(The Center Square) – Fiscal relief for victims of Tropical Storm Chantal and money for development around a Raleigh arena are in a mini-budget signed by the North Carolina governor on Tuesday.
First-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein signed two bills into law and allowed a third to become law without his signature. Missing from the group was Iryna’s Law; Stein has through Friday to make a decision on signing, veto, or allowing to become law without his signature.
Continuing Budget Operations Part II, known also as House Bill 358 with companion Senate Bill 51, is the funding vehicle for Chantal relief and development plans around the Lenovo Center that houses the NHL Carolina Hurricanes and N.C. State University’s basketball team. Storm relief totals $65.5 million and economic development aid is $35 million.
Passage was 47-0 in the Senate and 105-4 in the House of Representatives.
Chantal made landfall on July 6 and produced flooding and tornadoes. Six were killed in the state.
The Lenovo Center was erected in 1999 is in the midst of a $300 million renovation. There are 80 acres offering a potential $1 billion development with a new music venue, restaurants and shops, apartments and hotel rooms.
Expand Remote Drivers License Services, known also as Senate Bill 245, will “authorize additional remote renewals of drivers licenses, eliminate the driving log requirement, and authorize remote issuance for full provisional licenses.” It also has some technical corrections for embalming fluid and some appropriations.
Passage was 47-0 in the Senate and 109-7 in the House.
Regulatory Reform Act of 2025, known also as House Bill 926, goes into law without Stein’s signature. He agreed with some of the regulatory reforms and worried about “provisions that negatively impact water quality,” he said.
Bill language is on subsurface wastewater systems, wastewater permitting, and public water system supplemental treatment facilities.
Passage was 31-17 in the Senate and 72-37 in the House, with 10 Democrats in the lower chamber favoring and no Republicans against.
Iryna’s Law is the lone remaining proposal on Stein’s desk. The bill doesn’t have strong opposition from Democrats – only eight of 20 voted against it in the Senate, the rest taking avenues for excusal, and 17 of 49 in the House of Representatives were in favor of passage.
The legislation would remove judicial hurdles that have led to an unwritten moratorium on the death penalty for two decades. It also stops cashless bail for some charges; removes broad discretion of magistrates; and makes it more difficult for repeat offenders to get out of jail.
