HB 962 allocates $25 million in one-time funds to East Carolina University's College of Engineering and Technology for building improvements and equipment upgrades, and $4 million annually during the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to expand faculty positions. The bill directly affects ECU's engineering programs by providing resources to modernize facilities and hire additional staff. These funds are designated for specific uses - infrastructure and equipment for the first allocation, and personnel expansion for the second - without specifying outcomes. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025, and is currently pending in the House Appropriations Committee.
SB 76 appropriates $300,000 from North Carolina's General Fund to the Franklinton Center at Bricks, Inc., for its operating expenses and capital improvements during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The funds are designated as a nonrecurring grant to support the organization's operations and physical improvements. This bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, and directly affects the Franklinton Center at Bricks, Inc., by providing financial support for its ongoing activities.
SB 182 appropriates $22 million in nonrecurring state funds from the General Fund to the City of Conover for water and sewer system improvements during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill directly affects Conover residents and local infrastructure by providing funding for necessary upgrades to the city's water and wastewater systems. The key provision is the allocation of specific funds for these infrastructure projects, with the bill becoming effective on July 1, 2025. This is a straightforward funding measure with no additional regulatory requirements or new obligations beyond the financial allocation.
This bill appropriates $6.25 million in one-time funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and $1 million annually from 2025-2027 to the North Carolina Coastal Federation. The funds will directly support three coastal programs: a $1 million education center on Bogue Sound (matching private funds), a $5 million Living Shoreline Protection Program, and a $250,000 oyster shell recycling initiative. An additional $1 million yearly will fund a permanent program to remove abandoned vessels. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, with all funding directed to the Coastal Federation for specific environmental and community projects.
SB 541, the Train Infrastructure Acceleration Act, allocates $1 million in additional state funding for each of seven specific train routes in North Carolina to support engineering studies and feasibility work. The bill directly affects the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), which must use these funds for projects like the Asheville-Salisbury line and the Charlotte-Washington, D.C. corridor, alongside existing routes. Key provisions include requiring annual reports on fund usage and progress by December 1 each year, and appropriating $7 million total from the General Fund. The act focuses on advancing preliminary planning, not construction, to strengthen federal partnerships and secure future rail development. It becomes effective July 1, 2025.
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.
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.
SB 487 requires that every spending item in North Carolina's Current Operations Appropriations Act must be sponsored by a specific legislator, with the sponsor's name included directly in the appropriation text. This applies only to funding measures within the annual operating budget bill, not to other types of legislation. The bill mandates that appropriations become legally invalid if they lack a named sponsor, aiming to clarify accountability for each spending decision. It does not change how funding is allocated or impact public services directly, but affects how budget language is drafted and approved.
SB 540 increases funding for small county school systems in North Carolina by revising their supplemental allotment schedule. It provides higher base funding amounts based on student enrollment (e.g., counties with 0-1,300 students receive $1.82 million annually instead of prior rates), directly affecting small school districts with under 3,300 students. The bill appropriates $20,961,180 in recurring funds from the General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to implement these changes. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, ensuring increased per-student funding for eligible small county school systems.
SB 486 appropriates $30,000 annually from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Aging for the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature program during the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium. This funding directly supports the program, which engages older adults in state legislative processes. The bill provides recurring annual funding without changing program eligibility or services. It becomes effective July 1, 2025. (This is a procedural funding bill, not a policy change.)
