Bills

North Carolina General Assembly · 2025–2026 session

Showing 1609–1632 of 2,329 bills

S685Introduced

Authorize Maint. Bonds/Subdivision Streets

Introduced by Kandie Smith

This bill allows North Carolina counties to require developers to post a financial guarantee (such as a surety bond or letter of credit) before transferring newly built subdivision streets to the county for public maintenance. The guarantee ensures roads meet quality standards before acceptance, and any unused funds must be returned to the developer within 30 days of the road's acceptance into the public system.

Senate2025-03-26
S663Introduced

End Menstrual Poverty Act

Introduced by Natalie Murdock

This bill allocates $350,000 in nonrecurring funds to the Diaper Bank of North Carolina to increase access to feminine hygiene products through local diaper banks, and $1,000,000 in recurring funds to the Department of Public Instruction to support a Feminine Hygiene Products Grant Program. The funding becomes available starting July 1, 2025.

Senate2025-03-26
S717Introduced

Enhanced Penalty/Dom. Violence Strangulation

Introduced by Mujtaba Mohammed

This bill increases criminal penalties for assault by strangulation in North Carolina. It upgrades assault with serious bodily injury from a Class F felony to a Class E felony, assault with physical injury by strangulation from a Class H felony to a Class G felony, and maintains assault by strangulation as a Class H felony. The changes take effect June 1, 2025.

Senate2025-03-26
S666Introduced

2025 Water Safety Act

Introduced by Michael Lee

This bill establishes a $56 million fund to help local water systems detect and remove PFAS (harmful chemicals) from drinking water and wastewater, allocates $14 million for research on PFAS treatment at UNC, sets state drinking water standards for six types of PFAS, and requires industrial facilities and treatment plants that discharge PFAS into surface waters to monitor and reduce those discharges by January 2026.

Senate2025-03-26
S702Introduced

Bail Bond Omnibus

Introduced by David Craven

This bill modifies North Carolina's bail bond laws by clarifying procedures for bail bond forfeiture and set-aside, establishing a three-year validity period for bail bonds, requiring district attorneys to report defendant failures to appear to a national database within 10 days, and prohibiting electronic systems from operating as bondsmen or runners.

Senate2025-03-26
S647Introduced

The Child Promise Act

Introduced by DeAndrea Salvador

The Child Promise Act is a comprehensive early childhood education and childcare investment package that appropriates approximately $168 million over three years to expand pre-K programs, increase childcare subsidies and affordability, strengthen the childcare workforce through education and retention programs, and improve childcare infrastructure across North Carolina.

Senate2025-03-26
S642Introduced

SAVE Students Act

Introduced by Paul Lowe

The SAVE Students Act requires all public school students in grades 6-12 to receive two hours of annual training on suicide awareness, violence prevention, and social inclusion using evidence-based programs. School employees must receive one hour of annual training on suicide and violence prevention, and schools must adopt mental health plans and allow student-led safety clubs.

Senate2025-03-26
S574Introduced

Soil Health Task Force

Introduced by Natalie Murdock

This bill creates the North Carolina Healthy Soils Task Force, a state advisory group within the Department of Agriculture tasked with developing a comprehensive plan to improve soil health through conservation practices. The task force will include agricultural leaders, university representatives, and farmers, and must submit recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by January 31, 2027.

Senate2025-03-26
S598Introduced

Change to Low-Performing Schools Designation

Introduced by Vickie Sawyer

This bill modifies how North Carolina identifies low-performing schools by clarifying that schools must earn both a D or F performance grade AND a school growth score (either 'met' or 'not met expected growth') to be designated as low-performing. It also requires schools identified as low-performing to notify parents and guardians within 30 days and explain what these grades and scores mean.

Senate2025-03-26
S582Introduced

Wellness Break Act

Introduced by Caleb Theodros

The Wellness Break Act establishes a paid sabbatical leave program for long-term employees in North Carolina's public and private sectors. State, local, and county employees who have worked continuously in the same position for three years can take 4-6 weeks of paid leave (at 70% salary) for health, wellness, or skill development, while private businesses receive tax credits and grants to help offset sabbatical costs.

Senate2025-03-26
S646Introduced

Make NC Insurrection-Free

Introduced by Michael Garrett

This bill would make people ineligible for employment with North Carolina state government if they were convicted of January 6-related offenses, received a pardon for January 6 actions, were found by a court to have engaged in insurrection under the 14th Amendment, or have clear evidence of participating in efforts to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power or attack democratic institutions. The bill applies to new hires starting July 1, 2025, and to current employees if disqualifying conduct is discovered, with procedural protections including notice, hearings, and written decisions.

Senate2025-03-26
S668Introduced

NC Genetic Counselors Workforce Act

Introduced by Benton Sawrey

This bill establishes a new Genetic Counselors Licensure Board in North Carolina and creates a licensing system for genetic counselors. The bill defines the qualifications for licensure, the board's powers and duties, the scope of genetic counseling practice, disciplinary procedures, and fees for licensure and renewal.

