NCPoliSearch — NC Legislation Made Simple

Child Care Licensing Penalty Reform

This bill changes how North Carolina punishes child care facility licensing violations. First-time violations become Class A1 misdemeanors instead of Class I felonies, while prosecutors gain discretion to charge repeat violations or those posing substantial risk of harm as felonies based on specific factors.

Senate2026-05-06

S1055Introduced

Carolina Housing Promise Act

The Carolina Housing Promise Act is a comprehensive bill that addresses housing affordability and accessibility in North Carolina through multiple approaches: increasing funding for affordable housing programs, allowing accessory dwelling units and streamlining approvals for affordable developments, establishing tax credits and down payment assistance for homebuyers, directing resources toward hurricane recovery and rental assistance, and investing in construction workforce development and fair housing enforcement.

Senate2026-05-06

S1031Introduced

Returning Citizens Ready to Work

This bill appropriates $7.118 million in recurring state funds to expand reentry services for formerly incarcerated individuals across North Carolina's 17 local reentry councils. The funding supports new staff positions (housing and support specialists), rental assistance, transportation vouchers for those on post-release supervision, education navigators at community colleges, and professional development training for agencies serving people with criminal records.

Senate2026-05-05

S1029Introduced

Tax Relief on Essentials for Working Families

This bill exempts feminine hygiene products, diapers, and most groceries from North Carolina's sales tax, effective October 1, 2026. It also appropriates $1.6 million to regional councils of government to educate the public about these tax relief measures.

Senate2026-05-05

S1033Introduced

NC Children's Safe Screens Act/Funds

This bill creates new state protections for children online by establishing an Online Safety Division in the Attorney General's office and a North Carolina Online Child Safety Commission. It requires large social media and tech platforms (those with over 5 million North Carolina users and $25+ million annual revenue) to implement safety features like parental controls, restrict manipulative design practices called "dark patterns," protect children's data, and submit annual safety assessments. The bill appropriates $18 million total for enforcement and education.

Senate2026-05-05

S1027Introduced

Extreme Heat/Ban Utility Disconnections

This bill prohibits utility companies and landlords from disconnecting electric and water service to residential customers during periods of extreme heat, extreme cold, or poor air quality. It also allows tenants to install portable cooling and air filtration devices in rental units unless specific safety or structural concerns apply, and requires landlords to offer deferred payment plans to customers affected by extreme weather events.

Senate2026-05-05

S1034Introduced

Fund Drug Treatment/Mental Health Courts

This bill appropriates $8.4 million in recurring state funding to create and support specialized courts that serve people in the criminal justice system with substance use disorders and mental health conditions. These drug treatment courts and mental health courts would provide court-supervised treatment plans and monitor participants' progress as an alternative to traditional criminal prosecution.

Senate2026-05-05

S1014Introduced

A PTA for Every School

This bill establishes a one-year grant program to help North Carolina public schools create Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs). The Department of Public Instruction will distribute up to $1.25 million in grants, providing up to $2,000 per school without a PTA (capped at $30,000 per school district), which must be matched with local funds at a 2-to-1 ratio.

Senate2026-05-05

S1028Introduced

NC Airport Security Continuity

This bill establishes a $25 million emergency fund to provide interest-free loans to TSA officers and air traffic controllers at North Carolina airports who have not been paid for 14 or more days due to federal government funding lapses. The loans would be automatically repaid when the federal government issues back pay to these workers.

Senate2026-05-05

S1020Introduced

Affordable Housing Efficiency Grant Program

This bill establishes the Affordable Housing Efficiency Grant Program, which provides grants to affordable multifamily housing buildings to fund energy efficiency upgrades (like insulation and efficient HVAC systems) and electric building upgrades (like heat pumps and electric vehicle charging). The program allocates $5 million annually and is administered by the State Energy Office within the Department of Environmental Quality.

Senate2026-05-05

S1030Introduced

Community Scale Weatherization + Health

This bill expands North Carolina's Weatherization Assistance Program to include health and safety improvements for low-income households and allows for community-scale projects that serve multiple homes in the same area. The bill appropriates $10 million in state funding and requires the Department of Environmental Quality to adopt rules for implementing these expanded services.

Senate2026-05-05

S987Introduced

Lower Healthcare Costs

This bill creates a special fund to help state employees and teachers maintain their take-home pay when health insurance premiums increase. It transfers $150 million from the Opportunity Scholarship Grant Fund Reserve to pay for premium supplements, ensuring employees' net income doesn't decline due to higher health plan costs.

