North Carolina SB 583: Lead. Invest. Families/Foster Teen Act (LIFT).

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 583

Short Title: Lead. Invest. Families/Foster Teen Act (LIFT). (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Murdock, Chitlik, and Applewhite (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 26, 2025
*S583-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO IMPLEMENT THE "LEADING INVESTMENTS IN FAMILIES AND FOSTER 2
TEENS ACT" AND TO IMPLEMENT THE HEALTHY START NC PROGRAM TO 3
REDUCE MATERNAL MORTALITY AND CHILDHOOD POVERTY AND TO OFFSET 4
COSTS BY MODIFYING THE CORPORATE INCOME TAX RATE SO AS TO KEEP 5
THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE FOR CORPORATE TAXPAYERS MORE CLOSELY 6
ALIGNED WITH THAT WHICH IS REQUIRED OF INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYERS OF 7
THE STATE. 8
Whereas, wealth and income inequality, which have long plagued North Carolina and 9
the country, continue to grow; and 10
Whereas, structural poverty in our State leads to economic inequality, limited access 11
to education, healthcare, and affordable housing, and high rates of incarceration and 12
environmental hazards. These systemic disparities have created cycles of poverty across 13
generations, leading to underemployment, poor health outcomes, and lower educational 14
advancement; and 15
Whereas, a 2025 Bankrate survey found that fifty-nine percent (59%) of Americans 16
don't have enough savings to cover an unexpected $1,000 emergency expense; and 17
Whereas, we can keep more people out of poverty created by expected or unexpected 18
life changes, or emergencies, by providing targeted populations with recurring payments when 19
they need it most; and 20
Whereas, building on the successes and learnings of City of Durham's guaranteed 21
income pilot, Excel, and Durham County's program, DCo Thrives, we can disrupt structural 22
poverty across North Carolina by zeroing in populations that are most susceptible to financial 23
hardship; and 24
Whereas, this act shifts the paradigm from reacting to poverty to preventing poverty; 25
Now, therefore, 26
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 27
SECTION 1.(a) Article 3 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by 28
adding a new Part to read: 29
"Part 3B. 30
"Leading Investments in Families and Foster Teens Act. 31
"§ 143B-146.30. Short title. 32
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Leading Investments in Families and Foster 33
Teens Act." 34
"§ 143B-146.31. Definitions. 35
(a) The following definitions apply in this Part: 36

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 583-First Edition
(1) Department. – The Department of Health and Human Services. 1
(2) Eligible recipient. – A high school participant, expectant or new mother 2
participant, survivor of a natural disaster, or young adult exiting foster care 3
participant, who meets the criteria to receive Program income payments under 4
the Program. 5
(3) High school participant. – A public school student who is in Grade 12 and is 6
a homeless child or youth, as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 11434a(2). 7
(4) Expectant or new mother participant. – A person who is pregnant or a person 8
who birthed a child and that child is under 18 months of age. 9
(5) Survivor of a natural disaster. – Individuals that are eligible to receive Federal 10
Emergency Management Agency Individual Assistance or FEMA individual 11
assistance funds. 12
(6) Young adult exiting foster care participant. – Anyone who was in foster care 13
after 14 years of age, who exited foster care after 16 years of age, and who has 14
not yet turned 27 years of age. 15
(7) Fund. – The LIFT Fund. 16
(8) Liaison. – A local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youths 17
and unaccompanied youths designated pursuant to Section 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii) 18
of Title 42 of the United States Code. 19
(9) LIFT. – Leading Investments in Families and Foster Teens. 20
(10) Program. – The Leading Investments in Families and Foster Teens (LIFT) 21
Program. 22
(11) Program income payment. – Cash payments of equal amounts issued monthly 23
to eligible recipients with the intention of stabilizing the eligible recipients' 24
financial security and to protect from emergency expenditures. 25
(12) Taxable year. – As defined in G.S. 105-153.3. 26
"§ 143B-146.32. Program. 27
There is established the Leading Investments in Families and Foster Teens Program is 28
established within the Department to support eligible recipients with Program income payments 29
for limited periods of time in accordance with the Program. Eligible recipients shall only receive 30
funds to the extent that the Program income payments do not conflict with federal law, eligibility 31
for other federal of State programs, or any necessary waivers or exemptions for State or federal 32
benefits that are jeopardized. Eligible recipients shall receive payments of one thousand dollars 33
($1,000.00) per month in accordance with the following schedule: 34
(1) High school participants shall receive Program income payments beginning 35
April 1 and continuing through t