County Advocacy Hub

Weekly Update Legislative Brief

January 24, 2025
Notable Activity

The General Assembly formally commenced the legislative long session in mid-January but has held no formal meetings or conducted any public business since that time. This changes next week as the session begins in earnest on Wednesday, January 29, when bills can be filed, and public work may begin. Committee assignments for the biennium are set in the House and Senate, and committees may begin to deliberate issues as early as next week.

The NCACC Government Relations team will actively monitor all legislation and keep members updated each week in the NCACC Weekly Update email.

Important legislative deadlines including bill filing deadlines for local and statewide legislation, as well as the date by which a bill must move from one chamber to the other to remain eligible for consideration, have been set by both chambers. The bill filing deadline for local bills is set for February 27 in the Senate and March 6 in the House. The bill filing deadline for statewide legislation is set for March 25 in the Senate and April 8 in the House. The crossover deadline, the date by which a bill must have passed either the House or the Senate to remain eligible for the remainder of session, is set for May 8.

According to both House and Senate leadership, Western North Carolina is going to be a priority early in the legislative session, and NCACC expects a combination of federal and state funds to continue to move toward disaster recovery. Along with funding, NCACC expects numerous regulatory and policy changes included in the legislation, not all of which may be related to disaster recovery. President Trump’s visit to the region this week will keep recovery work front-of-mind for legislators and the public alike.

Legislative Update [January 10, 2025]

The General Assembly officially convened the 2025 Long Session this week by swearing in new members and formally selecting new leadership. While Sen. Phil Berger remains President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the House officially confirmed Rep. Destin Hall (R – Caldwell and Watauga counties) as its new Speaker. There was no work on legislative matters this week as lawmakers will return in the last week of January to begin the long session in earnest.

This year’s session will include a robust process to draft a new budget for the upcoming biennium and lengthy discussions on numerous policy issues. NCACC’s Government Relations team will be actively monitoring legislation and engaging heavily on priorities for the state’s counties. Weekly updates on legislative developments will be shared each week in the Weekly Update throughout the session. To learn more about NCACC’s 2025-2026 Legislative Goals, click here.

Legislative Update [December 20, 2024]

The current resolution that funds the federal government will expire at midnight on Friday, December 20. U.S. Congress is actively negotiating a continuing resolution to extend funding. It is anticipated that a disaster supplemental will be included as a part of this package. County commissioners are encouraged to reach out to their respective members of Congress to express their support for disaster relief for western North Carolina. Click here to find your legislators.

Click here to watch a video supporting the disaster supplemental, produced by the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM), NCACC, and the regional councils of governments (COGs) in western North Carolina.

Legislative Update [December 13, 2024]

The North Carolina House of Representatives convened this week and voted to override Gov. Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 382 Disaster Relief-3/Budget Various Law Changes. As reported in the November 22, 2024: NCACC Weekly Update, the legislation provides some regulatory relief for state agencies and local governments as they navigate response and recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The legislation also transfers $227 million from the state’s Savings Reserve Fund to the Helene Recovery Fund. However, the bulk of the 132-page bill is dedicated to redefining and transferring authority from the governor, attorney general, and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.

The legislation also repeals a provision from S.L. 2024.45 that required counties to post physical notice of tax liens on property.

Of particular interest to counties are provisions changing requirements for ballot counting (Section 3A.4) and downzoning (Section 3K.1.(b)). NCACC urges members to review these provisions and share concerns with the Association and their legislative delegations.

Additionally this week, the Office of the State Fire Marshal issued changes to the state building code allowing for a category of temporary shelter in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. The press release and new standards can be found here.

Approved Legislative Goals Package

Thank you for your county’s participation in the NCACC Legislative Goals process and in helping shape the legislative priorities for the upcoming 2025 session. During the 2024 NCACC Legislative Goals Conference, county leaders from across the state discussed and voted on 47 key proposals that will guide NCACC’s advocacy on state and federal issues impacting local governments. The conference provided an important platform for counties to have a unified voice in shaping policies that affect our communities. Click here to view the approved goals package.

Legislative Update [November 22, 2024]

The General Assembly returned to Raleigh this week for a prescheduled reconvened session. Legislators voted to override the governor’s veto of House Bill 10 Require Cooperation with ICE and Budget Adjustments as well a Senate Bill 382 Disaster Relief-3/Budget/Various Law Changes.

The legislation provides some regulatory relief associated with Hurricane Helene recovery, including various flexibilities in permitting and approvals for temporary water systems from the Department of Environmental Quality. The legislation also includes funds to the Department of Agriculture for technical assistance in soil and water conservation districts and funds to that Department for debris removal.

Senate Bill 382 also makes significant shifts in authority from the Office of the Governor, Attorney General and moves the Highway Patrol from under the administration of the Department of Public Safety.

Of most interest to counties are revisions to elections procedures related to absentee ballot processing and local government preemption around down-zoning. NCACC is opposed to these provisions and urges members to review them with your elections and planning departments and share concerns with the Association and your legislative delegations. Details on these provisions are below.

Elections changes

In addition to transferring the State Board of Elections to the Department of the State Auditor, the legislation also gives authority to the auditor to members to the state and county boards of elections.