Senate2026-05-05

S988Introduced

Protecting Workers in the Age of AI Act

This bill creates a new AI Workforce Transition Program within the Department of Commerce to help workers displaced by artificial intelligence and automation through job retraining, credentialing, and education programs. It requires employers receiving state economic incentives to report layoffs caused by AI or automation, and appropriates $50 million in existing state funds to support these workforce transition initiatives.

Senate2026-05-05

S1059Introduced

Military Family Food Security & Readiness Act

This bill creates temporary food assistance programs for North Carolina military families during active duty deployments or activations lasting 30+ days. It allows the Department of Health and Human Services to exclude certain military pay (housing, subsistence, and hazard pay) from income calculations for food benefits and establishes a state-funded supplemental nutrition program ($150-$300 monthly) for military households that don't qualify under federal income limits but face financial hardship.

Senate2026-05-05

S1060Introduced

Milit. Sexual Trauma/Study Comm./Pilot Prog

This bill establishes a Military Sexual Trauma Study Commission to research sexual assault and harassment in North Carolina's military populations and creates a two-year pilot program providing support services including a 24/7 hotline, counseling, legal referral, and peer support to active duty service members, National Guard members, veterans, and military families. The bill appropriates $3 million total to implement both initiatives.

Senate2026-05-05

S1061Introduced

Protect Moms Who Serve

This bill directs the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a study on health issues affecting women who serve in the military, with a focus on maternity care, mental health, and reducing maternal mortality. The department will work with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, gather input from military mothers, and report findings and legislative recommendations by April 1, 2027. The bill appropriates $100,000 for this study.

Senate2026-05-05

S998Introduced

Housing Acceleration Fund

This bill transfers $50 million in unspent education funds to support housing initiatives: $10 million goes to the Housing Finance Agency to provide low-cost financing for developers building affordable housing, and $40 million goes to the Department of Health and Human Services for its Transitions to Community Living program. Both agencies may use up to 3% of their funds for administrative costs.

Senate2026-05-05

S1026Introduced

Power Bill Protection/Large Load Tariff

This bill creates a new regulatory framework for large electricity customers (those using 50+ megawatts) in North Carolina, requiring utilities to file special tariffs for these customers with long-term contracts, upfront infrastructure costs, and exit fees. It also establishes a surcharge on large customers to fund grid modernization projects that benefit other residents, requires utilities to report on grid planning, and mandates large customers report their energy and water usage annually.

Senate2026-05-05

S1017Introduced

Justice for Storm Chantal Survivors Act

This bill establishes a $25 million Tropical Storm Chantal Mitigation Fund within the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management to help homeowners in seven counties (Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, Moore, Orange, and Person) with buyouts, relocations, and home repairs. Each eligible homeowner can receive up to $500,000 in assistance, with funds distributed fairly across the affected area.

Senate2026-05-05

S1056Introduced

NC Small Business Capital & Jobs Act

This bill establishes the North Carolina Small Business Capital Access Program, a comprehensive initiative to help small businesses and companies in underserved communities access funding through loan guarantees, direct investments, technical assistance, and other support mechanisms. The bill creates a new Office of Small Business Capital Access within the Department of Commerce, an oversight board, and a $50 million fund to implement six main program components. It also modifies state tax credit laws to provide incentives for investments in eligible businesses that receive assistance from the program.

Senate2026-05-05

S1015Introduced

Child Care Omnibus

This bill makes sweeping changes to North Carolina's child care system by increasing subsidy payment rates to the 75th percentile, establishing a $110 million recurring funding stream, creating multiple pilot programs for child care access, establishing a new North Carolina Child Care Finance Agency to help fund child care facility construction, and providing tax exemptions and subsidies for certain worker categories including child care employees.

Senate2026-05-05

S1045Introduced

Utility Profit Oversight Act

This bill requires the North Carolina Utilities Commission to obtain approval from the General Assembly before allowing electric utility rate increases that would raise a utility's authorized rate of return on equity. The bill also directs the Utilities Commission to study the cost of equity capital for electric utilities and report findings by January 1, 2027.

