North Carolina legislature leaves after passing Helene aid package, but still no budget

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina legislature wrapped up the chief portion of its annual session Thursday, passing another Hurricane Helene aid package this week after Republican majorities pushed through divisive bills to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs and target transgender rights.

Lawmakers in the ninth-largest state also fell short on completing their primary responsibility — enacting a two-year budget by July 1.

There's no risk of a government shutdown, and House and Senate negotiators will keep working to reach budget agreements. This and other legislation could be voted on when lawmakers return occasionally, possibly starting next month. More vetoes from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein likely will be waiting.

Chambers remain far apart on 2-year budget

House and Senate Republicans are split on competing budget bills they approved in the spring. Teacher and state employee pay, the scope of tax cuts and vacant government position eliminations are among the disagreements. Each package would spend $32.6 billion in the upcoming fiscal year and $33.3 billion in the next.

''The massive details behind each of our budgets doesn't allow us quick and urgent resolution,'' GOP Rep. Donny Lambeth, a chief budget writer, told colleagues Wednesday.

The inability of budget writers to work out a stopgap spending measure that usually contains noncontroversial or critical spending provisions gave fodder to Democrats.

''The people of North Carolina should expect better of us,'' Rep. Deb Butler said. ''We have one job and that's to pass a budget, and we haven't done that.''

Any final budget goes to Stein, whose own budget proposal spent more and froze planned income tax cuts. With the GOP one House seat shy of a veto-proof majority, Republicans will seek a final budget that enough Democrats support for any override.

Next Helene spending installment finalized

Before adjourning, House and Senate Republicans hammered out another tranche of state funds to assist with Helene recovery in the mountains.

Not including federal aid, the General Assembly already has appropriated or reallocated more than $1.6 billion for Helene recovery since last September's historic storm.

This latest allotment — approved unanimously and now heading to Stein — moves $700 million to the state's Helene relief fund and appropriates $500 million of that. There's also nearly $1 billion more allocated in federal water and sewer grants and state transportation money with a focus on Helene repairs.

Stein said in a news release late Thursday that while he was ''gratified that the legislature took action to get more Helene funding out the door,'' there are ''other urgent challenges across the state that need to be addressed through a fiscally responsible, full budget.''

GOP focused on eliminating DEI programs

Cutting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives were a major priority for GOP lawmakers. State agencies, local governments, public K-12 schools and higher education institutions would be impacted if the bills become law.

Training, staff positions and hiring decisions that incorporate DEI are banned in state agencies under one bill. The legislation also would outlaw those agencies or local governments from using state funds for DEI programs. Two other bills would bar ''divisive concepts'' and ''discriminatory practices'' across public education in the state.

Republicans have repeatedly said DEI programs have strayed too far from their original goal and create unfair treatment.

''When it's done right, it opens a door for more students to compete fairly,'' Sen. Michael Lee, the bill's sponsor, said in committee Tuesday. ''When it's done wrong, it prioritizes identity over ability.''

But Democrats said the legislation will ''chill'' state employees' speech and may reverse progress for students of color who weren't historically afforded certain opportunities.

''A multiethnic, diverse society has to learn how to grapple with things that can make you feel uncomfortable,'' Rep. Brandon Lofton said on Wednesday. ''This bill puts an end to that.''

Shrimp ban proposal gets loud

It was shrimp that elicited a giant response from the public this week.

A bill pushed by the state Senate would ban shrimp trawling — which uses a cone-shaped net to scoop up the crustaceans — inshore and within a half-mile (.8 kilometers) of coastal North Carolina shorelines.

Proponents say shrimp trawling has negative environmental impacts, such as killing juvenile fish populations and disrupting ecosystems.

But several coastal Republican legislators were outraged, saying the bill would completely devastate North Carolina's shrimping industry. About 75% of North Carolina shrimp are caught inshore, according to the North Carolina Local Food Council.

Hundreds of shrimp industry members and their allies on Tuesday crowded inside and outside the Legislative Building to oppose the bill. A dozen semitrailers — draped with banners like ''NC Seafood for All. No Trawl Ban'' — circled the building and blasted their horns for hours.

Bill opponents cheered Wednesday outside a House Republican caucus meeting where members said they decided not to act on the bill.

Many bills get over the finish line, head to the governor

Legislators gave final approval this week to a host of bipartisan bills, such as a measure sought by the governor to require public school districts to pass policies barring students from having cellphones turned on during instructional time. There would be exceptions.

Others were divisive, like a bill prohibiting state funds for gender-affirming care for prisoners and stating there are only two sexes. Another measure would allow private school boards to authorize a trained, permitted adult to carry a handgun on a school's campus for security.

These measures now head to Stein's desk. The governor vetoed three GOP measures last week. No override attempts have yet occurred.