Education

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Feb 5, 2025

SB 47: State Emps./No Payroll Dues Deduction.

SB 47 would eliminate the ability for North Carolina state employees, local government workers, and public school staff to have dues paid through automatic payroll deductions to their employee associations. Currently, employees could authorize such deductions if their association met specific membership thresholds (e.g., 2,000 members with 500 state/local employees). The bill repeals this provision, meaning employees would no longer be able to set up automatic payroll deductions for association dues. This change directly affects all covered state and public sector employees who previously used this method to pay dues.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRemoves automatic payroll deductions for public school staff union dues, restricting a key benefit for educators and weakening teacher association support.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill eliminates automatic payroll deductions for union dues, directly restricting collective bargaining access for state/local employees and public school staff.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Public Employees

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died · North Carolina · Senate Mar 26, 2025

SB 583: Lead. Invest. Families/Foster Teen Act (LIFT).

SB 583, the Lead. Invest. Families/Foster Teen Act (LIFT), creates a program providing $1,000 monthly cash payments to four specific groups: homeless high school seniors (grade 12), expectant or new mothers with children under 18 months, natural disaster survivors qualifying for FEMA aid, and young adults exiting foster care (aged 16-27). Payments begin April 1, 2026, and continue until April 1, 2035, with disaster survivors receiving payments for 12 months post-disaster. The program is funded through a new LIFT Fund established within the Department of Health and Human Services, which receives state appropriations and other designated funds, and payments are exempt from state income tax and do not affect eligibility for other public benefits. The bill also modifies the corporate income tax rate to offset program costs, aligning the effective tax rate for corporations more closely with individual taxpayers.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds $1,000 monthly payments for vulnerable groups via state budget, increasing public spending on social services per Taxation subject.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationTargets homeless high school seniors (secondary education) and foster youth (16-27), providing financial stability to improve educational access and retention for vulnerable students.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingTargets homelessness via $1,000 monthly payments to homeless high school seniors (directly addressing housing instability) and aligns with HOMELESS subject category.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Income Tax K-12 Education Homelessness

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in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 704: Establish Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Commission.

HB 704 establishes the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Commission within North Carolina’s Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The commission, composed of nine members appointed by the Governor and General Assembly, advises on preserving, promoting, and interpreting AAPI history, arts, and culture through programs, school education, and statewide collaboration. It receives $250,000 annually from 2025-2027 to fund operations, including a director and associate director. The bill directly affects the department and AAPI communities by creating a formal structure to advance cultural preservation and awareness. It becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $250k annual funding for AAPI Heritage Commission, directly addressing budget appropriations as a new program.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes AAPI Heritage Commission to advise on school education programs and cultural curriculum with $250k annual funding for K-12 educational initiatives.95% confidence

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signed · North Carolina · House Jun 27, 2025

HB 1012: Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 - Part II.

HB 1012 redirects over $64 million in existing state funds to support communities affected by Hurricane Helene and wildfires in Western North Carolina. It transfers $25 million from the Environmental Quality budget for water infrastructure repairs, $12.5 million for school closures, $5 million for university facility repairs, and $2.25 million for election operations in impacted areas. The bill applies to counties designated under federal disaster declarations for Hurricane Helene (per Section 1.4) and addresses wildfire recovery efforts hampered by the storm (per Section 1.5). These funds are drawn from unspent allocations in existing state programs, not new taxes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects $64M in existing state funds for disaster recovery, including infrastructure and education repairs, demonstrating fiscal management to fund essential services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates $12.5M for school closures (K-12) and $5M for university facility repairs, directly funding educational infrastructure recovery in disaster-impacted areas.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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

Sub-Topics Higher Education

in committee · North Carolina · House Mar 17, 2025

HB 395: Jackson, Transylvania and Swain Counties/Funds.

