New Bills in the North Carolina General Assembly

New Legislation, either passed, is being voted on to override Governor Stein's Veto, or is being considered for advancement to Governor Stein by the North Carolina State General Assembly

NC HB 56 - UNC Enrollment: Last action: Sep 22, 2025, House: Re-referred to the Committee on Appropriations

Appropriates $46,375,508 from the General Fund to the University of North Carolina (UNC) Board of Governors in recurring funds for each year of the 2025-27 biennium to be allocated to the UNC constituent institutions to account for increased enrollment at those institutions.

Directs that if the act and any provision of GS 143C-5-4 (procedures to be followed when the Current Operations Appropriations Act does not become law before the end of certain fiscal years) are in conflict, then the act prevails.

Specifies that the appropriations and the authorizations to allocate and spend funds are set out in the act remain in effect until the Current Operations Appropriations Act for the applicable fiscal year becomes law. When the Current Operations Appropriations Act for that fiscal year becomes law, it instructs the Director of the Budget to adjust allotments to give effect to that act from July 1 of the fiscal year.

Effective retroactive to July 1, 2025.

NC HB 87 Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA): Last action: Sep 25, 2025, House

Opts the state into Trump’s school choice program, but Governor Stein vetoed 

Placed on Calendar for override vote on 10/20/2025

An act to elect the State of North Carolina to participate in the Federal Tax Credit established by the federal "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" for contributions of individuals to certain scholarship granting organizations and to require the State Education Assistance Authority to publish and maintain an annual list of scholarship granting organizations.

NC HB 118 Disabled Veterans Tax Relief Bill: Last action: Sep 23, 2025, House: Re-referred to Committee On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

Amends the amount of the property tax homestead exclusion for disabled veterans, under GS 105-277.1C, so that it is the first $61,000 of appraised value of the residences (was, first $45,000 of appraised value of the residence under current law and other specified amounts under the 1st edition).

Removes the proposed changes to the definition of 'disabled veteran' and instead makes a technical correction.

Reinstates the provision allowing a veteran to establish entitlement to a homestead exemption as a qualifying veteran under the statute by either (1) establishing permanent and total service-connected disability by the VA or (2) establishing receipt of adaptive housing under 38 USC 2101 due to blindness or other permanent and total disabilities.

Reinstates the provision prohibiting the amount of the exclusion allowed to all the co-owners from exceeding the exclusion allowed under the statute. Amends the act's long title.

NC HB 192 Defund Planned Parenthood & Cost Transparency: Last action: Sep 22, 2025, House: Re-referred to Committee On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

Section 1

Requires the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Benefits, to: (1) disenroll Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. and associated entities as Medicaid providers; (2) discontinue any Medicaid contracts with Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. and associated entities; and (3) engage other Medicaid providers to provide Medicaid services previously provided by Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. and associated entities.

Section 2

Adds new Article 11C to GS Chapter 131E, entitled “Fair Billing and Collection Practices for Hospitals and Ambulatory Surgical Facilities," as follows. Recodifies GS 131E-91(fair billing and collections practices for hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities) as GS 131E-214.50, and reorganizes that provision into new Article 11C. Requires a hospital or ambulatory surgical facility to first present an itemized list of charges to the patient detailing the specific nature of the charges or expenses incurred by the patient before referring the bill to collections as another required collections practice under new GS 131E-214.50. Enacts new GS 131E-215.52 (patient’s right to a good faith estimate) as part of new Article 11C, as follows. Defines CMS, facility (licensed hospital or ambulatory surgical facility), items and services, service package, and shoppable service (a non-urgent service that can be scheduled by the patient in advance). Requires a facility to provide, upon request, a good faith estimate for a shoppable service as described. Limits a patient’s final bill from exceeding more than 5% of the good faith estimate. Requires DHHS to adopt rules to implement the statute.

Effective on the later of January 1, 2026, or the date the rules adopted by DHHS under GS 131E-214.52 take effect and applies to acts occurring on or after that date. Requires DHHS to notify the Revisor of Statutes when the rules required under GS 131E-214.52 take effect.