Senate2026-05-05

S976Introduced

Reduce Healthcare Costs & Protect Patients

This bill aims to reduce healthcare costs and protect patients through four main changes: capping annual prescription drug cost-sharing at $2,000 per person, preventing surprise bills when using in-network facilities, requiring hospitals to publish pricing information for common procedures, and establishing protections against medical debt including limits on collections practices and good-faith price estimates for scheduled procedures.

Senate2026-05-05

S989Introduced

Epstein Truth and Accountability Act

This bill establishes a Human Trafficking Records Commission within the Department of Justice to review and publicly release records from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation (with victim names redacted), removes legislative privilege protections for any legislators identified in those records, and creates a new extreme risk protection order process to restrict firearm access for individuals identified in the released records. The bill allocates $10 million in funding to implement these provisions.

Senate2026-05-05

S981Introduced

AI in Ed Task Force and Standards

This bill creates a task force to study how artificial intelligence should be used and regulated in North Carolina schools, and requires the State Board of Education to develop standards for teaching students about AI in kindergarten through 12th grade. The bill also provides $250,000 in funding for teacher training on AI instruction.

Senate2026-05-05

S979Introduced

Increase Insurance Rate Transparency

This bill increases transparency in how insurance companies set rates for home and car insurance in North Carolina. It prohibits insurers from using credit scores as the sole reason to deny or increase rates, requires clearer notices to customers when they're charged higher rates, and mandates that insurers publish detailed data about their rating practices online so the public can see how rates vary by location and demographics.

Senate2026-05-05

S969Introduced

First Grade Reading Promise

This bill appropriates $5 million to provide first grade students with tutoring based on reading science methods, clarifies that schools can offer tutoring virtually, and requires schools to publicly report detailed reading proficiency data for grades 1-3 including student performance rates and reading camp attendance.

Senate2026-05-05

S1022Introduced

Consumer Privacy Act

This bill creates a Consumer Privacy Act for North Carolina that gives residents the right to access, delete, and control their personal data held by large companies. It applies to businesses with $25 million or more in annual revenue that process data on 100,000+ consumers, with various exemptions for healthcare providers, government entities, nonprofits, and financial institutions. The Attorney General enforces violations with a 45-day cure period before penalties up to $7,500 per violation can be imposed.

Senate2026-05-05

S975Introduced

State Digital Asset Payments Study Act

This bill directs North Carolina's Department of State Treasurer to study whether the state could accept digital asset payments (like certain cryptocurrencies) for state fees, and to study costs associated with residents sending money internationally. The bill appropriates $50,000 for these studies and requires reports back to the legislature by January 2027, but does not require the state to actually accept digital assets.

Senate2026-05-05

S1051Introduced

Don't Zone Out Child Care

This bill protects licensed family child care home operators from restrictions imposed by homeowners associations, landlords, and local governments. It declares such family child care homes as residential uses that cannot be prohibited or heavily restricted, and allows operators to sue for damages and attorney's fees if their rights are violated.

Senate2026-05-05

S950Introduced

School Meals for Every Child

This bill requires all public schools in North Carolina to provide free breakfast and lunch to every student. The state would appropriate $116 million annually starting in 2026-2027 to fund these meals, with the State Board of Education distributing funds to school districts based on factors like school size and number of low-income students.

Senate2026-05-04

S1016Introduced

Fair Share for Public Schools Act

This bill creates a new 7% income tax on individual income above $1 million per year in North Carolina. All revenue collected from this tax, minus administrative costs, would be distributed to the state's public school fund and allocated to local school districts based on the number of students they serve.

Senate2026-05-04

S1012Introduced

Ban Online For-Profit Charters

This bill prohibits North Carolina charter schools from using for-profit management companies, requires online charter students to take state tests in person with a social worker present, limits online charter renewals to one year instead of five years, mandates yearly financial audits for online charters, and prevents low-performing online charters from renewing.

Senate2026-05-04

S962Introduced

Investing in North Carolina Act

This bill appropriates funds to increase salaries for public school teachers, state employees, community college workers, and UNC employees for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, and provides cost-of-living increases for retirees. The bill only takes effect if the state's regular budget (Current Operations Appropriations Act) does not pass, and it also establishes automatic 5% salary increases for future years if budgets continue to fail to pass.

