Budget & Taxes

signed · North Carolina · Senate Oct 23, 2025

SB 449: Continuing Budget Operations Part IV.

SB 449 modifies North Carolina's disaster recovery funding programs related to Hurricane Helene. It extends interest-only payment periods for Golden LEAF loans to 24 months, caps individual loans at $150,000, and defers repayment for small cities and counties until June 30, 2030, or after FEMA reimbursement decisions. Eligible communities include cities with under 10,000 residents and over 100% budget damage, or counties with under 25,000 residents and over 50% budget damage from Helene. The bill also requires local government grant projects to be ineligible for FEMA Public Assistance reimbursement to qualify for funding.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesDefers loan repayments for disaster-affected local governments, easing budget pressures and aligning with appropriations subject category.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

passed both · North Carolina · House Sep 22, 2025

HB 192: Defund Planned Parenthood and Cost Transparency.

The bill title "Defund Planned Parenthood and Cost Transparency" does not match the actual content of HB 192, which is focused on education funding. This bill raises teacher salaries for the 2025-2026 school year using a new salary schedule (e.g., $5,000 for 0 years experience, $6,823 for 25+ years) and reinstates education-based supplements for advanced degrees ($126-$253 monthly). It appropriates $1.597 billion for salary increases and $8 million for supplements, while directing the North Carolina Collaboratory to study a student-based funding system by February 2026. The bill directly affects public school teachers, instructional support staff, and school psychologists. The title appears to be incorrect based on the provided bill text.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $1.597B for teacher salaries and $8M for education supplements, directly increasing state spending on public education through budgetary allocations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill appropriates $1.597B for teacher salary increases and $8M for education-based supplements, directly advancing teacher compensation and funding within K-12 education.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed both · North Carolina · House Sep 22, 2025

HB 389: Continuing Budget Operations Part III.

HB 389 establishes a two-year pilot program to create free child care workforce academies across North Carolina, directly affecting individuals seeking careers in child care with no prior experience. The program provides free training, credentialing support (including health screenings and background checks), and stipends ($150 upon completion, $500 after one year of employment) to help participants become lead teachers in licensed child care centers. It allocates $738,000 annually from the General Fund for 2025-2027 to cover tuition and stipends, requiring local partnerships to contribute 25% match. The pilot will launch in Johnston and Wayne counties plus 10 additional regions, with progress reports due by 2026 to evaluate expansion potential. (Note: The bill title "Continuing Budget Operations Part III" appears inconsistent with the actual content; the text focuses on child care workforce training.)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $738k annually for child care workforce academies under budget appropriations, directly funding a public service program.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill funds free training/stipends for child care workforce academies, directly supporting early education teacher development and access to licensed child care centers.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides free training, credentialing, and stipends to support entry into child care workforce, aligning with labor & employment development through workforce investment.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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signed · North Carolina · House Aug 6, 2025

HB 125: Continuing Budget Operations.

HB 125 establishes budget operations for North Carolina's 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, primarily allocating $142 million in one-time funds for agricultural disaster relief related to 2024 crop losses. It requires recipients to first seek insurance or federal aid before using state funds, and to return state funds if alternative sources are secured. The bill directly affects farmers, institutions of higher education, and other entities receiving disaster aid, mandating transparency through reporting to the State Auditor. Crucially, it prohibits the Governor from using these disaster funds for general budget adjustments or reallocations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $142M for agricultural disaster relief within budget operations, directly funding a specific program through state appropriations.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · North Carolina · House Jul 29, 2025

HB 402: Limit Rules With Substantial Financial Costs.

HB 402 requires North Carolina state agencies to assess the financial impact of proposed permanent rules. If a rule would cost affected individuals or businesses $20 million or more over five years, it must be approved by the General Assembly before taking effect. For rules with a $1 million or more annual cost impact, agencies must prepare a fiscal note for review by the Office of State Budget and Management. The bill also mandates a two-thirds vote by agency boards to adopt rules exceeding the $1 million cost threshold. This directly affects state agencies creating regulations and the businesses or residents who would bear the costs of those rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires fiscal impact assessments and legislative approval for costly rules, promoting fiscal responsibility in budget management.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

passed both · North Carolina · Senate Jun 26, 2025

SB 101: Protect Tax-Advantaged Accts. and Living Donors.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProtects tax-advantaged accounts (529/ABLE), preserving tax benefits and preventing creditor seizures, directly supporting tax policy integrity and fiscal management.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · North Carolina · Senate May 27, 2025

SB 131: Temp. Local Sales Tax Changes/Buncombe Co.

SB 131 authorizes Buncombe County to use existing local sales tax proceeds (allocated by the state) for any public purpose, removing prior restrictions on how these funds could be spent. It directly affects Buncombe County residents and local projects funded through these taxes. The bill allows the county to redirect funds toward any public need - such as infrastructure, parks, or services - without specific project limitations. This temporary measure applies to tax proceeds allocated on or after July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027. The bill is pending legislative action and does not create new taxes or alter tax rates.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill removes restrictions on using local sales tax proceeds for any public purpose, increasing budget flexibility for Buncombe County and enabling funding of various public services without prior limitations.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · North Carolina · Senate Feb 17, 2025

SB 24: Govt Mandates Increase Healthcare Costs.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires funding for new health mandates to prevent cost increases, promoting fiscal responsibility in budget management per BUDGETING subject.90% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill restricts new health insurance mandates by requiring repeal of existing mandates and funding, directly targeting cost increases for employers and taxpayers. Limits mandate expansion.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRestricts new health benefit mandates without offset, limiting expansion of employment benefits (e.g., coverage for specific treatments) that would otherwise increase employer costs.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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