North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina House Bill H548 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	H 1
4		-	HOUSE BILL 548
	3	+	H D
	4	+	HOUSE BILL DRH10207-MCa-137
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: NC Economic Progress and Well-Being. (Public)
8		-	Sponsors: Representatives Cohn, Rubin, Roberson, and K. Brown (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
10		-	Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
11		-	March 31, 2025
12		-	H548 -v-1
	9	+	Sponsors: Representative Cohn.
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRH10207 -MCa-137
13	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
14	14		AN ACT TO MEASURE THE ECONOMIC PROGRESS AND WELL -BEING OF THE 2
15	15		STATE. 3
16	16		Whereas, North Carolinians have prioritized their economic well-being and its 4
17	17		advancement as essential work of our State lawmakers; and 5
18	18		Whereas, public policy choices can create the conditions for economic security and 6
19	19		progress; and 7
20	20		Whereas, the State's overall economic progress depends on the well-being of its 8
21	21		people and communities; and 9
22	22		Whereas, policymakers should monitor the impact of public policy choices on the 10
23	23		well-being of people across the State and economic progress by the assessments of people and 11
24	24		communities rather than markets and productivity alone; and 12
25	25		Whereas, the NC General Assembly should strive to conduct its work to advance for 13
26	26		every person in North Carolina; and 14
27	27		Whereas, it is essential to have a well-rounded opportunity to have economically safe, 15
28	28		stable, and secure lives, including (i) access to jobs that pay enough to ensure a standard of living 16
29	29		where a person can get ahead and a high level of life satisfaction, (ii) affordable prices for the 17
30	30		basics like food, housing, health care, and childcare, (iii) access to the education and training that 18
31	31		supports mobility, opportunity, and participation in civic life, (iv) opportunity to start and expand 19
32	32		business free from unfair competition and domination by monopolies and other unfair advantages 20
33	33		for certain kinds of businesses, (v) a community of opportunity free from concentrated 21
34	34		disadvantage, toxic exposures, and connected to supports to learn, earn, and live a healthy life, 22
35	35		and (vi) adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, climate disaster, and 23
36	36		unemployment; Now, therefore, 24
37	37		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 25
38	38		SECTION 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 26
39	39		Commerce the recurring sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for each fiscal year of 27
40	40		the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to conduct biannual analyses of Economic Progress in North 28
41	41		Carolina. The Department shall report the results of the analyses to the General Assembly no 29
42	42		later than January 31 of every odd-numbered year, and each report shall meet all of the following 30
43	43		requirements: 31
44	44		(1) Utilize publicly available data and interview people of various socioeconomic 32
45	45		backgrounds. 33
46		-	(2) Measure, for the State and each county, at least the following metrics: 34 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
47		-	Page 2 House Bill 548-First Edition
48		-	a. Hardship, as measured by the poverty rate, child poverty, deep 1
49		-	poverty, inequality, and the supplemental poverty rate. 2
50		-	b. Share of jobs that (i) pay below a living income wage and (ii) provide 3
51		-	basic needs and quality conditions and benefits. 4
52		-	c. Share of a household's monthly income that goes to food, housing, 5
53		-	health care, and childcare. 6
54		-	d. Percent of people who are considered cost-burdened based on the 7
55		-	amount of income spent on housing, childcare, and health care 8
56		-	premiums. 9
57		-	e. Cost of postsecondary education and job training relative to income. 10
58		-	f. Persistent poverty census tracts and concentrated poverty census 11
59		-	tracts, including the number of people living in persistent and 12
60		-	concentrated poverty neighborhoods. 13
61		-	SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 14
	46	+	(2) Measure, for the State and each county, at least the following metrics: 34
	47	+	a. Hardship, as measured by the poverty rate, child poverty, deep 35
	48	+	poverty, inequality, and the supplemental poverty rate. 36
	49	+	H.B. 548
	50	+	Mar 26, 2025
	51	+	HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	52	+	Page 2 DRH10207-MCa-137
	53	+	b. Share of jobs that (i) pay below a living income wage and (ii) provide 1
	54	+	basic needs and quality conditions and benefits. 2
	55	+	c. Share of a household's monthly income that goes to food, housing, 3
	56	+	health care, and childcare. 4
	57	+	d. Percent of people who are considered cost-burdened based on the 5
	58	+	amount of income spent on housing, childcare, and health care 6
	59	+	premiums. 7
	60	+	e. Cost of postsecondary education and job training relative to income. 8
	61	+	f. Persistent poverty census tracts and concentrated poverty census 9
	62	+	tracts, including the number of people living in persistent and 10
	63	+	concentrated poverty neighborhoods. 11
	64	+	SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 12