Senate2026-05-04

S960Introduced

Modernized Children with Disabilities Funding

This bill raises the state funding cap for special education services from 13% to 16% of each school district's student population and creates a new High-Cost Disabilities Support Fund to help districts pay for expensive specialized services for students with complex needs. The bill appropriates $82.8 million for general special education funding and $15 million for the high-cost fund, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

Senate2026-05-04

S958Introduced

Safe Parks Act

The Safe Parks Act creates a new funding account to clean up environmental contamination at public parks caused by old landfills and hazardous sites. It increases the solid waste disposal tax from $2 to $4 per ton and redirects a portion of corporate income tax revenue to pay for park remediation, requiring local governments to match every $4 in state funds with $1 of local funding.

Senate2026-05-04

S956Introduced

Omnibus Life Sciences Appropriations

This bill appropriates $10 million for small business support and $2 million for the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. It transfers the Advisory Council on Rare Diseases from UNC Chapel Hill to the Department of Health and Human Services, expands council membership from 15 to 19 members, and allocates $250,000 for its operations. The bill also creates a water/sewer economic development program for large manufacturers investing $2 billion and a $20 million Life Science and Biomanufacturing Technologies Reserve Fund to match federal grants.

Senate2026-05-04

S946Introduced

Keep Our Schools Standing Act

This bill authorizes North Carolina to issue $50 billion in state bonds for public school construction, renovation, and repairs if voters approve it in a November 2026 election. The bond proceeds would be distributed to counties based on factors like student enrollment, facility age, and whether counties are low-wealth, with funds used for new buildings, renovations, technology infrastructure, and security improvements.

Senate2026-05-04

S1019Introduced

Grid Utilization

This bill requires North Carolina electric utilities to submit detailed reports analyzing how efficiently they use their existing power grid infrastructure and to propose ways to improve that efficiency through alternatives like energy storage and distributed generation. The Utilities Commission will evaluate these reports and set performance targets to help utilities better utilize current grid assets.

Senate2026-05-04

S949Introduced

Fully Fund School Psychologists & Counselors

This bill appropriates $359.3 million in annual state funding to hire additional school psychologists and counselors in North Carolina public schools. The goal is to achieve statewide ratios of at least one school psychologist per 700 students and one school counselor per 250 students, as called for in the Leandro education funding plan.

Senate2026-05-04

S959Introduced

Study Student Loan Forgiveness Program/SEAA

This bill directs the State Education Assistance Authority to study whether North Carolina should create a student loan forgiveness program for graduates of public universities and community colleges in the state. The study must examine program structure, costs, eligibility requirements, and how it might help retain graduates in North Carolina, with a report due by October 1, 2027. The bill appropriates $150,000 to conduct this study.

Senate2026-05-04

S907Introduced

The Ciji Graham Act

The Ciji Graham Act establishes four interconnected programs to improve maternal health outcomes in North Carolina: a care navigation program using licensed nurses in six Medicaid regions, a statewide hotline providing clinical consultation to healthcare providers, a digital information hub with clinical guidelines and provider directories, and standardized referral pathways for high-risk pregnancies. The bill appropriates $10 million in recurring annual funding to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, beginning in fiscal year 2026-2027.

Senate2026-04-30

S894Introduced

NC A&T Chancellor's Residence Transfer

This bill transfers ownership of North Carolina A&T State University's Chancellor's residence from the State of North Carolina to The North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation for $1. If the Foundation sells the property in the future, the proceeds must be used to purchase a new Chancellor's residence for the university.

Senate2026-04-30

S898Introduced

Citizens' Tax Relief Circuit Breaker Mods

This bill appropriates $250,000 to help counties advertise North Carolina's property tax relief programs and modifies the Property Tax Homestead Circuit Breaker program by raising the income eligibility limit to $45,000 (with an additional allowance for married couples) and adjusting it annually for cost-of-living increases.

Senate2026-04-30

S910Introduced

Expanding Insurance Coverage/Fertility Care

This bill expands insurance coverage for fertility care in North Carolina by requiring health insurance plans to cover fertility diagnostic care and treatment (including up to four egg retrievals and unlimited embryo transfers), directs the state to seek Medicaid coverage for basic fertility services, appropriates $45 million for Medicaid implementation, establishes a fertility care resource hub, requires medical provider training on LGBTQ+ family building options, and protects the right to access assisted reproductive technology and contraceptives.

Senate2026-04-30

S915Introduced

2026 Governor's Budget

This is North Carolina's budget bill for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. It appropriates approximately $35.4 billion in General Fund spending for state operations, includes tax policy changes, sets employee salaries and compensation, funds K-12 and higher education, and authorizes capital improvement projects. The bill also modifies existing tax rates and creates new tax credits.

