Budget & Taxes

signed · North Carolina · House Jul 8, 2026

HB 1094: Ferry Division Audit/DOT Omnibus.

This bill directs the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor to conduct a performance audit of the Ferry Division within the Department of Transportation. The audit will examine financial spending, operational efficiency, and the current route system to identify ways to reduce costs and increase revenue. Additionally, the review will explore options for diversifying funding sources to support capital projects and cover operating expenses. The State Auditor must submit a final report detailing these findings to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division by October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill promotes fiscal responsibility by auditing state spending to reduce costs and increase revenue.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · North Carolina · House Jul 8, 2026

HB 920: Virtual Currency Kiosk Consumer Protection Act.

HB 920, the NC Digital Asset Freedom Act, allows North Carolina residents and businesses to use qualifying digital assets for everyday transactions and tax payments. To qualify, digital assets must meet strict criteria including 10 years of security, $750 billion market capitalization, decentralized governance, proof-of-work security, and U.S. regulatory classification as a non-security. The bill recognizes these assets as legally valid payment methods (preventing denial of enforceability) and permits tax payments to the state using them, requiring reporting of U.S. dollar equivalents at transaction time. It also mandates privacy protections for users and imposes a $2,000 daily transaction limit for new users of digital asset kiosks to prevent fraud.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllows digital assets for tax payments, directly enabling new tax payment methods under TAXATION subject in bill summary and subjects list.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyEnables regulated digital assets as legal payment methods with security criteria, advancing cryptocurrency adoption and establishing legal framework for digital transactions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jul 8, 2026

SB 474: Adjust Counties/Reappraisal Moratorium.

SB 474, the DAVE Act, creates a new Division of Accountability, Value, and Efficiency within North Carolina's State Auditor's office. It requires all state agencies to report by October 2025 on how they spend public funds and list vacant positions held for six months or longer, including reasons for vacancies. The Division will assess whether agencies or specific positions remain necessary, using AI tools to analyze spending effectiveness, duplication, and budget use. By December 2025, the Division must recommend to the legislature which agencies or positions should be eliminated based on this review.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires agencies to report spending and vacancies, uses AI to analyze budget effectiveness, duplication, and fiscal efficiency, promoting fiscal responsibility in state budget management.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jul 8, 2026

SB 355: Support the Dept. of Adult Correction.-AB

SB 355 waives tuition at North Carolina public colleges for survivors of correctional officers, probation officers, or firefighters who died in the line of duty or became permanently disabled. It specifically covers spouses of disabled officers and children (ages 17-24) of disabled officers, with eligibility requiring service-connected death/disability and verification from relevant agencies. The waiver applies to both credit and noncredit programs, limiting bachelor’s degree support to 54 months. This policy directly affects families of these public safety workers by reducing education costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill waives state tuition fees for eligible survivors, increasing state spending on education funding through targeted appropriations.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tuition waivers for eligible survivors of first responders, expanding access to higher education through financial aid for specific beneficiary groups.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · North Carolina · House Jul 8, 2026

HB 747: 2026 Wildlife Resources Changes.

HB 747 updates North Carolina's wildlife laws with three key changes. It requires the Wildlife Resources Commission to keep personal information (like addresses and email) and details about rare species habitats confidential to prevent harm or theft. The bill also creates two new license plates - “Wildlife Resources” (requiring 300+ applications before development) and “Lifetime Conservationist” - with sales revenue funding conservation accounts. Additionally, it shortens the out-of-state boat number reciprocity period from 90 to 60 days and adds safety rules for personal watercraft, including mandatory Coast Guard-approved life jackets and restrictions on close following. These changes affect the Commission, vehicle owners, and boaters, effective October 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates license plate revenue funding conservation accounts, directly advancing budget allocation for wildlife programs via new fees.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds conservation via license plate sales and protects rare species habitats through confidentiality measures, directly advancing environmental conservation efforts.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jul 7, 2026

SB 257: 2026 Appropriations Act.