Section 3

Provides that if there is a conflict between this act and GS 143C-5-4, the provisions of this act prevail. The appropriations and the authorizations to allocate and spend funds which are set out in this act remain in effect until the Current Operations Appropriations Act for the applicable fiscal year becomes law, at which time that act becomes effective and governs appropriations and expenditures. When the Current Operations Appropriations Act for that fiscal year becomes law, the Director of the Budget must adjust allotments to give effect to that act from July 1 of the fiscal year.

Section 4

Includes a severability clause.

Section 5

Effective retroactively to July 1, 2025.

NC HB 268 Additional Capital Appropriations: Last action: Sep 22, 2025, House: Re-referred to Committee on Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

The Senate committee substitute to the 1st edition replaces the content of the previous edition with the following. Makes conforming changes to the act's titles. 

Section 1.1

Increases the amount appropriated under Section 5.1 of SL 2025-89 from the State Capital and Infrastructure Fund to the Office of State Budget and Management from $823,565,897 to $1,066,700,516 and adds allocations to the following budget codes: DPS23-3, DPS23-7, UNC/NCS23-4, UNC/A&T23-2, and UNC/NCC23-1.

Requires that $100 million for 2025-26 be used exclusively for repairs and renovation projects at North Carolina Central University. Prohibits the Board of Governors from negatively weighing repair and renovation project funding allocations against North Carolina Central University with respect to the additional funding described in this subsection. The funds described are in addition to and shall not supplant any funds currently earmarked or projected to be allocated to North Carolina Central University for repairs and renovations during the 2025-27 biennium. Makes conforming changes.

Amends Section 40.1(b) of SL 2023-134 by increasing the amount authorized for the following capital projects: DPS23-3 and DPS23-7.

Section 5.1

Adds the following to Section 5.1 of SL 2025-89. Appropriates $2 million from the General Fund to the State Bureau of Investigation for 2025-26, with $1 million to be used for each of the following: (1) up to 125 Viper radios and (2) up to 14 replacement cars. Appropriates $3 million from the IT Reserve to the State Bureau of Investigation for 2025-26 for a case management system.

Part II.

Section 2.1

Provides that if this act and GS 143C-5-4 are in conflict, the provisions of this act prevail. The appropriations and the authorizations to allocate and spend funds which are set out in this act remain in effect until the Current Operations Appropriations Act for the applicable fiscal year becomes law, at which time that act becomes effective and governs appropriations and expenditures. When the Current Operations Appropriations Act for that fiscal year becomes law, the Director of the Budget is required to adjust allotments to give effect to that act from July 1 of the fiscal year.

Section 2.2

Effective retroactively to July 1, 2025.

NC HB 389 Continuing Budget Operations Part III: Last action: Sep 22, 2025, House: Re-referred to Committee On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

 Senate amendment to the 4th edition makes the following changes.

Section 4.3.

Changes the criteria for grant applicants for the $25 million in nonrecurring funds to be used to distribute grants pursuant to the Mental Health for Detainees Grant Program (MHD Grant Program) from the administrator or other person in charge of a local confinement facility with the legal authority to hold a defendant to any State or local law enforcement agency or an administrator or other person in charge of a local confinement facility. Also removes the requirement that the DMH/DD/SUS consult with the NC Sheriffs' Association regarding the grant application prior to awarding or rejecting a grant application.

- NC HB 693 Interstate Massage Compact: Last action: Sep 25, 2025, Senate: Re-referred to Committee On Rules and Operations of the Senate

Enacts Article 36A, titled “Interstate Massage Compact” (Compact) to GS Chapter 90, as follows:

States the purpose of the Compact and defines 25 terms, including adverse action (any administrative, civil, equitable, or criminal action permitted by a member state's laws which is imposed by a licensing authority or other regulatory body against a licensee), Commission (the Interstate Massage Compact Commission, the government agency whose membership consists of all member states of the Compact and that operates as an instrumentality of the member states), and remote state (any member state, other than the licensee’s home state).

