HB 599 provides a 7.5% across-the-board salary increase for all North Carolina Forest Service (NCFS) employees, directly affecting approximately 500+ state workers. The bill appropriates $2.6 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year (effective July 1, 2025) and an additional $5.2 million for 2026-2027 (effective July 1, 2026) from the state general fund. These increases are funded through recurring annual appropriations, meaning the funding is guaranteed each year. The bill requires no new policy changes but allocates specific state budget resources to adjust employee compensation.
HB 586 appropriates $2 million from the state General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to fund the expansion of the Midtown YMCA in Wilmington, North Carolina. The grant will support the YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina's $15 million project to build a 50,000-square-foot facility on a 10-acre site, directly benefiting youth and families in New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, and Sampson counties. Key provisions include funding new fitness, aquatic, child care, and educational spaces, with the expansion expected to serve 6,000 additional members and provide water safety lessons to all 2nd graders in New Hanover County. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, and requires the funds to be disbursed as a grant to the YMCA.
HB 757 appropriates $31,000 from North Carolina's General Fund to Joyful Soul Treasures, Inc., a nonprofit organization, for its "Safe Haven for Safe Sex" project. The grant specifically supports sexual health education and awareness programs targeting adolescents aged 13-18, focusing on providing essential knowledge and reducing stigma. This funding directly enables the nonprofit to implement this youth-focused initiative. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025.
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.
