Jay Chaudhuri

The North Carolina Senate passed Senate Bill 595, which shifts enforcement of vapor product regulations to Alcohol Law Enforcement, requires licenses for alternative nicotine product retailers, and modifies research and development tax deductions. The bill, supported by all present Republicans and opposed by Democrats, includes provisions for financial exploitation prevention and hurricane-related tax credits but faces criticism for potentially discouraging innovation by spreading R&D deductions over five years.

North Carolina lawmakers advanced Senate Bill 1009 to repeal a decades-old ban on hardened coastal structures like jetties and seawalls. The bill aims to address increased coastal erosion and property threats, with the Coastal Resources Commission tasked with regulating future structures. Critics raised concerns about erosion trade-offs and the effectiveness of alternatives like beach nourishment.

North Carolina Senate overrode Governor Josh Stein’s veto to enact a federal tax-credit scholarship program, marking the ninth veto override in Stein’s first term. The law allows donors to deduct up to $1,700 for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations, with Republicans supporting and Democrats opposing the override.