North Carolina General Assembly

More than 200 immigrant rights advocates, faith leaders, and community members rallied outside the North Carolina General Assembly to oppose the proposed reopening of a private prison as an ICE detention facility.

Anson County seeks $100 million in state funding to repair aging water infrastructure after a major break left the county without water for three days. Rep. Mark Brody is advocating for the funding, which includes $24 million for sewer projects, as Charlotte Water and other agencies work to restore clean water.

The North Carolina legislature has unfinished business after delayed budget discussions, with key issues including election law changes, hemp regulations, and constitutional amendments. They will return on July 27 to address bills like House Bill 958 on election reforms and House Bill 328 on hemp restrictions, which face differing views between the House and Senate.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein is set to take action on the state’s $34 billion budget proposal, which has passed the Republican-controlled General Assembly. Approval would make it the largest budget in state history, as North Carolina remains the only U.S. state without a 2025 budget.

North Carolina Black Alliance Director Marcus Bass discusses recent partisan election changes pushed by GOP leaders in the North Carolina General Assembly, including laws that make voting more difficult and election oversight more partisan. A new omnibus bill reinforces these efforts, which Bass argues are not about promoting election integrity but have other objectives.

North Carolina lawmakers passed a $34 billion state budget after a yearlong delay, including raises for state employees, teachers, and law enforcement, along with income tax reductions. The Republican-controlled General Assembly approved the budget on July 2, sending it to Gov. Josh Stein for final approval.

North Carolina lawmakers begin voting on a $34 billion state budget plan that includes pay raises for state employees, teachers, and law enforcement, income tax cuts over the next decade, and funding for Hurricane Helene relief. The budget, negotiated by Republican leaders, also addresses repayment for Charlotte's I-77 expansion project and is expected to be finalized by Friday.

North Carolina's new budget allocates $22 million for a PFAS study via the UNC-Chapel Hill Collaboratory, which will be classified as a legislative entity with results kept confidential. Critics argue this move bypasses the state's environmental agency and delays accountability for PFAS pollution linked to health risks like cancer.

Charlotte Water's plan to double water diversion from the Catawba River basin faces a potential delay beyond 2028 due to a budget provision extending a moratorium on expanding interbasin transfers (IBTs). Opponents, including regional governments and environmental advocates, support the delay, while Charlotte's business leaders criticize it as lacking scientific basis and consultation.

North Carolina's $34 billion budget includes cuts to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, Medicaid funding, and provisions for state employee raises. The budget process bypasses committee hearings, allowing only floor votes, drawing criticism for limited public input. Key changes include eliminating the Office of Health Equity and the Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses.

The Carolina Hurricanes, including head coach Rod Brind’Amour, team captain Jordan Staal, and others, brought the Stanley Cup to the North Carolina General Assembly to emphasize unity and teamwork during the state's ongoing budget process. Legislators compared the team's collaborative success to their efforts to finalize the delayed budget.

Solomon, a teenager who died from vaping-related illness, inspired 'Solly’s Law' in North Carolina to raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco/nicotine products to 21 and establish retailer permits. The bipartisan legislation (H430 and S318) remains stalled in the General Assembly, leaving North Carolina among six states without such protections. Solomon’s family urges lawmakers to act to prevent similar tragedies.

North Carolina lawmakers propose a 50% excise tax on 'prurient' or 'obscene' sexual materials illegal under state law to fund anti-human trafficking efforts. The bill also creates a Human Trafficking Commission and raises concerns about subjective tax assessments by the Department of Revenue.

The North Carolina Court of Appeals dismissed a lawsuit challenging partisan gerrymandering in the state's 2023 legislative districts, ruling the claims raised non-justiciable political questions. The plaintiffs, represented by Bob Orr, argued the state constitution implies a right to fair elections, but the court stated unenumerated rights cannot invalidate the General Assembly's actions.