Senate2026-04-30

S929Introduced

Forsyth County Affordable Housing Funding

This bill appropriates $1 million in state funding for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to Forsyth County, which will grant the money to Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County to build affordable housing in Forsyth County and Winston-Salem.

Senate2026-04-30

S904Introduced

Save SNAP Act

This bill appropriates $16 million and $69 million in state funds to the Department of Health and Human Services to replace lost federal funding for SNAP administrative costs due to changes in federal law (Public Law 119-21). It also appropriates $10 million for grants to develop projects aimed at reducing SNAP payment errors.

Senate2026-04-30

S922Introduced

Fund International Black Theatre Festival

This bill appropriates $200,000 in state funds to the City of Winston-Salem to support the planning and operations of the International Black Theatre Festival scheduled for July and August 2026. The money comes from the General Fund and is designated as a one-time grant for that specific fiscal year.

Senate2026-04-30

S906Introduced

MOMnibus 3.5

MOMnibus 3.5 is a comprehensive maternal health bill that allocates $20.5 million to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, particularly among Black women in North Carolina. It establishes grant programs for community organizations, requires implicit bias training for perinatal healthcare providers, funds lactation support training at historically Black colleges and universities, and creates a mobile health initiative to improve access to maternal care in underserved areas.

Senate2026-04-30

S909Introduced

The BUMP Act

The BUMP Act directs the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to provide free, evidence-based educational materials on stillbirth prevention to all pregnant patients and training to prenatal care providers. It also appropriates $600,000 annually to fund these educational programs and launch a statewide 'Count the Kicks' campaign focusing on fetal movement monitoring, with priority given to areas with higher stillbirth rates.

Senate2026-04-30

S945Introduced

Safe Camps Act

The Safe Camps Act establishes a statewide permitting and safety program for youth camps in North Carolina. It creates minimum health and safety requirements for youth camps, generally prohibits cabins in floodplains with limited exceptions, requires comprehensive emergency planning and warning systems, and mandates regular inspections. The bill also applies similar floodplain and emergency planning requirements to campgrounds.

Senate2026-04-30

S908Introduced

Janell Green Smith Maternal Health Acc. Act

This bill establishes a comprehensive maternal health accountability framework in North Carolina by creating new regulations for Certified Professional Midwives and Certified Midwives, requiring hospitals to implement safety protocols and report maternal health outcomes, establishing a patient advocacy system, and requiring equal insurance reimbursement for midwife-provided maternity care.

Senate2026-04-30

S924Introduced

Reenact the Earned Income Tax Credit

This bill restores North Carolina's state Earned Income Tax Credit, which expired in 2014. The credit would provide eligible low- to moderate-income working individuals a tax refund equal to 5% of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit they receive, with the credit becoming refundable starting in 2026.

Senate2026-04-30

S868Introduced

Medicaid Innovations Waiver Slot Expansion

This bill increases the number of available slots in North Carolina's Innovations waiver program by 1,000 slots, starting July 1, 2026. The bill appropriates $36.2 million in recurring funds to pay for these additional waiver slots.

Senate2026-04-29

S875Introduced

No Firearm Possession After DV Misdemeanors

This bill prohibits people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence offenses from purchasing or possessing firearms. It expands the definition of domestic violence relationships to include intimate partners, and appropriates $1 million for a domestic violence education program.

Senate2026-04-29

S865Introduced

Restore Benefits to Educators/State Employees

This bill restores several benefits and compensation for North Carolina educators and state employees beginning in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. It reinstates education-based salary supplements for teachers, restores longevity payments (annual bonuses based on years of service), preserves retiree medical benefits for educators hired after January 1, 2021, and expands the NC Teaching Fellows Program to include one additional higher education institution.

Senate2026-04-29

S850Introduced

Pay Teachers What They're Worth Act

This bill increases teacher salaries across North Carolina using a new monthly salary schedule for the 2026-2027 school year, reinstates education-based salary supplements for teachers with advanced degrees, establishes a $5,000 student teaching grant program to help future teachers during their training, and requires a study on long-term educator compensation strategies. The bill appropriates $1.693 billion in state funding for these initiatives.

Senate2026-04-29

S887Introduced

Compensation for Wrongfully Detained Persons

This bill creates a legal process for people who were unlawfully detained by North Carolina state or local governments to seek compensation. People who have a court finding of unlawful detention can petition the Industrial Commission for monetary damages up to $750,000, plus potential educational assistance and job training.