SB 257, the 2025 Appropriations Act, allocates funding for North Carolina's state agencies, departments, and institutions for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium. It provides budget authority from the General Fund, Highway Fund, and Highway Trust Fund to cover current operations, maintenance, and specific programs like those managed by the Department of Transportation. The bill also includes federal block grant funding for health and human services (DHHS) and other designated programs. This funding measure directly affects all state entities receiving these appropriations and becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates funding for state agencies, departments, and essential programs (e.g., transportation, health services) for 2025-2027 biennium, directly supporting budgetary operations.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill allocates Highway Fund and Trust Fund for DOT operations, maintenance, and transportation programs per summary and explicit 'TRANSPORTATION' subject listing.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · North Carolina · House Jul 2, 2026

HB 1040: Pitt-Greenville Airport Authority Changes.

HB 1040 updates the financial and operational rules for the Pitt County-City of Greenville Airport Authority by clarifying how the county and city fund airport operations and expansions. The bill allows the two governments to share costs for running the airport and building new facilities, using money from airport fees, land sales, or voter-approved taxes and bonds. It also confirms the authority's power to manage the property, enforce safety zoning rules, and issue debt for improvements if voters agree. This legislation primarily affects the local county and city officials who oversee the airport's budget and development plans.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill clarifies funding mechanisms and allows use of fees, land sales, and voter-approved taxes to support airport operations and expansions.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill clarifies funding mechanisms and operational rules for airport infrastructure, enabling cost-sharing and debt issuance for improvements.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · North Carolina · House Jul 2, 2026

HB 332: Nash/Rocky Mount Occupancy Tax Changes.

HB 332 modifies Nash County's occupancy tax by allowing the county to add a 2% tax on top of the existing 3% tax for hotel/motel stays. This affects hotels, motels, and similar accommodations in Nash County (excluding nonprofits) and directs the new tax revenue to two entities: two-thirds to the Nash Tourism Development Authority for tourism promotion, and one-third to the City of Rocky Mount for approved tourism projects. The bill specifies that all funds must be spent exclusively on tourism-related activities like marketing, convention centers, or promoting travel within Nash County. It requires the county to first implement the base 3% tax before adding the additional 2% levy.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly increases occupancy tax rate and allocates new revenue to tourism development authorities, directly advancing tax collection and budget allocation mechanisms.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

passed · North Carolina · Senate Jul 1, 2026

SB 992: Truth in Taxation.

This bill, titled "Truth in Taxation," requires local taxing authorities in North Carolina to follow a specific process before raising property tax rates above a revenue-neutral level during years when a general reappraisal of real property occurs. To implement this change, the governing body must publish public notices in newspapers and online, send direct mail to taxpayers detailing the proposed tax increase, and hold a dedicated public hearing where a majority vote is required to approve the higher rate. If a local government fails to comply with these procedures and collects excess taxes, the bill mandates that they refund the overage to affected property owners. Additionally, the legislation increases the late reinstatement fee for expired real estate appraiser trainee registrations, licenses, and certificates to $12 per month, up from $10.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill enforces fiscal responsibility by requiring public notice and majority approval for property tax increases, protecting taxpayers from arbitrary rate hikes.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

Track

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jun 22, 2026

SB 695: Incent Development Finance District Funding.

SB 695, titled "Incent Development Finance District Funding," was introduced in 2025 but withdrawn from committee on April 28, 2025, without advancing further. The bill's title suggests it aimed to establish incentives for funding Development Finance Districts (DFDs), which are designated areas where local governments use special tax mechanisms to finance public improvements. However, no specific policy provisions or affected entities are described in the provided context, as the bill was withdrawn before committee action. Since it did not pass committee or receive a full legislative vote, no concrete policy changes were enacted.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes tax incentives for Development Finance Districts (DFDs), directly addressing taxation to fund public improvements through special tax mechanisms.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes