North Carolina HB 74: Constitutional Amendment/Council of State Vacancies.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025

SESSION LAW 2025-4
HOUSE BILL 74

*H74-v-6*
AN ACT TO MAKE VARIOUS TECHNICAL AND CLARIFYING CHANGES TO THE
CURRENT OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS ACT OF 2023 AND TO OTHER ACTS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

PART I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

EXTEND THE TIME LINE FOR CERTAIN DIRECTED GRANTS TO NON-STATE
ENTITIES
SECTION 1.1.(a) This section applies to any directed grants appropriated as
nonrecurring funds in S.L. 2022-74 for the 2022-2023 fiscal year that (i) remain unexpended as
of the effective date of this section and (ii) are subject to reversion on December 31, 2024, as set
forth in Section 1 of S.L. 2024-40. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the
grants described by this section shall not revert on December 31, 2024, but shall remain available
for expenditure for the purpose for which the funds were appropriated until the earlier of the date
the funds are expended or the date the funds revert pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.
SECTION 1.1.(b) Any funds described in subsection (a) of this section that remain
unexpended as of December 31, 2024, shall revert to the appropriate fund at the end of the
2025-2026 fiscal year.
SECTION 1.1.(c) This section is effective retroactively to December 31, 2024.

PART IA. DISASTER RELIEF RELATED PROVISIONS

NCORR FUNDS TRANSFER CORRECTION
SECTION 1A.1. Section 2B.2(a1) of S.L. 2025-2 reads as rewritten:
"SECTION 2B.2.(a1) Additional Transfer. – The State Controller shall transfer all funds
remaining in the Hurricane Florence Disaster Recovery Fund that remain unexpended
unencumbered as of the date this act becomes law to the Savings Reserve."

AGRICULTURAL DISASTER CROP LOSS PROGRAM CORRECTION
SECTION 1A.2.(a) Section 2D.2(b) of S.L. 2025-2 reads as rewritten:
"SECTION 2D.2.(b) Verification of Loss. – A person seeking financial assistance for losses
of agricultural commodities under the Program shall submit to the Department a Form 578 on
file with the USDA Farm Service Agency or a form provided by the Department for reporting
acreage or plantings of crops or reporting infrastructure damage or loss that is not typically
reported on Form 578, along with any other documentation deemed appropriate by the
Department, no later than 45 60 days after this section becomes effective. For nursery crops,
fruit-bearing trees and bushes, and specialty crops where the survival level is not immediately
known, the Department may extend this deadline by an additional 45 60 days, upon written
request by the person received no later than 45 60 days after this subpart becomes effective and
upon approval by the Department. A person receiving assistance under this Program must provide

Page 2 Session Law 2025-4 House Bill 74
a signed affidavit, under penalty of perjury, certifying that each fact of the loss presented by the
person is accurate."
SECTION 1A.2.(b) Section 2D.2(c) of S.L. 2025-2 reads as rewritten:
"SECTION 2D.2.(c) Criteria. – The Department shall administer the financial assistance
program authorized by this subpart in accordance with the following criteria:
...
(2) The Department shall gather all claim information, except from those
applicants granted a deadline extension, no later than 45 60 days after this
subpart becomes law. The Department shall, as closely as possible, estimate
the amount of the funds needed to be held in reserve for payments related to
losses of nursery, bush, tree, and specialty crops for which losses will not be
fully known or calculated. The Department shall set aside funds as it deems
appropriate based on the estimated percentage of these losses.
...."

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FEMA LOAN REIMBURSEMENT FROM PREVIOUS
DISASTERS
SECTION 1A.3. Units of local governments that received loan funds under Section
1.5(1) of S.L. 2018-138 or Section 1.2(3)a. of S.L. 2019-250 to assist with cashflow management
while awaiting federal reimbursement, may apply to the Department of Public Safety, Office of
Recovery and Resiliency, for forgiveness of any portion, in whole or in part, of the outstanding
principal and interest of each loan received if all of the following conditions apply:
(1) The unit of local government applied for Public Assistance reimbursement
from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and that
application was denied, in whole or in part.
(2) The unit of local government does not have any active appeals or active
arbitrations for Public Assistance reimbursement from FEMA.
(3) The project worksheet has been closed.

PART II. EDUCATION

REVISE DEADLINE FOR UNC REPORT ON STATE BUDGET ALLOCATIONS AND
POLICIES
SECTION 2.1. G.S. 116-11(9b) reads as rewritten:
"(9b) The Board of Governors shall report by February 1 March 1 of each year to
the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, the Senate
Appropriations Committee on Education/Higher Education, the House of
Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, and the Fiscal
Research Division on the acti