This bill allocates $8.3 million in state funds to Guilford County Schools for the 2025-2026 school year to support two specific academic programs. $5 million will fund high-dosage tutoring by hiring additional tutors, expanding subject areas, and increasing session availability. $3.3 million will support learning hubs that provide personalized academic assistance to students at risk of not graduating, helping them complete required coursework. The funding directly targets Guilford County Schools students and aims to strengthen academic support and graduation outcomes.
SB 282 aims to expand access to clubhouse model psychosocial rehabilitation programs for adults with severe mental illness in North Carolina who are Medicaid beneficiaries. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a statewide reimbursement plan by December 2025, including incentives for clubhouse accreditation, consistent payment rates across managed care organizations, and staff training. The bill also appropriates $2.5 million annually (2025-2027) from the General Fund to the North Carolina Clubhouse Coalition to support member clubhouses for program expansion, accreditation, or staff training. This directly affects Medicaid-funded clubhouses, managed care organizations, and the coalition itself. The plan must be reported to the legislature by December 2025, with implementation effective July 2025.
SB 589, titled the "Economic Empowerment for Tier One Counties Act," allocates $400 million in one-time funding to provide grants to North Carolina's Tier One counties (as defined by state law) for locally driven economic development projects. The bill directs funds toward initiatives focused on self-sufficiency, infrastructure, education, or workforce development, with each county eligible for up to $10 million in grants. Counties must submit detailed proposals outlining how funds will support these areas, and the Department of Commerce reviews and approves all applications before disbursement. Both the Department and recipient counties must submit annual reports tracking fund usage and outcomes until all grants are expended.
SB 286 increases licensing fees for nurses in North Carolina by doubling most existing rates. It directly affects registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and applicants seeking new licenses, renewals, or reinstatements. Key provisions include raising application fees (e.g., $75 to $150 for registered nurses), renewal fees (e.g., $100 to $200 for two-year periods), and reinstatement costs. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, and ensures fees cover board expenses without state treasury funding. No refunds are provided for paid fees under this updated schedule.
SB 241 appropriates $3.5 million from the General Fund to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for the renovation of the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hangar at Smith Reynolds Airport in Forsyth County. The funds will cover structural repairs, modernization, HVAC upgrades, and infrastructure improvements to the hangar facility. The bill requires the Department of Transportation to submit quarterly reports on fund usage to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee and Fiscal Research Division. This funding directly supports airport operations and maintenance for Forsyth County.
SB 320 creates an additional retirement allowance for North Carolina state and local law enforcement officers who retire after meeting specific service and age requirements. Eligible officers with at least 30 years of service (or 55+ with 5+ years) under age 62 can choose between two calculation methods for their annual allowance: one based on their current pay rate and service, or one based on their pay rate at 30 years of service. The allowance, paid monthly from state funds, stops upon the officer’s death, reaching age 62 (for the first method), or meeting a time-based condition (for the second method). This change supplements retirement income without affecting other retirement benefits or salary increases.
SB 663, the "End Menstrual Poverty Act," allocates $350,000 in one-time state funds to expand access to feminine hygiene products through North Carolina’s diaper banks and $1 million annually to fund a school-based grant program for feminine hygiene products. It directly affects low-income individuals and students who rely on diaper banks and school programs for essential hygiene items. The bill increases funding for existing distribution networks (diaper banks) and creates a recurring school grant program under state law. This provides concrete policy changes by boosting product availability in community and educational settings without altering eligibility or creating new requirements. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
HB 528 allocates $20 million from the state General Fund to Coastal Carolina Community College for renovating its Trades Building. The one-time funding, effective July 1, 2025, is specifically designated to upgrade facilities used for vocational training programs. This bill directly affects the college’s infrastructure and the students who use the Trades Building for hands-on learning. The provision creates a concrete policy change by directing state funds for a specific capital improvement project.
SB 101 protects funds in North Carolina's 529 education savings accounts and ABLE accounts (for people with disabilities) from being seized by creditors. It ensures that money used for qualifying purposes - like education expenses for 529s or disability-related costs for ABLEs - cannot be claimed through liens, garnishments, or judgments. The bill repeals an existing law that previously allowed such claims and applies to actions filed after September 1, 2025. This directly affects account owners, beneficiaries, and contributors who use these funds for permitted purposes.
HB 276 expands the definition of "killed in the line of duty" for firefighters to include deaths caused by specific cancers that previously qualified them for benefits under North Carolina's Firefighters' Cancer Insurance Program. The bill adds seven specific cancers (like mesothelioma and testicular cancer) to the list and includes any cancer diagnosis that already provided benefits under the existing program. It also formally links the Firefighters' Health Benefits Pilot Program to the Cancer Insurance Program, ensuring consistent coverage, and appropriates $2 million annually for related death benefits starting July 1, 2025. This change directly affects firefighters diagnosed with covered cancers and their families, who will now qualify for death benefits under the Public Safety Employees' Death Benefits Act.
