GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 659
Short Title: Local Government Spending Transparency. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Echevarria, Loftis, Almond, and Lowery (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Judiciary 1, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules,
Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 2, 2025
*H659 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SPENDING . 2
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 3
SECTION 1. Article 3 of Chapter 159 of the General Statutes, the Local Government 4
Budget and Fiscal Control Act, is amended by adding a new section to read: 5
"ยง 159-42.2. Transparent spending and bid reporting. 6
(a) All local governmental invoices shall be itemized, disclosing, at a minimum, the 7
payee, amount paid, items or services purchased, and performance dates. A link to view all 8
quarterly invoices shall appear on each local government's website, except that municipalities 9
without a website shall keep copies of the quarterly paid invoices in a binder for public viewing 10
on a counter at the municipal building. The invoices shall be unredacted unless otherwise 11
specifically required by law. 12
(b) In addition to the information required by subsection (a) of this section, a local 13
government website shall provide a link to the top three bids on every project, service, or any 14
goods purchased with any tax dollars, with quarterly updates. These bids shall not be redacted 15
unless otherwise specifically required by law." 16
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 17