Senate2026-04-29

S838Introduced

The Frontline Mental Health Support Act

This bill establishes the Frontline Mental Health Support Program to provide free, confidential mental health counseling services to teachers and first responders (including police officers, firefighters, paramedics, 911 dispatchers, and correctional officers) in North Carolina. The bill appropriates $10 million to run the program and $3 million in grants to expand the behavioral health workforce to support it.

Senate2026-04-28

S830Introduced

Government Modernization/Funds

This bill directs the Department of Information Technology to study how blockchain technology could improve state government operations in areas like record security, license verification, and procurement transparency. It appropriates $50 million in nonrecurring funds for implementation and requires annual progress reports to the General Assembly, with the bill expiring in 2031.

Senate2026-04-28

S835Introduced

Surveillance Pricing Ban

This bill prohibits businesses in North Carolina from using surveillance pricing—charging different prices to different customers on the same day based on personal data like browsing history or income—for essential goods and services such as food, water, toiletries, and diapers. The bill allows exceptions for loyalty programs, group discounts, shipping cost differences, and pricing errors. It designates violations as unfair trade practices and allocates funding for the Department of Justice to enforce the law.

Senate2026-04-28

S831Introduced

25-Year Retirement for First Responders

This bill allows law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel in North Carolina to retire with full, unreduced benefits after 25 years of service instead of the current requirement of 30 years or age 55 with 5 years of service. The change applies to both state employees and local government employees and takes effect January 1, 2027.

Senate2026-04-27

S791Introduced

Enhanced Penalty/Dom. Violence Strangulation

This bill increases penalties for assault by strangulation in North Carolina by moving certain offenses to more severe felony classifications. Assault with serious bodily injury by strangulation would change from a Class F to Class E felony, assault inflicting physical injury by strangulation would change from Class H to Class G felony, and the bill allocates $3 million for a public awareness campaign about these enhanced penalties, effective December 1, 2026.

Senate2026-04-23

S825Introduced

School-Based Complaint/SROs

This bill defines what a school resource officer (SRO) is in North Carolina and requires all SROs to complete specific training in mental health, disabilities, racial equity, and de-escalation. It also requires that complaints about student misconduct filed by SROs must be approved by a school administrator or social worker before going to juvenile court. The bill provides $1 million in grants to help schools cover costs related to these new requirements.

Senate2026-04-23

S820Introduced

Safe Schools and Educational Access Act

This bill protects students' access to public K-12 schools, community colleges, and UNC universities regardless of immigration status or national origin. It prohibits schools from requiring immigration documentation for enrollment, restricts immigration enforcement actions on school grounds without judicial warrants, and allocates $181 million in state funding for English language instruction and support services for students with limited English proficiency.

Senate2026-04-23

S792Introduced

Kayla's Act: Protecting Dom. Violence Victims

Kayla's Act modifies North Carolina's domestic violence laws in three main ways: it allows courts to use prior statements from witnesses who become unavailable due to the defendant's wrongdoing, extends the statute of limitations for certain domestic violence misdemeanors to 10 years, and permits domestic violence victims to testify remotely (outside the defendant's physical presence) in criminal proceedings. The bill also appropriates $2 million to the courts for implementation and public awareness.

Senate2026-04-23

S785Introduced

Opt-In to Student Health

This bill clarifies which health screenings schools can conduct without parental consent and which require consent. Schools can perform vision, hearing, dental, and developmental screenings without advance consent but must notify parents at the beginning of the school year and share results. The bill also requires schools to obtain parental consent for other health care services and to notify parents before using student well-being questionnaires in grades K-3.

Senate2026-04-23

S780Introduced

Modernize Medicaid Primary Care Rates

This bill appropriates $48 million in state funds to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care services in North Carolina to match Medicare rates, effective July 1, 2026. The increased payments would apply to primary care services as defined by the state's Primary Care Payment Reform Task Force.

Senate2026-04-23

S789Introduced

Homes for Heroes

This bill creates two programs to support public servants in North Carolina. First, it establishes a homebuyers' assistance program through the Housing Finance Agency that provides up to $25,000 in down payment and mortgage insurance assistance to first-time homebuyers who work full-time as teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, active duty military members, or veterans. Second, it allows volunteer firefighters and rescue squad workers to claim an income tax credit of up to $5,000 for unreimbursed expenses related to their volunteer work.