Lists, in GS 90-637.3, ten requirements for a state to participate in the Compact, including (1) that it licenses and regulates the practice of massage therapy, (2) that it accepts passage of a national licensing examination as a criterion for massage therapy licensure in the state, (3) that it requires licensees satisfy educational requirements prior to being licensed for services, and (4) that it have a continuing competence requirement as a condition of renewal for licensure. Clarifies that a single-state license granted to a person not residing in a member state does not confer multistate privileges.

Requires a multistate license to be recognized by each remote state in the Compact as an authorization to practice massage therapy there.

Sets forth 10 requirements for a licensee to be granted a multistate license under the Compact in GS 90-637.4, including having completed at least 625 clock hours of massage therapy education or the substantial equivalent thereof, holding an active single-state license to practice massage therapy in their home state, submitting to a background check and not having been convicted of or otherwise been found guilty of any of the listed offenses, and not having had any adverse action on any occupational or professional license within two years prior to the date of the application.

Directs that granting of a multistate license still subjects the licensee to the requirements of their home state but it also subjects the licensee to the jurisdiction of the licensing authority, the courts, and laws of the member state in which massage therapy services are provided.

Provides for rules of construction in GS 90-637.5, specifying four ways in which the Compact does not limit the autonomy of a member state, but also requiring a member state to cooperate with the Commission and other member states as much as practicable. Directs active military members or their spouses to designate a home state where the individual has a current license to practice massage therapy in good standing under GS 90-637.7.

Provides for adverse actions against a licensee by their home state in GS 90-637.6. Allows any member state to investigate actual or alleged violations of the scope of practice laws in any other member state for a massage therapist that holds a multistate license. Grants a remote member state the authority to take five actions, including taking adverse action against a licensee’s authorization to practice, even in instances where the action is based on the factual findings of another member state.

Deactivates a licensee’s authorization to practice in all member states if an adverse action is taken by the licensee’s home state against their multistate license. Directs that if adverse action against a licensee’s authorization to practice is taken by a remote state, that adverse action applies to all authorizations to practice in all remote states. Provides for joint investigations. Allows for a member state to accept a licensee's participation in an alternative program in lieu of adverse action, with suspension of their license during that time.

Establishes the Commission in GS 90-637.8. Provides for Commission membership; voting; public and nonpublic meetings; powers and duties; an executive committee; financing; recordkeeping; and member-qualified immunity, defense, and indemnification. Among the 24 powers and duties charged of the Committee, includes establishing a code of conduct and conflict-of-interest policies, establishing and electing an executive committee, and the acquisition and disposal of property. Sets forth nine powers and duties of the executive committee, including monitoring Compact compliance of member states and providing compliance reports to the Commission.

Enacts GS 90-637.9 requiring the Commission to establish a coordinated database and reporting system containing licensure, adverse action, and the reporting of the existence of investigative information, including current significant investigative information, on all licensed massage therapists as well as applicants denied a license in participating states. Designates information provided to a participating state from the database is an authenticated business record entitled to a hearsay exception in any relevant judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative proceeding in a participating state when certified by the Commission or an agent thereof. 

Provides for Commission rulemaking procedures and effects in GS 90-637.10, including emergency rulemaking. 

Adds new GS 90-637.11, detailing oversight of the Compact by the executive and judicial branches in each participating state, dispute resolution procedures between member states, and Compact enforcement by the Commission.

Provides for member state default grounds and procedures, member termination procedures, and dissolution. Provides for venue and available remedies in legal action against the Commission. Specifies that only a participating state can enforce the Compact against the Commission.

Adds new GS 90-637.12, which provides for the Compact to become effective upon enactment in the seventh member state and withdrawal procedures by member states. Requires the Commission to review all participating state charters once the Compact becomes effective to ensure they are all in compliance with the model compact. Allows for a participating state to default if its compact is materially in conflict with the model compact. Deems the provisions of the Compact severable and advises on its construction and effect on other laws in GS 90-637.13.

