- Update: Gov. Josh Stein signed HB358 into law on Sept. 30, 2025.
The North Carolina General Assembly passed a “mini budget” Tuesday that concentrates on disaster recovery and targeted infrastructure and education spending. The measure directs $65.5 million in one-time dollars to storm relief, while also spending on infrastructure around Raleigh’s Lenovo Center, where the Hurricanes professional hockey team plays. The site is also home to the North Carolina State Universities football and basketball arena. The bill also includes funding for a public dock and road project in Hertford County, and airport and capital upgrades.
The bill went to Gov. Josh Stein on Tuesday after the NC House voted 105-5 to pass it and the Senate gave it a unanimous vote on Monday.
House Bill 358 directs $35 million in non-recurring funds to the Centennial Authority for “a regional entertainment and sports arena” that the authority owns in Raleigh. The project is planned to expand the facility to include an entertainment district, retail, parking with tailgating suites, and eventually a hotel and other facilities.
The bill also gives the Office of the State Auditor two additional floors of the Albamarle Building in downtown Raleigh. The auditor already has two floors and has been hiring additional staff to cover growing duties assigned to the office by the legislature. The bill includes permission for NC Central to sell the school’s chancellor’s residence and deposit the funds to buy another residence for the chancellor.
It also lets previously appropriated community-college funds carry forward, adjusting support for early college high schools, and providing tuition grants tied to UNC’s specialty high schools. Also in the bill, technical policy changes such as accreditation rules and limited recurring funds for the Department of Labor and the state’s residential schools.
Included in the spending measure:
- Disaster recovery: $65.5M from the State Emergency Response & Disaster Relief Fund (majority for Tropical Storm Chantal; also audit dashboard and Helene-related repairs at Warren Wilson College and UNC–Asheville).
- Golden LEAF: Technical update to Rapid Recovery loan calculations (no new appropriation).
- Wilson Community College (biologics): Prior $10.0M remains available through June 30, 2027.
- K–12 enrollment & Cooperative Innovative High Schools funding: Technical updates and added recurring support for several cooperative innovative high schools and codified tiered allotments.
- Tuition grants: $2.8M recurring for graduates of NC School of Science and Mathematics and UNC School of the Arts.
- Higher-ed accreditation: Policy changes establishing “preferred accrediting agencies” and rotation rules.
- Brunswick Community College: Prior grants remain available through Dec. 31, 2028.
- Residential schools: $400K recurring each for the Governor Morehead School, Eastern NC School for the Deaf, and NC School for the Deaf.
- Dept. of Labor: Technical changes; $650K recurring per year for three attorney positions plus $150K recurring per year for security.
- Hertford County project: $51.0M from the Stabilization & Inflation Reserve ($40M for a public dock; $11M for road access).
- State Capital and Infrastructure Fund adjustments: FY25–26 total rises to $888.6M (up $65.0M), including increases for a transportation project, $5.0M for UNC–Pembroke (Regional Emergency Response Center), and $1.5M for State Highway Patrol repairs.
- Airports: $10.4M for Coastal Carolina Regional Airport site work (lease-contingent); $3.6M (Highway Fund) for Tri-County Airport hangar improvements; $750K nonrecurring per year for RDU–Dublin air service
Stein has 10 days to sign or veto the bill, or it becomes law without his signature.