Senate2026-04-23

S799Introduced

Restore State Emp/Teacher Retiree Med Benefit

This bill restores medical benefits for state employees and teachers who began service on or after January 1, 2021, preventing their elimination under state retirement systems. The bill repeals previous language that would have ended these retiree medical benefits and allocates $2 million in state funding to cover the increased costs of maintaining these benefits.

Senate2026-04-23

S826Introduced

Posting of State Costs

This bill requires state government entities—including state departments, UNC, the court system, and the General Assembly—to publicly report all their expenditures of $1 or more each month on their websites. The bill provides $300,000 in funding to help agencies implement these reporting requirements, with the new transparency system beginning in October 2026.

Senate2026-04-23

S822Introduced

Every School Has Resources Act

This bill creates a three-year grant program to help North Carolina school districts hire a Development Director who seeks external funding sources like grants and donations. The state would cover 100% of the position's cost in year one, 50% in year two, and 25% in year three, with districts covering the remaining costs through matching funds. The program targets rural, small, and lower-wealth school districts that currently lack dedicated grant-writing staff.

Senate2026-04-23

S782Introduced

Safe Schools Transparency Act

This bill requires North Carolina public schools to immediately notify parents when credible threats target their children, school staff, or campus security. It establishes penalties for schools that fail to notify parents, reinstitutes a Task Force for Safer Schools, and creates a $25 million School Safety Fund to help schools purchase safety equipment and provide crisis services to students.

Senate2026-04-23

S827Introduced

Hate Crimes Prevention Act

This bill expands North Carolina's hate crime laws by increasing penalties for crimes motivated by a victim's race, ethnicity, color, religion, nationality, country of origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, disability, or sexual orientation. It also requires the State Bureau of Investigation to track hate crime statistics, mandates law enforcement training on identifying and reporting hate crimes, and requires prosecutor training on prosecuting hate crimes.

Senate2026-04-23

S805Introduced

Increase Oral Health Care Access in NC

This bill appropriates $80 million in recurring state funds to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for dental services, which have not been meaningfully increased since 2008. The goal is to encourage more dentists to accept Medicaid patients and improve access to oral health care for low-income North Carolinians.

Senate2026-04-23

S783Introduced

School Mental Health Support Act

This bill creates two programs to increase mental health support in North Carolina schools: a $50 million grant program for public school units to hire mental health professionals, and a $19 million loan repayment program that provides up to $15,000 annually to school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and nurses working in high-need areas who graduated from UNC schools.

Senate2026-04-23

S790Introduced

Small Business Capital Improvement Account

This bill allows small businesses in North Carolina (those with annual gross receipts under $10 million) to deduct a portion of revenue from state income taxes if they deposit that money into a designated capital improvement account for property upgrades. The deduction is tiered: 5% of income up to $1 million, 2% between $1-2 million, and 1% between $2-3 million, with unused funds being added back to taxable income.

Senate2026-04-22

S378Engrossed

Align Medicaid Eligibility with Federal Law

This bill directs North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services to terminate Medicaid contracts with Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its associated entities, and to arrange for other Medicaid providers to deliver services that Planned Parenthood currently provides.

Senate2025-10-23

S375Passed

Harrison's Law

Harrison's Law makes two main changes to North Carolina law. First, it strengthens penalties for hazing by making it a Class 2 A1 misdemeanor for students who haze and a Class I felony for school staff who engage in or enable hazing, while expanding the definition to include serious psychological injury. Second, it requires local school boards to publish detailed compensation and position information for central office employees on their websites by August 15, 2025, and annually thereafter.

Senate2025-07-09

S402Engrossed

Allow Lottery Winners To Be Confidential

This bill allows North Carolina lottery winners who win $5 million or more to request that their identity be kept confidential for 90 days after claiming their prize. The winner's name and identifying information would be protected from public disclosure during this period, though certain government agencies (like the IRS and state tax authorities) and debt collection programs would still have access as required by law.

Senate2025-06-24

S579Introduced

Transforming the High School Experience

This bill establishes a High School Redesign Commission to study ways to better prepare students for college and careers, and creates four pilot programs in North Carolina schools using competency-based education (learning measured by skills mastery rather than time spent in class). The bill also funds evaluations of these programs through 2030.