Authorizes the North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy (Board) to enact rules necessary to implement the Compact.

Effective when at least seven states have enacted the Compact. Instructs the Board to report to the Revisor of Statutes when the Compact has been enacted as such.

NC HB 775 Criminal History Checks for School Positions: Last action: Sep 25, 2025, Senate: Re-referred to Committee On Rules and Operations of the Senate

Amends GS 115C-77 (formerly GS 115C-332), by updating it to reflect changes that were made to the statute by SL 2025-47, including amending new subsection (j), which concerns criminal history checks that apply when a governing body contracts for transportation services and new subsection (k), which concerns when a governing body may ask another governing body that has already conducted a criminal history check to confirm whether any disqualifying offenses were reported, by changing references in those subsections to local boards of education to governing bodies, conforming with changes made in this act to other parts of the statute.

NC HB 958 Election Law Changes: Last action: Sep 25, 2025, House: Re-ref to the Com on Election Law, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

Removes provisions broadening the type of statements that a member of the State Board of Elections is prevented from making under GS 163-19 as well as those that applied to county board of elections (county BOE) under GS 163-30.

Section 1.1.

Now requires, in GS 163-182.2, that a county BOE adopt a resolution setting a meeting to count provisional ballots at least two weeks before such meeting occurs if it wants to review provisional ballots for approval (was, no resolution for meeting required).

Removes language referring to a county BOE finding an affidavit in support of a provisional ballot valid as part of its process in determining whether to count such ballots. Now requires that when an individual has voted a provisional official ballot offer completing an affidavit, and the county BOE has determined that these are grounds to believe the affidavit is false within five days after the election, the decision on whether to count the ballot must be made by the date of the county canvass.

Section 1.4.

Removes provisions from GS 162-234 requiring a county BOE to meet after the day of the election and prior to the day of canvass to count the described absentee ballots, including those with cured deficiencies, as specified. Changes the time that a county BOE must meet to count all absentee ballots on election day from 5:00 PM to 9:00 AM. Makes corresponding change to the time those absentee ballots can be challenged by on election day.

Section 1.5.

Extends the effective date to its changes to GS 163-275 from December 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026.

Section 2.5.

Removes inclusion of referendums in new GS 163-165.6A (prohibiting rank choice voting) and makes conforming change.

Section 2.6.

Under GS 163-82.7, if a county BOE tentatively determines that a voter applicant is qualified to vote at the address given on the application, then it must send a notice to the applicant stating that the county board will register the applicant to vote if the notice is not returned as undeliverable (“the first notice”). If this notice is returned as undeliverable, the county BOE is required to send a second notice to the applicant at the same address. No timeframe is currently provided for when these notices must be mailed. Requires a county BOE to send the first notice within five business days of receipt of the registration application. Directs county BOE’s to send a second notice within five business days of receiving notice that the first notice was undeliverable.

Applies to notices sent on or after January 1, 2026.

Section 2.7.

Amends the information that must be included in a confirmation of address mailing under GS 163-82.14 to include a pre-printed space (was, a location) which can be marked to indicate that the registrant does not reside at the address given by the registrant and that the mailing should be returned to the appropriate sender.

Applies to notices sent on or after January 1, 2026.

Section 2.8.

Requires, in GS 163-166.40, that all materials and voting equipment containing tallies of ballots or individual counts of ballots cast during the early voting period, including any digital recordation, be kept in a secure, locked location by the county BOE.

Section 2.9.

Specifies in GS 163-82.14 (voter list maintenance) that voter registration data received from other states pursuant to a data sharing agreement is not a public record. Effective January 1, 2026.

Section 2.10.

Expands the activities considered a Class 2 misdemeanor under GS 163-221 (pertaining to specified electoral petitions) to include compensating a person based on the number of signatures collected for a petition. Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2025.

Section 2.11.