HB 395 allocates $13.2 million to Swain County, $18.6 million to Jackson County, and $65.3 million to Transylvania County for infrastructure and public services in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It funds specific projects including fire department equipment (e.g., new tankers, hydrants), water/sewer system upgrades, school facilities, emergency management buildings, and college infrastructure like dental clinics and engineering buildings at Western Carolina University. The bill directs one-time state funds to county governments, local fire departments, school systems, and community colleges (Southwestern Community College, Western Carolina University, Blue Ridge Community College) to address immediate needs. It does not create new laws but provides targeted financial support for existing public services and facilities in these three counties.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $13.2M, $18.6M, and $65.3M for infrastructure/public services via appropriations, directly funding essential programs as specified in budgeting subjects.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds school facilities and college infrastructure (e.g., WCU dental clinics/engineering buildings) with specific allocations for education-related projects in subjects list.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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died · North Carolina · Senate Feb 17, 2025

SB 98: Funds for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

This bill appropriates $1.5 million annually from 2025-2027 to fund Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in North Carolina. It directs funds to the North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. to mail age-appropriate books monthly to registered children through the early literacy program. The bill provides recurring state funding for an existing program that delivers books directly to children's homes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $1.5M annually for literacy program, directly funding a public service through state budget.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $1.5M annually for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, funding monthly book distribution to children via state appropriation to enhance early literacy access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Libraries

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died · North Carolina · Senate Mar 18, 2025

SB 297: Nursing Fellows and Curric. Support Funds/WSSU.

SB 297 establishes a Nursing Fellows Program at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) to provide forgivable loans to nursing students. The program offers up to $5,000 per semester (or $2,500 per summer) for tuition, books, and fees toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Master of Science in Nursing Education (MSN) degree, contingent on recipients committing to work as nurses or nursing instructors in North Carolina. Eligibility requires WSSU nursing degree completion within 10 years, North Carolina RN licensure, and a demonstrated commitment to serve in-state, with loan forgiveness tied to employment in qualifying nursing roles after graduation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds via forgivable loans for nursing education, directly increasing budgeted spending on higher education programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides forgivable loans for nursing students at WSSU, funding higher education access and workforce development through financial aid.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds nursing education through forgivable loans to increase healthcare workforce, requiring graduates to work in NC nursing roles, directly advancing healthcare workforce capacity.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Medical Licensing

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died · North Carolina · Senate Mar 26, 2025

SB 712: Caring for Our Caregivers Act.

SB 712, the "Caring for Our Caregivers Act," provides two key benefits for specific frontline workers. First, it exempts income earned by qualifying workers (including firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement, child care staff, teachers, and corrections officers) from North Carolina's state income tax. Second, it allocates $165 million annually to fund subsidized child care for families where at least one parent works in one of these qualifying roles, with priority given to child care workers. These provisions apply to taxable years beginning January 1, 2025, and the child care program starts July 1, 2025, for workers earning under $125,000 annually and working at least 30 hours weekly. The bill targets direct financial relief for essential service workers facing high childcare costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts frontline workers' income from state tax and allocates $165M annually for subsidized child care, directly funding essential services and providing tax relief.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts teachers from state income tax and allocates $165M for childcare subsidies prioritizing child care workers, directly supporting education workforce financial stability.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExempts frontline workers from state income tax and funds subsidized child care, directly supporting worker financial stability and employment access for qualifying roles.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Early Childhood

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passed · North Carolina · House May 7, 2025

HB 346: Central Carolina Community College Multicampus Center Full-Time Equivalent Calculation.

HB 346 directs the State Board of Community Colleges to adjust how full-time equivalent (FTE) students are calculated for Central Carolina Community College's Harnett and Chatham main campuses. Specifically, it requires combining the FTE from each main campus with the FTE from its respective Health Sciences Center. This adjustment is made to help these campuses maintain their multicampus center status.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdjusts FTE calculation to maintain multicampus status, ensuring stable funding and operations for community colleges under higher education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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