| 13 | 13 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 |
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| 14 | 14 | | AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE NORTH CAROLINA UNIVERSAL INCOME PROGRAM 2 |
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| 15 | 15 | | IN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. 3 |
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| 16 | 16 | | The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SECTION 1. Article 10 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by 5 |
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| 18 | 18 | | adding a new section to read: 6 |
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| 19 | 19 | | "ยง 143B-431.4. Universal Income Program established. 7 |
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| 20 | 20 | | (a) The NC Universal Income Program (NCUIP) is established in the Department of 8 |
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| 21 | 21 | | Commerce. The NCUIP shall incentivize individuals having difficulty finding good permanent 9 |
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| 22 | 22 | | employment to volunteer in the community and to receive retraining. The Pay-It-Forward Fund 10 |
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| 23 | 23 | | (Fund) is established in the Department of Commerce to support the NCUIP. The Department's 11 |
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| 24 | 24 | | development of program activities and funding options shall focus on public-private partnerships, 12 |
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| 25 | 25 | | tax incentives, and other methods appropriate to obtain the resources required to fund the NCUIP 13 |
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| 26 | 26 | | and to provide valuable volunteer opportunities for the community and employment retraining 14 |
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| 27 | 27 | | to participants. The Department of Commerce shall seek funding for the Fund from private 15 |
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| 28 | 28 | | sources and from the local, State, and federal levels of government. The Department of 16 |
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| 29 | 29 | | Commerce shall adopt rules to implement this section. 17 |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b) In consultation with the North Carolina Department of Revenue, the Department of 18 |
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| 31 | 31 | | Commerce shall implement a repayment program for NCUIP graduates to pay an extra one 19 |
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| 32 | 32 | | percent (1%) in State individual income taxes, with that revenue going into the Pay-It-Forward 20 |
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| 33 | 33 | | Fund to provide the universal income to others in the program. 21 |
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| 34 | 34 | | (c) By January 1, 2026, the Department of Commerce shall establish and administer the 22 |
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| 35 | 35 | | NCUIP to provide a monthly income of up to three thousand dollars ($3,000) per month, for up 23 |
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| 36 | 36 | | to five years, to eligible individuals who are receiving job training, performing volunteer work, 24 |
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| 37 | 37 | | or both, in accordance with the requirements of the program. 25 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (d) By April 1, 2026, and then annually thereafter, the Secretary of the Department of 26 |
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| 39 | 39 | | Commerce shall report to the General Assembly on the implementation of this section." 27 |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 28 |
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