Enacts GS 163-904 (concerning audit and challenge of ineligible votes cast) directing the State Board of Elections (Board) to conduct a uniform statewide audit after each primary or election to identify any early voting ballots and absentee ballots that are ineligible to be counted in that primary or election for one of the reasons identified in GS 163-87 (challenges allowed during early voting and on the day of a primary or election), as evidenced by official government database records. Instructs the Board to distribute the audit results to county BOE’s by 5:00 PM on or before the fourth business day before canvass.

By no later than 5:00 PM on the third business day before canvass, requires county BOE’s to review the results of the Board’s audit. If a county BOE determines that any vote cast was ineligible to be counted, then the chair (deemed to be a registered voter of the same county as the challenged voter) must serve a challenge on the voter casting that ballot and conduct challenge proceedings as described.

Specifies that a county BOE bears the burden of proof in any such challenge.

Expands the scope of the challenge procedures under GS 163-89 to also include early voting ballots and ballots cast under the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act (currently, just absentee ballots). Makes technical, organizational, and conforming changes.

Changes the location for in-person deliveries of challenges to the chief judge at the precinct where the challenged voter is registered (was, where the challenger resides as well).

Removes requirement that the chief election judge’s delivery of hand-delivered challenges to the county BOE occur on the day of the county canvass.

Requires all challenge hearings be audio and video recorded. Requires that ballots for which a challenge is sustained to be counted as provisional ballots for any ballot items for which the challenged voter is eligible to vote (currently, voter’s votes are not counted). Expands standing to appeal challenge decisions by a county BOE under GS 163-90.2 to a county BOE that initiated such a challenge. Makes organizational change.

Applies to challenges filed on or after January 1, 2026.

Section 2.12.

Directs that for the time period that a Class C driver's license expiration date is extended in accordance with Section 18 of SL 2025-47 (imposing temporary moratorium on the expiration of specific Class C drivers licenses), that Class C driver’s license are deemed valid and unexpired for the purposes of GS 163-166.16 (photo ID requirements for voting in person).

Effective when it becomes law and expires on December 31, 2027.

Section 2.13.

Requires a person registering to vote to provide their full social security number under GS 163-82.4 (currently, only need to provide the last four digits of that number when they do not have a drivers license). Makes technical and conforming changes.

Directs the Board to update voter registration forms by no later than July 1, 2026, to reflect the changes required by Section 2.13. Instructs the Board and county BOE’s to continue to accept a voter registration application form that lacks a full social security number until December 31, 2026.

 As of January 1, 2027, the Board and county BOE’s can only accept voter registration application forms containing a voter's full social security number.

Section 2.14.

Instructs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to cooperate with the Board to provide it with the full social security numbers of any registered voter in the State for which the DMV has such information.

Section 2.15.

Increases the compensation for members of county BOE’s under GS 163-32 from $25 to $100 per meeting for the time they’re actually engaged in discharging their duties. Makes technical changes.

Effective July 1, 2027.

Section 3.1 (was, Section 3.2).

Changes the effective date of the changes to GS 163-25 (Authority of Board to assist in litigation), so that it applies to counsel employed on, retained on, or hired or retained after the act becomes law (was, litigation existing on or after the effective date).  

Section 3.2 (was, Section 3.3).

Reduces the cap of Board employees that the Board’s executive director may exempt from the State Human Resources Act from 25 employees to 5 employees under GS 126-5.

Section 4.1

Narrows the types of identification that must be submitted with a military-overseas ballot under GS 163-258.10 to the following: (1) an unexpired military ID card issued by the US government; (2) an unexpired US passport card or photo page of an unexpired US passport; or (3) an unexpired NC drivers license (was, any of the described ID’s under GS 163-166.16(a), including military ID cards issued by the US government, regardless of the expiration date). Removes option for the servicemember to submit an affidavit in lieu of identification as described in GS 163-166.16(d) (allowing for affidavits upon religious objections, natural disaster, or reasonable impediment). Makes organizational changes.

Section 4.2.

Removes an overseas voter born outside of the US whose parent or guardian would have been eligible to vote in the State before leaving the US from the definition of a covered voter under GS 163-258.2 (definitions of the Uniform Military and Overseas Voting Act). Makes conforming changes to GS 163-258.5 (overseas voter registration address).

