Budget & Taxes

died · North Carolina · Senate May 4, 2026

SB 965: DIT Consultation.

This bill requires North Carolina's Department of Information Technology to offer advisory and consultation services to state agencies that are currently exempt from its standard IT programs. To support this new requirement, the legislation appropriates $50,000 to create an interagency liaison network and takes effect on July 1, 2026. The law does not change the existing list of exempt agencies but ensures they can still access guidance on IT activities if they request it.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $50,000 to fund an interagency liaison network for IT consultation, directly increasing budget allocation for public services.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill allocates funding to expand IT consultation services to exempt agencies, enhancing digital access and support within the state.85% confidence

Track

died · North Carolina · Senate May 6, 2026

SB 866: Add Home Schools to Opportunity Scholarships.

This bill expands North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship program to include students enrolled in home schools, allowing them to receive state funding for educational expenses. Under the new provisions, eligible home school students would qualify for a fixed annual grant of $1,500 to cover required costs such as books, equipment, and other materials, though the funding does not cover transportation or tuition fees. The legislation amends existing state statutes to define home schools as eligible nonpublic institutions and authorizes the State Education Assistance Authority to award these funds alongside scholarships for private school students. Funding for this expansion would be appropriated through the existing Opportunity Scholarship Grant Fund Reserve, maintaining the same income-based eligibility criteria used for other scholarship recipients.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $1,500 per student to expand educational funding for home schoolers, directly increasing state appropriations for education.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands educational access by funding home school students, strengthening educational options.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

Track

in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 29, 2026

HB 1078: Omnibus Life Sciences Appropriations.

HB 1078 is an omnibus appropriations bill that provides funding to the Department of Commerce and the Department of Health and Human Services in North Carolina. The legislation allocates $10 million to the One North Carolina Small Business Account and $2 million to the North Carolina Biotechnology Center to support life science companies, university research, workforce development, and economic programs. Additionally, the bill transfers the Advisory Council on Rare Diseases from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Health and Human Services and establishes a new Life Science and Biomanufacturing Technologies Reserve Fund. The bill also details the composition, membership, and administrative structure of the rare diseases council, which includes physicians, researchers, patient representatives, and industry experts.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $12M to fund life sciences, biotechnology, and economic development programs, directly strengthening state budget initiatives.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill allocates funding to biotechnology and life sciences, supporting research and workforce development in healthcare sectors.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill funds workforce development and economic programs for life sciences, indirectly supporting job creation and employment standards.65% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Workforce Development

Track

in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 28, 2026

HB 1057: Affordable Food Act.

HB 1057, known as the Affordable Food Act, aims to improve food security in North Carolina by expanding access to nutritious food and supporting local agriculture. The bill authorizes the state to request a federal waiver to create a program that matches SNAP benefits for purchases of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods at retailers and farmers markets. It also allocates state funding to administer these incentive programs and covers potential administrative losses due to recent federal changes to SNAP. Additionally, the legislation seeks to protect agricultural land from development and prohibits dynamic pricing in grocery stores to stabilize food costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funding to administer food security programs and covers administrative losses, directly advancing fiscal management for essential services.90% confidence

Track

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 856: Const Amend: Legislative Terms/Compensation.

This bill proposes constitutional changes to North Carolina's General Assembly, including a salary cap tied to public school teacher pay, a 16-year consecutive term limit for legislators, and a shift to four-year terms for Senators. The salary provision would set Assembly member pay equal to the average starting salary of state-funded public school teachers and align their travel and per diem allowances with those of state employees. Additionally, the bill would extend Senator terms from two to four years, beginning with the 2028 election, while keeping House terms at two years. All these changes are currently set for a public vote at the November 3, 2026 election, where voters will decide whether to adopt or reject the amendments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes a salary cap on legislators tied to teacher pay and limits terms, promoting fiscal responsibility and reducing government spending.85% confidence

Track

died · North Carolina · Senate Apr 23, 2026

SB 787: AI Ethics and Literacy Across Education.

