $1,500 one-time bonus programs for eligible public employees in North Carolina: first responders (including police, firefighters, emergency medical staff, dispatchers, and public hospital nurses) and teachers (classroom staff, principals, and support personnel). The bill allocates $130 million annually for first responders and $165 million for teachers from the General Fund during the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, with funds distributed to local governments and school districts by November 1 each year. To qualify, recipients must be employed on October 1 of the fiscal year, and bonuses must be paid by December 31 (prorated for part-time workers). Funds cannot cover administrative costs, must be paid in addition to base salary, and will revert to the General Fund if unspent by year-end. The program takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 658 appropriates $1 million from the state General Fund to Preservation Greensboro Incorporated for the operating expenses and restoration of the historic Blandwood Mansion in Greensboro. The mansion, built in the 19th century and formerly home to Governor John Motley Morehead, is directly affected by this funding. The bill directs the Office of State Budget and Management to provide a one-time grant to cover preservation costs for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This is a straightforward funding measure with no policy changes beyond allocating state resources for historic site maintenance.
HB 54 allocates $125,000 annually from the General Fund (2025-2027) to fund training programs developed by the NC Association of People Supporting Employment First (NC APSE). The training, delivered via online modules, will help employers, service providers, and other entities support individuals with serious mental illness, intellectual disabilities, or developmental disabilities in finding and keeping competitive jobs. It focuses on evidence-based supported employment practices to improve job placement and retention. The bill directly affects individuals with these disabilities and the organizations that serve them, with training available statewide starting July 1, 2025.
SB 24 requires that any new state health insurance mandate must be paired with the repeal of an existing mandate and include funding to cover the new cost. It directly affects North Carolina employers (especially small businesses) and taxpayers by targeting mandates that increase insurance premiums and state health plan expenses. Key provisions mandate that new health benefit requirements (like coverage for specific treatments or drugs) must include both a repeal of an equivalent existing mandate and recurring state funding for the new cost. The bill applies to all health insurance plans, including the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees, and takes effect 30 days after enactment.
SB 114 appropriates $500,000 from the state General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain Foundation. This funding specifically supports operational expenses and program expansion for the Boys & Girls Clubs located in Pitt County only. The bill directs all funds to these local clubs, with no restrictions on how the money is spent beyond the stated purpose. It becomes effective July 1, 2025.
HB 180 requires North Carolina's legislative and executive branches to collaborate annually on a long-term budget assessment covering at least five years. The bill mandates analyzing how to maintain current services amid inflation and population changes, the cost of new policies or court mandates, employee salary/benefit adjustments, and economic or federal funding shifts. This assessment must directly inform the Governor's annual budget message, which must include a five-year fiscal outlook for new or expanded programs. The law applies to all state budget planning starting with the next fiscal year, affecting how state agencies and the Governor project spending sustainability.
HB 178 requires North Carolina's state agencies and legislators to make budget-related requests public once the annual budget bill passes, removing previous confidentiality for communications about funding provisions. It mandates a one-week public comment period with an online portal, at least one public hearing, and three nonvoting committee meetings for budget debate before final votes. The bill directly affects state agencies submitting budget requests, legislators receiving those requests, and the public, who gain access to previously confidential budget discussions. Key changes include requiring legislators to receive budget drafts five days before voting and treating all budget-related documents as public records after enactment.
HB 142 requires North Carolina state agencies to adopt zero-based budgeting for the 2031-2033 fiscal biennium, starting with a phased implementation beginning July 1, 2027. This means agencies must justify every funding request from scratch each budget cycle - starting with a $0 baseline - rather than carrying over previous appropriations. Agencies must submit detailed justifications for each budget item, including explanations of their functions, performance data, and goals. The bill directly affects all state agencies in the executive branch, requiring them to re-evaluate all programs and costs annually. The full zero-based budget will apply to the entire state budget starting in 2031-2033.