Applies to elections held on or after January 1, 2026.

Section 4.3.

Enacts GS 163-258.21, concerning curable deficiencies under the Uniform Military and Overseas Voting Act (Article 21A of GS Chapter 163), as follows. Directs a county BOE to promptly notify the voter if a cast ballot contains a curable deficiency, including the manner in which the deficiency may be cured.

 Defines curable deficiency to mean when a voter failed to include a photocopy of the specified identification. Considers such ballots timely cured if the cure documentation is received by the day of the county canvass.

Provides for three means of delivering cure documentation to the county BOE.

Effective January 1, 2026, and applies to elections held on or after that date.

Section 5.1.

Amends GS 163-278.10A by increasing the threshold for exempting certain candidates from financial reporting from contribution of $1,000 or less to $3,000 or less. Makes conforming changes.

Increases the dollar threshold triggering the special reporting requirements of contributions and independent expenditures under GS 163-278.12 from $100 to $1,000.

Requires the Board, by not later than October 1, 2025, to adjust the thresholds enacted by this section, effective for the election cycle beginning January 1, 2027.   

Section 5.2 (was, Sections 5.1).

Makes technical changes to depiction of unamended provision of GS 163-278.9A in the act.Section 5.3 (was, Section 5.2).

Removes references to “business entity” and replaces them with “person” in the term foreign national in GS 163-278.6.

 Exempts persons organized and operating in the United States that is wholly or majority owned by a foreign national or combination of foreign nationals from the term foreign national so long as (1) any contribution or expenditure the person lawfully makes derives entirely from funds generated by operations in the United States and (2) all decisions concerning the contribution or expenditure are made by individuals who are United States citizens or lawful permanent residents, except for setting overall budget amounts.

Requires, in GS 163-278.9A, as amended by Section 5.2 of this act, for the treasurer of an organization subject to GS 163-278.9A to file a signed statement with the Board no later than the tenth day following the organization of a referendum committee affirming that no preliminary activity (defined) was funded by one or more foreign nationals. Requires that reports submitted under the statute include an affirmation by the treasurer that the contributor associated with each contribution is not a foreign national.

Expands the conducted prohibited under GS 163-278.15 to including soliciting contributions from any of the listed individuals. Now includes foreign nationals in that list. Makes technical changes.

Expands the person prohibited from (1) making election contributions, (2) using any of its money or property for any contribution to a candidate or political committee or (3) compensating, reimbursing, or indemnifying any person or individual for money or property so used or for any contribution or expenditure so made (including aiding or abetting such things as described in the statute) to include foreign nationals under GS 163-278.19. Also makes it illegal for a foreign national to aid, abet, advise, or consent to any such contributions. Makes technical, clarifying, and conforming changes.

Expressly prohibits a foreign national from making any contribution or donation to a political party or affiliated party committee under GS 163-278.19B.

Rewrites new GS 163-278.19C so that it prevents foreign nationals from being able to: (1) direct, dictate, control, or participate in the decision-making process of any individual's, person's, or referendum committee's activities to influence a referendum, including the making of contributions or independent expenditures, as described or (2) solicit, directly or indirectly, the making of a contribution or an expenditure by another individual or person to influence a referendum.

 Prevents a referendum committee from or indirectly, solicit or accept any contribution from a foreign national.

 Provides for confidentiality of investigative and enforcement proceedings as described. Makes conforming changes to GS 163-278.19A (allowable contributions) and GS 163-278.27 (making it a Class 2 misdemeanor for certain election law violations) to include GS 163-278.19C.

Removes language making the section applicable to contributions made or accepted on or after January 1, 2026, so that it is just effective on that date.

 NC SB 227 Eliminating "DEI" in Public Education: Last action: Sep 25, 2025, House: Placed On Cal For 10/20/2025

The Governor vetoed the act on July 3, 2025.

House • Sep 25, 2025: Placed On Calendar For Override Vote on 10/20/2025

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