HB 503, the "Don't Tread on Me Act," proposes new protections for North Carolinians by restricting government overreach in privacy, healthcare, education, and employment. It prohibits state agencies from conducting warrantless surveillance, demanding private medical or political information for services, denying reproductive care based on ideology, interfering with parental decisions without due process, or censoring fact-based education. The bill also bans discrimination in employment, housing, or public services based on private beliefs, medical history, or lawful conduct. Currently in early legislative stages (filed March 24, passed 1st reading March 26), it would take effect if enacted.
SB 326, the Economic Security Act, raises North Carolina's minimum wage to $22 per hour starting January 1, 2026, with annual inflation adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index. It requires employers to provide paid sick leave, paid family medical leave, and workplace safety protections, while mandating equal pay for equal work regardless of gender. The bill also increases the tipped minimum wage, ends wage theft, prohibits employers from asking about criminal history on job applications ("ban the box"), and expands unemployment benefits for workers. These provisions directly affect all private and public employers and employees across North Carolina, including gig economy workers and essential workers.
SB 631 allocates $10.4 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and $14.1 million for 2026-2027 to increase salaries for juvenile justice staff in North Carolina. It directly affects Youth Counselor Technicians, Youth Services Behavioral Specialists, Youth Counselors, and Juvenile Court Counselors within the Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The bill establishes new annual salary schedules for these roles, including specific pay rates based on experience levels for the 2025-2027 biennium. Additionally, $3.9 million is specifically designated to address existing pay gaps ("salary compression") among these staff members. The funding is intended to support workforce retention and recruitment within the juvenile justice system.
HB 1008 enhances penalties for sexual battery and stalking when the perpetrator is a local government elected official. The bill specifically applies if the victim is a fellow member of the same governing board or an employee of that board. In such cases, sexual battery, which is typically a Class A1 misdemeanor, becomes a Class H felony. Similarly, stalking committed under these specific circumstances also escalates to a Class H felony. This act becomes effective on December 1, 2025, for offenses committed on or after that date.
SB 717 (North Carolina) increases penalties for assault by strangulation by creating three new felony classifications based on injury severity. It establishes a Class F felony for strangulation causing serious bodily injury (defined as risk of death, disfigurement, permanent impairment, or prolonged hospitalization), a Class H G felony for strangulation causing physical injury, and a Class H felony for strangulation without specified injury. The law directly affects individuals convicted of strangulation assaults in North Carolina, defining "strangulation" as pressure on the throat/neck or obstruction of nose/mouth. The bill takes effect June 1, 2025, applying to offenses committed on or after that date.
HB 350 requires North Carolina firearm owners to report lost or stolen firearms to local law enforcement or the State Bureau of Investigation within 24 hours of discovery. Owners must provide specific details like the firearm’s make, model, serial number, and circumstances of the loss or theft. Law enforcement must then enter key details into the National Crime Information Center database. Violations are punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor for a first offense, escalating to a Class I felony for repeat violations. The law takes effect December 1, 2025.
HB 733, the "Everybody Eats Act," would allow North Carolina to bypass federal rules that block food assistance benefits for people convicted of certain drug-related felony offenses (Class H or I). It requires individuals to complete substance abuse treatment or avoid new drug offenses for six months after release or conviction to qualify for benefits, and extends the period for renewing eligibility from less than a year to 12 months. The bill directly affects formerly incarcerated individuals with specific drug felony convictions who meet treatment or offense-free conditions. It makes no changes to federal law but adjusts North Carolina's program implementation for food assistance and temporary aid.
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.
HB 137, the "Gabe Torres Act," expands death benefits under North Carolina's Public Safety Employees' Death Benefits Act to include public safety workers (like police, fire, and emergency personnel) who are killed while traveling to or from work. The bill amends the law to define "official duties" to explicitly cover commuting between home and work, as well as travel for training or responding to emergencies. It also appropriates $300,000 in recurring funds for these expanded benefits, effective July 1, 2025. This change directly affects eligible families of covered public safety employees who die during work-related travel, ensuring they qualify for death benefits previously limited to on-duty incidents.
SB 662 updates North Carolina's domestic violence protective order law to explicitly include same-sex couples in dating relationships. It amends the definition of "personal relationship" by removing the requirement that dating partners be of opposite sex, ensuring same-sex couples who are romantically involved can seek protective orders under the same criteria as opposite-sex couples. The bill changes Section 50B-1(b)(6) of the statute to clarify that a dating relationship is defined by ongoing romantic involvement, not gender. This policy change applies to protective orders issued on or after the bill's effective date.
