2026 NC Legislature

The legislature’s budget stalemate has hit North Carolina’s prison system hard, making it difficult to pay bills and keep enough staff to safely operate its 55 facilities.

North Carolina’s government is on track for a 1%, $370 million revenue surplus this year, but the state will soon hit tax cut triggers that will result in decreasing annual revenue.

The proposal would ask voters to consider mandating that the General Assembly enact levy limits on local governments. It does not include any specifics about the level of those limits.

North Carolina's Forest Service is having a hard time retaining firefighters, even as incidents of wildfires climb across the state. Helene damaged more than 800,000 acres of forest.

State lawmakers are considering expanding access to birth doulas for Medicaid patients. A legislative committee reviewed the topic on Tuesday, part of a healthcare oversight hearing that also included an update on the state's shortage of childcare facilities.

North Carolina lawmakers haven't passed a full budget bill since 2023, and Gov. Josh Stein says tight funding and stagnant salaries are pushing state government to the breaking point. He proposed a $1.4 billion stopgap budget plan Monday to address some of those issues.

State lawmakers are considering new restrictions on local governments' ability to increase property tax revenue as part of an effort to bring down homeowners' tax bills.

Those agencies, as well as the State Bureau of Investigation, told a legislative committee that lagging salaries are making it difficult to recruit and retain employees for key positions.

Stein touted efforts to help people leaving prison find jobs, housing and healthcare. But he said more work is needed on mental health to keep communities safe.

New business formations reached record pace in North Carolina in the second half of 2025. Elaine Marshall says her team needs more staff to handle all the paperwork.