Plain English Summary
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would require North Carolina voters to approve a measure preventing state legislators from receiving their salary and allowances after June 30 if the General Assembly has not passed a comprehensive budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The forfeiture would continue until either a budget is ratified or the legislative session ends, whichever comes first. Voters would decide on this amendment at the November 2026 general election.
Arguments in Favor
Supporters argue this creates financial incentive for legislators to pass a budget on time, promoting fiscal discipline and preventing delays that can disrupt state operations. They contend that if regular workers must meet deadlines to receive paychecks, elected officials should face similar accountability. Proponents believe this mechanism encourages cooperation across party lines to complete essential budget work before the fiscal year begins.
Arguments Against
Opponents worry this could pressure legislators into approving poorly-crafted budgets just to meet the deadline and restore their pay, potentially leading to hasty fiscal decisions. They argue it may disproportionately harm lower-paid legislative staff and create unequal hardship since wealthier lawmakers could absorb lost income more easily. Critics also note that budget delays often stem from legitimate policy disagreements that shouldn't be resolved by financial coercion, and the measure could make legislative service less accessible to working-class candidates.
AI-generated analysis based on bill text. Always verify with official sources at ncleg.gov. This is not legal or political advice.
Sponsors
Primary Sponsor
Representative · District 41
Primary Sponsor
Representative · District 50
Primary Sponsor
Representative · District 30
Primary Sponsor
Representative · District 18
Cosponsors (11)
Representative · District 115
Representative · District 56
Representative · District 61
Representative · District 114
Representative · District 100
Representative · District 98
Representative · District 57
Representative · District 32
Representative · District 101
Representative · District 24
Representative · District 11