The legislation also makes a number of changes to county elections processes including:
- Timeline to Cure Registration: If voter fails to complete required item on voter registration form but provides enough information for the county board to contact them, the voter shall be notified and given opportunity to complete for by 12 p.m. on the third business day after election (was previously 5 p.m. on day before county canvass).
- Provisional Ballot Guidance: If voter registration information is not corrected by election day, the voter will have to complete a provisional ballot. If the correct information is provided to the county board by at least 12 p.m. on the third day after the election (previously 5 p.m. the day before canvass), their vote will be counted.
- Voter ID and Provisional Ballot Timelines: Shortens timeline to come back to county board and show acceptable ID after voting provisional without ID — 12 p.m. on the third business day after election (previously 5 p.m. day before canvass)
- Counting Provisional Ballots: Approved provisional ballots must be counted no later than 5 p.m. on the third business day after election (previously, it only had to be done before canvas).
- Absentee Ballot Requests: Moves up deadline to request absentee ballot. The board must receive the completed request form by 5 p.m. on the second Tuesday before election (previously the Tuesday before the election).
- Absentee Ballot: Changes the date for approval of a submitted absentee ballot to the county board’s next official meeting prior to election day after the ballot has been submitted (was, just next official meeting). Shortens the deadline for an absentee voter to cure any deficiencies in the ballot from end of business on the business day before the canvass conducted by the county board is held to 12 p.m. on the third business day after election.
- Deficiencies in Absentee Ballots: Documentation to cure absentee ballot deficiencies must be received by 12 p.m. on the third business day after the election (previously end of the business day before canvassing).
- Counting Absentee Ballots: The county board must meet at 5 p.m. on election day in the county board office or other public location in the county courthouse to count all absentee ballots, except those that were challenged before 5 p.m. on election day. The count of absentee ballots shall be continuous until completed and the members shall not separate or leave the counting place except for unavoidable necessity, which is a new requirement. The county board must announce the tally of all absentee ballots, excluding those subject to a challenge, by 5 p.m. on the third business day after the election.
These changes present a significant administrative burden to counties of all sizes, and requires work that is generally done sequentially to happen simultaneously. NCACC urges counties review this legislation with their elections directors, and to share concerns and potential impact with members of their legislative delegation and request members of the General Assembly reconsider these provisions during their session in December or in the upcoming long session in January.

Down-zoning pre-emption

It prohibits local governments from down-zoning without the written consent of all property owners whose property is the subject of down-zoning. It also expands the definition of down-zoning to include any type of nonconformity on land not in a residential zoning district, including a nonconforming use, nonconforming lot, nonconforming structure, nonconforming improvement or nonconforming site element.

This section presents a significant pre-emption to county authority. NCACC urges members to share impact with the Association and legislative delegation and request the General Assembly reconsider these provisions during their session in December or the upcoming long session in January.

Updated 2024 End of Session Report

With the bulk of the work likely complete for the short session, NCACC has compiled a report on legislators’ work this spring and summer and summarized legislation with impact to counties; linked here. NCACC will continue to update and publish this report when and if more action is taken on legislation by the General Assembly at any of its scheduled reconvened sessions.

Click the button below to view our updated 2024 End of Session report (revised July 31, 2024).

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End of Session Report

The Association has released its final end of session report for the 2024 legislative short session that outlines the major legislative happenings and major developments with impact to counties. The full report is available here.

VIEW HERE

Budget Reports

Overview of 2024-25 House and Senate Budgets and Impact to Counties

This week, the House approved and released a 2024-25 budget, as talks between the House and Senate on a prenegotiated spending plan continue to stall. In response, on Thursday morning the Senate released its own, truncated, budget adjustment bill. That bill is expected to be voted upon early next week in the Senate.

The House’s $31.7 billion spending plan adjusts the 2024-25 budget passed last year by the General Assembly. Priorities in the House budget include additional funding for Opportunity Scholarship grants (funds available for private school tuition), increased teacher and state personnel raises, funding to childcare centers to offset expiring federal grants, and boosts in Medicaid provider rates. NCACC priorities incorporated in the budget include removal of the county match requirements in the Completing Access to Broadband programs, and additional K-12 public school capital funding via the lottery.

The Senate’s $31.4 billion budget adjustment does not provide additional raises for teachers or state employees or increases to lottery allocations to K-12 public school capital funds beyond those in already in place in last year’s budget agreement. The Senate budget also includes additional funding for Opportunity Scholarship grants, funding to childcare centers to offset expiring federal grants, and the removal of the county match requirement in the Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program.

Senate leadership publicly signaled their intention to adjourn the 2024 short session by June 30. A final negotiated budget could be agreed upon by the House and Senate by then, or shortly thereafter, but it is also possible for negotiations to extend into late summer.

To read the full NCACC 2024-25 House and Senate Budgets report, click here.

View the NCACC 2024-25 House and Senate Budgets Report

2025-2026 Legislative Goals

Every two years, in the months preceding the long session of the North Carolina General Assembly, NCACC begins a grassroots process to develop our Association’s legislative goals, which guide our advocacy efforts at the state and federal levels of government. The process is designed to maximize participation by counties, build consensus among counties, and achieve a unified message on county priorities. View the 2025-2026 NCACC Legislative Goals Package.

The importance of participating in the legislative goals process cannot be overstated. When policymakers hear the same message from all 100 counties throughout our diverse state, the voice of each individual county becomes amplified. Counties are stronger together and our common purpose is enshrined in NCACC history and our vision statement, which states: “Empowering 100 counties to work together for the betterment of one state.”

General Assembly Calendar

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2024 County Map Book