Legislative Updates

2024 Legislative Short Session

The legislative short session started on April 24, 2024. In the short session legislators pass a budget adjustment bill based on the 2023 budget bill.

See our Week in Review for a summary of legislative action and a list of all bills.

Will legislators return? House and Senate of the North Carolina General Assembly will reconvene on the following dates:

  • Wednesday, July 10, 2024, noon.
  • Monday, July 29, 2024, noon.
  • Monday, September 9, 2024, noon.
  • Wednesday, October 9, 2024, noon.
  • Tuesday, November 19, 2024, noon.
  • Wednesday, December 11, 2024, noon.

Governor’s vetoes overridden. This week the general assembly used the power of its supermajority to override Governor Coopers vetoes of three bills. HB 834 allows youth aged 16 and 17 to be tried as adults and HB 237 restricts mask wearing in public and removes restrictions on campaign donations.

The only budget adjustment to the 2023 Appropriations Act ratified so far is SB 357 which serves as a stopgap for the federal aid for child care centers that ends Monday, July 1 leaving a $300 million funding gap. SB357 allocates $67M emergency child care funding for the first half of this fiscal year.

Bills Eligible for the 2024 Short Session.

2024 Short Session K-12 Education Bills to Watch

House Bill 10 September votes (see if your legislators voted for HB 10). House Bill 10 adds millions to the Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+ voucher programs (see our fact sheet).

HB 823 “Eliminate School Choice Program Waitlists” adds $248 million to the Opportunity Scholarship voucher program for 2024-25 to fund all voucher applicants for SY 2024-25. Further allocation adjustments include adding $209 million in 2025-26 and raising further annual adjustments from $15 million/year to $25 million/year. By 2032-33, $825 million will be appropriated annually for vouchers, up from the current $525 million annual appropriation. 

The bill also adds $24.7 million to N.C.’s PESA+ voucher program for SY 2024-25 and an additional $24.7 million each year thereafter to the current appropriations.

HB 993 (SB 853) “OPS Moratorium/OPS & PESA Accountability” ends all funding of new Opportunity Scholarship vouchers starting in SY 2024-25 with the goal of phasing out the program. Adds testing and reporting requirements for private schools accepting voucher funds that are consistent with those required of public schools.

  • Filed on 5/6/24 and currently Ref. to Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

HB 960 “Sound Basic Education for Every Child” details provisions of the Comprehensive Remedial Plan, including funding to increase teacher pay (e.g. beginning teachers earn $46,000/yr) and principal pay,  expand teacher preparation programs, recruitment bonus program for teachers in high needs areas, funding for students with disabilities, instructional support staff, teaching assistants, and numerous other programs to support public education.

  • Filed on 5/1/24 and currently Ref. to Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

HB 1035 “Support Students with Disabilities Act” establishes a program (plus reporting and accountability) for school districts to apply to DPI for grants to pay for extraordinary costs of students with disabilities so they can be educated in the most appropriate and beneficial setting. 

  • Filed on 5/2/24 and currently Ref. to Committee on Education K-12

HB 237 “Unmasking Mobs and Criminals” removes the exemption for health reasons on the prohibition of wearing masks in public. Adds enhanced sentencing for people convicted of a misdemeanor or felony while wearing a mask.

  • Passed through the Senate (see vote here). Currently Ref. to the Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House 

Staying in Touch with NCGA

Find Out Who Represents You and What’s on the Calendar

The legislative calendar is updated regularly and contains the NCGA calendar of committee meetings and sessions. Click here to listen to real-time audio of daily meetings.

Who Represents Me? 

House of Representatives – Speaker Tim Moore

Member List | Seating Chart | Important Information


Senate – President Pro Tempore Phil Berger

Member List | Seating Chart | Important Information

Connect with Your Legislators…and More!

Overview of Funding and Policy for Public Education

Public School First NC’s Legislative Agenda

Legislative Agendas of Other Organizations

2023 Budget Information

The 2023-24 to 2024-25 budget: HB 259  SL 2023-134  2023 Appropriations Act.  Money Report  9/20/23. See Education Budget for highlights for this two-year budget.

K-12 Bills that have become Session Law