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I am incredibly excited to share that the long-overdue state budget has been passed. S257 (The 2026 Appropriations Act) has passed both the House and the Senate with bipartisan support.
The budget has been enrolled and sent to Governor Stein's office for his vote.
This budget took far too long for the people of North Carolina. However, it supports our first responders, our teachers, our public servants, our vulnerable populations, and the citizens of North Carolina. I am proud to have supported and voted to pass this budget that will benefit the state of North Carolina.
These are some of the key provisions that are laid out in the budget.
Top Line Information
* A $34-billion spending plan that provides guaranteed tax relief for all North Carolinians and increases salaries for state employees and law enforcement officers
* Expands Hurricane Helene relief efforts to ensure our mountain communities can continue to rebuild
* Sets aside more than $450 million for our state’s Rainy Day Fund, bringing the total up to just over $4.2 billion
* Releases $208.5 million for the N.C. Children’s Hospital from the ARPA Temporary Savings Reserve
* Appropriates $1.6 billion for capital projects throughout the state for state agencies and UNC System campuses, including $200 million for state agency repairs and renovations and $200 million for UNC repairs and renovations
* Appropriates $1.9 billion for capital projects throughout the state for state agencies and UNC System campuses
* Provides $200 million for state agency and $200 million for UNC repairs and renovations
* Secures funding for the Propel NC workforce-driven funding model to ensure that North Carolina’s community colleges are prepared to meet the needs of all students and job creators
* Provides critical funding to maintain North Carolina’s participation in SNAP. The Federal government changed how SNAP administrative costs are shared, and this funding covers the state’s requirement to ensure continued food assistance for eligible North Carolinians
* Funds the state’s Medicaid program with an appropriation of over $1 billion
* Funds new Driver License Examiner positions to provide extended weekday and Saturday hours at high-volume driver license offices
Salary Increases
* An average 8% raise for teachers and bonuses based on years of service
* Boosts the base salary for beginning teachers to $48,000 before local supplements
* Assistant principals, who are paid based on the teacher salary schedule, will receive an average 6.3% salary increase
* Assistant principals, who are paid based on the teacher schedule, will receive an average 6.3% salary increase
* Across-the-board 3% increase for all state employees and a bonus based on their salary
* School principals and non-certified staff will also receive this 3% raise
* Average 20.3% raise, including step increases, for State Bureau of Investigation and Alcohol Law Enforcement officers and SBI civilian personnel will receive an average of 27.5%
* Average 17.7% raise, with step increases, for State Highway Patrol officers and up to 11.5% for State Highway Patrol civilian personnel
* Correctional officers will receive an average 15.4% salary increase, with step increases
* Probation and Parole officers will receive an average 10.1% salary increase, including steps
* 13% raise for other law enforcement officers across state government — including State Capitol Police
* Funding for a one-time bonus of $1,750 for local law enforcement officers across the state
Tax Package
* Removes upcoming revenue triggers and locks in a schedule of set Personal Income Tax rate deductions, guaranteeing a rate of 2.99% by 2032, with additional quarter-percent rate reductions based on revenue triggers, with the goal of hitting a 2.49% rate
* Closes the loophole on large hospitals and their affiliates to be treated as a single entity for the purpose of sales tax reimbursements, saving taxpayers millions
* Repeals the sales tax exemption on electricity for data centers
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