(The Center Square) – Forty-five amendment tries later, North Carolina’s House of Representatives passed the two-year state budget bill on Wednesday evening.
The 2025 Appropriations Act, Senate Bill 257, had 51 amendment votes in the Senate on April 16. In both chambers, an overwhelming majority were from Democrats.
The fiscal year begins July 1. A 2016 law passed by Republican majorities and the governor enables the state to keep the current spending plan in the event a budget is not in place by then, rather than have a state government shutdown.
When lawmakers send their final drafting to the governor, he’ll have 10 days to sign, veto or allow it to become law without his signature.
Lawmakers in the General Assembly are seeking a two-year spending plan of about $65.9 billion. Republicans are in majorities for both chambers and hold leverage. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, in his first term, submitted a proposal of $67.9 billion.
Next up is negotiation. While the Republicans will need a compromise, their distance from the executive branch is just a third of what it was two years ago when dealing with Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
The House plan has larger raises for state employees than does the Senate as well as smaller income tax cuts.
Donald Bryson, president and CEO of the conservative-leaning John Locke Foundation, said Republicans in the Senate avoided new spending obligations, eliminated the certificate of need law, and removed environmental mandates. He observed the Grand Old Party members in the House took back $500 million earmarked for the embattled NCInnovation idea, eliminated unfilled government positions in a move that trims bureaucracy, and corrected what his nonprofit believes are “past mistakes in spending.”
Stein praised the House plan for raising teacher pay, even if not to his suggestions. His comments hint negotiations may not be as protracted as two years ago when a settlement due June 30 was finally reached on Sept. 22.
To wit, 27 Democrats joined 67 Republicans in favoring the legislation 93-20 on second reading about four hours before midnight. That group included Rep. Robert Reives, D-Chatham, the minority leader of the chamber.
