NC legislators end session with no budget and no veto overrides
Good morning and happy Friday. I’m Ronni Butts bringing you Under the Dome and a look at the end of North Carolina’s 2025 legislative session.
The General Assembly concluded the main portion of its session Thursday and passed some final pieces of legislation before taking an extended break. But legislators did not finish their primary task: writing a budget for the two-year period that starts next week.
At the conclusion of their work, senators and representatives also couldn’t agree on when to return to Raleigh. The Senate proposed they reconvene for one- or two-day periods in late July, August, September and October and once in early November. But dates are still being hashed out, according to lawmakers.
Lawmakers also left without overriding the vetoes of three bills sent back from Gov. Josh Stein’s desk. Two of the bills would expand collaboration efforts with immigration enforcement, and the other would allow permitless concealed carry of firearms. Check out Avi Bajpai’s story for more.
Here’s a roundup of what else happened in the legislature in the last 24 hours:
▪ Lawmakers moved $700 million to a reserve fund to support Hurricane Helene relief, $500 million of which they appropriated. The bill will go towards efforts like local government grants, infrastructure repairs and landslide hazard mapping, just to name a few. The bill, which was passed unanimously by both the Senate and House, received criticism from some Democrats because of funding amounts for universities and colleges in Western North Carolina and a lack of small business relief grants. Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi has more.
▪ Lawmakers OK’d a bill to allow concealed guns to be carried in private schools by teachers and volunteers, if school leaders allow them. The bill would require schools to develop their own written policies and approve a training program for carriers. The bill was strongly supported by Republicans in the House and Senate, with a few Democrats voting with the Republicans. Read Avi Bajpai’s story for more details.
▪ House Republicans have proposed a bill that would alter several laws regarding voting and the State Board of Elections, including allowing more State Board of Elections staffers to be hired as political appointees. Read more in Kyle Ingram’s story.
Elevator bill
The legislature passed a bill this week with an unusual, but familiar, title: “Make Elevators Great Again.”
Lawmakers passed House Bill 559 at the request of Labor Commissioner Luke Farley, a Republican who was elected in November.
Farley said it will allow for increased recruiting efforts to speed up inspections of elevators and amusement park rides. The bill will allow the North Carolina Department of Labor’s Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau to alter its inspection fees for businesses, adjusting it to inflation. It will also create an apprenticeship program.
“This bill puts people and safety first,” Farley said in a press release.
The bill seeks to clear out the department’s backlog of overdue inspections and to increase hiring so that inspections can become more frequent and efficient.
The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein.
— Ronni Butts
16 CONGRESS MEMBERS OBJECT TO “BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL”
On Tuesday, 16 Republican Congress members, including North Carolina’s Rep. Chuck Edwards, signed a letter to voice concerns about the reconciliation bill being debated. They noted in their letter that they’re “members of Congress who helped secure a Republican majority.”
They called for Senate Republicans to maintain their changes to Medicaid policy, passed in May, because they say their approach “reflects a more pragmatic and compassionate standard.”
The letter voices several concerns regarding the policy, including “placing additional burdens on hospitals,” cutting “emergency Medicaid funding” and “rushed implementation timelines.”
Edwards is from Hendersonville and represents 16 counties in Western North Carolina.
The bill would require states to verify Medicaid eligibility every six months, rather than every year. It also adds additional work requirements for Medicaid users. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 4.8 million people would lose medical coverage if the bill passes.
President Donald Trump has pushed for the passing of this bill for several months. On June 24, Trump told members of Congress on Truth Social, “GET THE DEAL DONE THIS WEEK…NO ONE GOES ON VACATION UNTIL IT’S DONE.” Congressional Republicans are aiming to meet a July 4 deadline, according to numerous media outlets.
Today’s newsletter was by Ronni Butts. Check your inbox Sunday for more #ncpol.
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This story was originally published June 27, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
