A year late, NC lawmakers finishing budget bill with votes this week

Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan, The News & Observer on Jun 29, 2026

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A year late, North Carolina lawmakers are finally expected to reveal a state budget bill on Tuesday morning, with votes expected this week.

Throughout the day on Monday, legislative staff worked to finalize the budget bill.

House Majority Leader Brenden Jones, a Tabor City Republican, posted some details on social media midday Monday and said that the agreement is “being finalized,” with details to come.

Tens of thousands of teachers and state employees have been waiting a year for across-the-board raises. Lawmakers started this new budget as an outlook for the 2026-2027 fiscal year that begins July 1, not anything for the year that has passed. Bonuses were pitched as a way to make up for some of those lost raises.

Jones confirmed some of what top Republicans said in May when they reached a budget deal “framework” on raises and tax policy:

• 13% pay raise for law enforcement,

• 8% pay raise, on average, for teachers,

• $1,750 bonus for state employees whose salaries are lower than $75,000 a year, Jones posted.

Jones also said that there is more than $3 billion in reserves.

The news comes after WRAL-TV reported Sunday that a deal had been reached that night, and reported a lack of funding in the agreement for a potential Major League Baseball stadium.

The News & Observer also confirmed the deal, and that baseball was not part of it, on Monday morning.

The budget document — which had not been released publicly as of 8 p.m. Monday — could be in committees as soon as Tuesday morning, with votes to follow in the coming days.

House Speaker Destin Hall’s spokesperson, Demi Dowdy, told The N&O on Monday that the bill would be released Monday night or early Tuesday morning, with votes likely on Wednesday and Thursday. On Monday night, she confirmed a Tuesday morning release is expected.

There is also the possibility that the budget bill this week isn’t the last spending bill. Lawmakers could pass a bill with raises and money for big projects, and then pass another budget bill later this summer with additional spending.