This bill requires North Carolina public schools to teach artificial intelligence concepts to students from kindergarten through grade 12. It mandates that the State Board of Education create standards covering how AI works, its real-world uses, and ethical issues like privacy, bias, and academic honesty. To support this new requirement, the state will provide $100,000 in funding for the 2026-2027 school year to help schools implement the curriculum. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026, and allows AI instruction to be part of existing computer science classes in middle and high school.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $100,000 in state funding to support AI education implementation in public schools.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates AI literacy curriculum and allocates $100,000 in funding to strengthen education.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates AI education and provides funding to advance technology literacy and ethical understanding in schools.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Artificial Intelligence

Track

in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 22, 2026

HB 1017: Sound Basic Education for Every Child.

HB 1017 aims to improve teacher quality and availability in North Carolina by creating new roles, funding recruitment programs, and launching studies to address workforce challenges. The bill directs the state to develop a comprehensive plan for reforming teacher licensing and compensation to attract more educators, while also studying how to better prepare and graduate 5,000 in-state teachers annually. Significant funding is allocated to support existing and new teacher recruitment initiatives, such as "Grow-Your-Own" programs and the Teaching Fellows loan program, specifically targeting high-need schools and subjects like special education and STEM. Additionally, the legislation mandates a study to coordinate recruitment efforts between universities and local school districts to ensure a more efficient statewide system.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates significant funding to improve teacher quality, recruit educators, and reform licensing, directly advancing the education budget.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly aims to improve teacher quality, increase recruitment, and allocate significant funding for education workforce development.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill strengthens the teaching workforce by funding recruitment, improving compensation, and expanding teacher preparation to address employment challenges.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education Teachers

Track

in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 28, 2026

HB 1056: Relieving Housing Bottlenecks.

HB 1056 aims to increase housing supply in North Carolina by allowing residential construction in commercial zones and banning minimum parking requirements for new developments. The bill also creates a state program to reimburse local governments for costs associated with speeding up housing permit reviews and provides additional funding to the state housing finance agency. These measures are designed to reduce regulatory barriers that currently limit the number of homes being built and help address rising housing costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill provides state funding for housing permits and the housing finance agency to boost supply and reduce regulatory barriers.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill increases housing supply by allowing construction in commercial zones, removing parking mandates, and funding permit review acceleration.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Building Codes Zoning

Track

died · North Carolina · Senate May 5, 2026

SB 1014: A PTA for Every School.

This bill creates a one-time grant program for the 2026-2027 school year to help public school districts in North Carolina start Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) where they do not currently exist. The state will provide $2,000 for each school without a PTA, up to a total of $30,000 per district, but requires the district to match every dollar of state funding with two dollars of their own money. Districts must use these funds specifically to establish new PTAs and return any unspent money if a PTA is not formed for each school that received a grant. The program includes a requirement for the state education department to report on how many PTAs were created and any effects on student outcomes by April 2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds to establish new PTAs, directly advancing the budget and appropriations topic by funding essential programs.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides grants to establish PTAs, enhancing parent engagement and school infrastructure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

Track

in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 30, 2026

HB 1100: Construction Support Act.

This bill establishes a $200 million fund to help community colleges create training programs for high-demand construction trades like plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry. It also creates a $100 million grant program that will provide up to $5 million to construction material producers who invest at least $10 million in the state and create 250 jobs. Additionally, the bill requires state building code councils to update regulations to allow the use of specific cement substitutes and provides funding for local governments to set up digital permitting systems. These measures aim to address labor and material shortages in the construction industry by expanding the workforce, encouraging local manufacturing, and modernizing administrative processes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes a $200M fund and $100M grant program to support construction education and industry investment.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes a $200M fund for community college construction trade programs and creates grants for vocational training, directly expanding educational access and funding.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill funds construction workforce training and material producers, directly advancing housing development capacity and supply.75% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill funds training programs for construction trades and grants for job creation, directly supporting workforce development and employment opportunities.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Building Codes

Track