NC House

The state House is moving forward with new regulations for kratom. Lawmakers say the tropical plant with drug-like effects shouldn't be available to people under age 21.

The North Carolina House of Representatives approved a budget plan on May 22 for the next two fiscal years that would cut some vacant positions in the health department, loosen child care regulations and eliminate Medicaid coverage of GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic, for weight loss.

Rep. Laura Budd, D-Mecklenburg, is one of the few Democrats who's sponsored bills that passed the House this year. She joined the WUNC Politics Podcast to talk about how she's developed relationships across the political divide and the legislation she's developed with GOP colleagues.

The House's budget makes several moves to improve teacher pay that aren't in the Senate's proposal, with big raises for starting teachers and restoring "master's pay."

The N.C. House voted 93-20 — with support from some Democrats — on Wednesday to approve a budget that delays income tax cuts while providing modest raises for state workers and increasing starting teacher pay.

The state House’s budget bill would delay scheduled income tax cuts while giving state employees and teachers larger raises than the Senate is proposing.

House lawmakers have begun to release parts of their state budget. They're waiting to announce plans for teacher pay...but have unveiled proposals for school funding increases alongside cuts to DPI.

The N.C. House began releasing its budget proposal Thursday, and Republicans are planning cuts in what's expected to be a tight budget year.

Last week marked a legislative "crossover" deadline, where bills that haven't passed either the House or Senate are considered dead. More than 700 of those bills were filed by Democrats — and they listed all of them on a chart during a news conference.

The state House voted Wednesday to require insurance companies to cover more testing for breast cancer and other diseases.