Senate2025-03-26
S593Introduced

Grant Our Kids Care Act

Introduced by Jay Chaudhuri

This bill appropriates $30 million per year for a two-year pilot program (2025-2027) that provides child care expansion assistance grants to help licensed child care programs offer free or reduced child care to their full-time employees earning up to 85% of state median income. The state would cover 75% of tuition costs for up to two children per eligible employee, with the child care program covering the remaining 25%.

Senate2025-03-26
S662Introduced

Modernize Domestic Violence Protection Order

Introduced by Natalie Murdock

This bill modifies North Carolina's domestic violence protection order law to remove the requirement that unmarried couples in dating relationships be of opposite sex. Currently, only opposite-sex couples can obtain protection orders for dating relationships; this change would allow same-sex couples in dating relationships to access the same protections.

Senate2025-03-26
S679Introduced

The Women's Care Act

Introduced by Lisa Grafstein

This bill requires North Carolina courts to delay imprisonment for pregnant people sentenced to prison terms if they are determined to pose no significant threat to the community. During the deferment period of at least 12 weeks after delivery, the pregnant person must maintain prenatal care, participate in available education programs, and report monthly to the court, before eventually serving their sentence.

Senate2025-03-26
S661Introduced

Protect Moms Who Serve

Introduced by Kandie Smith

This bill directs the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to study health issues affecting women who serve in the military, including maternity care coordination, access to support services, mental health during pregnancy and postpartum periods, and maternal mortality disparities. The bill appropriates $100,000 for the study and requires a report to legislative committees by April 1, 2026.

Senate2025-03-26
S626Introduced

Domestic Violence Divorce Reform Act

Introduced by Lisa Grafstein

This bill shortens North Carolina's divorce separation period from one year to six months, allows domestic violence victims to divorce immediately without a separation period, and eliminates two old civil lawsuits (alienation of affection and criminal conversation) that allowed people to sue others for damaging their marriage.

Senate2025-03-26
S670Introduced

Drones/Certain Vendor Purchases Prohibited

Introduced by Buck Newton

This bill prohibits North Carolina state government and local governments from purchasing small unmanned aircraft systems (drones weighing under 55 pounds) that are manufactured or assembled by certain foreign entities, specifically those from China or Russia, those on U.S. screening lists, or those controlled by those governments. The ban takes effect July 1, 2027.

Senate2025-03-26
S718Introduced

Fair Procurement and Ownership Reform Act

Introduced by Graig Meyer

This bill restructures North Carolina's renewable energy procurement and ownership rules by requiring large utilities to conduct competitive 'all-source' bidding for energy resources (removing previous mandates requiring utilities to own 55% of solar and storage projects), reallocating shared solar capacity toward commercial and large industrial customers, and establishing independent oversight and transparent evaluation processes for all energy procurement decisions.

Senate2025-03-26
S665Introduced

Upland Basin Permitting Reform

Introduced by Bobby Hanig

This bill creates a streamlined permitting process for upland basins—marinas built by excavating land above the waterline to hold 10 or more boats. The bill sets specific environmental criteria (dissolved oxygen levels, wetland impact limits, buffers, and water quality standards) and requires state agencies to approve applications within 60 days if these criteria are met, with automatic approval if agencies miss the deadline.

Senate2025-03-26
S578Introduced

North Carolina CARDINAL Corps Act

Introduced by Sophia Chitlik

This bill establishes the North Carolina CARDINAL Corps Program, a fellowship initiative that provides funding to employers in critical sectors (education, public safety, disaster relief, farming, military services, and public service) to hire and train recent high school graduates or veterans within two years of their military deployment. Fellows receive up to $30,200 per year in salary and program support, plus a $5,000 completion award after nine months, with the state providing matching funds on a 1:1 basis with employer contributions.

Senate2025-03-26
S709Introduced

2025 State Investment Modernization Act.-AB

Introduced by David Craven

This bill creates the North Carolina Investment Authority, an independent state agency that will manage the state's investment programs starting January 1, 2026. The Authority will oversee investments for retirement systems, the General Fund, and other special funds currently managed by the State Treasurer's office, with its own Board of Directors, Chief Investment Officer, and separate budget authority.

Senate2025-03-26
S724Introduced

Safe Parks & Public Spaces Act

Introduced by Brad Overcash

This bill prohibits unauthorized camping in North Carolina public spaces like parks and sidewalks, except in designated campsites or approved homeless encampments. First-time offenders are directed to emergency shelters rather than charged criminally, while repeat offenses become Class 3 misdemeanors. The bill also prevents local governments from blocking enforcement of these rules and allows residents, business owners, and the Attorney General to sue municipalities that don't enforce the prohibition.

Senate2025-03-26
S700Introduced

Create the Office of Engineering and Codes

Introduced by Michael Lazzara

This bill creates a new Office of Engineering and Codes within the Department of Labor, headed by an independently appointed State Engineer. It transfers responsibility for building codes, manufactured housing standards, home inspector licensing, and code official qualifications from the Department of Insurance (Office of State Fire Marshal) to this new office, effective July 1, 2026.

Senate2025-03-26