Senate2025-04-30

S369Engrossed

Medicaid Telehealth Services

This bill allows telehealth providers who are licensed in North Carolina to become Medicaid providers without needing to have a physical office or location within the state. It applies to both individual providers and provider groups that exclusively offer telehealth services.

Senate2025-04-28

S372Passed

Confirm McKinley Wooten, Sec. of Rev

This Senate resolution confirms McKinley Wooten, Jr. as Secretary of the Department of Revenue for North Carolina. The Secretary oversees the state agency responsible for tax collection, revenue administration, and related fiscal operations. This confirmation allows Wooten to officially assume the leadership role.

Senate2025-04-17

S760Passed

Confirm Lee Lilley, Sec. of Commerce

This Senate resolution confirms Lee Lilley as Secretary of the Department of Commerce, the state agency responsible for economic development, business regulation, and workforce programs in North Carolina. The confirmation requires Senate approval of the Governor's Cabinet appointment.

Senate2025-04-17

S361Introduced

Protecting First Responders Act

This bill increases criminal penalties for assaulting emergency responders, creates new felony charges for intentionally exposing first responders to fentanyl or harmful chemicals, and appropriates $10.35 million in grants for bulletproof vests and backpack plates for paramedics and EMTs.

Senate2025-04-01

S486Introduced

Funds for NC Senior Tar Heel Legislature

This bill appropriates $30,000 per year for the 2025-2027 fiscal period to the Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Aging to support the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature. The funding becomes available starting July 1, 2025.

Kandie Smith

Kandie Smith

Sponsored Bills (87)

Medicaid Rebase

Hazard Mitigation Funds

Inclusionary Zoning/Workforce Housing Funds

Constitutional Amendments - Cannabis

Supporting Small Farmers for NC's Future Act

Work Training/Delinquent Child Support

Adopt Official Hip-Hop Song

Restore the American Dream

Kids Over Corporations Act

School Mental Health Support Act

NC CROWN Act

Keep Families Fed Act

Reenact EITC

Menopause Omnibus

Small Business Investment Grant

Investment in Pinetops' Police Department

Pinetops Utility Department Appropriation

Funds for the Franklinton Center

Small Business Investment Grant

Funds for Town of Macclesfield Equipment

Repeal Service Tax

Funds for Pitt-Greenville Airport

Funds/Town of Grifton Resiliency

Tier One County Assistance

Create Dept. of Housing and Comm. Development

Funds for Pitt Co. Boys & Girls Clubs

Community Emergency Response Training

Pinetops Charter Revised & Consolidated

Reenact EITC

Funding for the Clerks of Superior Court

Edgecombe and Pitt County School Nurses

Safe Steps for Greenville Act

Mobile Home Park Act

Wetlands Protection and Restoration Act

NC Land and Wildlife Act

Eviction Record Expunction Act

The Fair Sentencing Act

Adopt Official Hip Hop Song

Lic. Mental Health Reciprocity/Recognition

The STRONG Act of 2025

The Michael Jordans of Tomorrow Act

Protect Moms Who Serve

Small Business Capital Improvement Account

Domestic Violence Divorce Reform Act

Taskforce on Missing BIPOC Women

Honoring Sacrifice: NC Veterans Relief Act

Limit No-Knock Warrant/Quick-Knock Entry

Authorize Maint. Bonds/Subdivision Streets

Coastal Plain Resilience and Eco. Pros. Act

Modify Public-Initiated Criminal Processes

Juvenile Justice Workforce Fix/Funds

Work Training/Delinquent Child Support

Investment in Pinetops' Police Department

Restore the American Dream

Tier One County Assistance

25-Year LEO Retirement With Full Benefits

Train Infrastructure Acceleration Act

Whiz Kids/Slow Pokes Voter Registration

Supporting Small Farmers for NC's Future Act

T/C: Megasites Funding Uses

Safeguard Fair Elections

Senior Care Assurance Act

Community Emergency Response Training

Funds/Town of Grifton Resiliency

NC Farmland and Military Protection Act

Town of Pinetops Fire Dept. Appropriation

Create Dept. of Housing and Comm. Development

2025 Safe Drinking Water Act

Repeal Service Tax

Reenact EITC

Funds for Pitt-Greenville Airport

Greenville Bulkhead Appropriation

Funds for Pinetops Fire Department

Edgecombe and Pitt County School Nurses

Funds for Greenville Fire Truck

Funds for Transitional Housing in Pitt County

Funds for Edgecombe CC