State Representative Rodney D. Pierce welcomed Governor Josh Stein's signing of Senate Bill 257, the first comprehensive state budget enacted in more than 1,000 days, saying while the measure is far from perfect, it delivers long-overdue investments for North Carolinians.

Pierce noted that House Democrats were excluded from the budget negotiations, which were done via House and Senate conference committees. That left the Republican majority to determine the final product without bipartisan input.

"After nearly three years without a comprehensive budget, continuing to operate under outdated funding levels simply wasn't an option," said Pierce, who voted for the budget. "This is not the budget Democrats would have written, and it contains provisions we strongly disagree with. But it also makes important investments in our schools, healthcare system, public safety, and workforce that our communities have waited too long to receive."

(See the local funding requests Pierce made at this link)

Among the provisions are increased funding for public education, teacher and state employee raises, significant salary increases for law enforcement officers, continued investments in community colleges and workforce development, and funding for school nutrition and behavioral health services.

The budget also fully funds North Carolina's Medicaid rebase, restarts the Healthy Opportunities Pilots to address food insecurity, housing, transportation, and other factors that impact health, and continues support for children's health coverage. 

Access East, Inc. has served as HOP’s Network Lead in the state’s eastern region, serving Halifax and Northampton counties.

Additionally, there is $100.8 million in federal Child Care Development Block Grant funding to strengthen child care subsidy requirements, an investment often reported alongside the state’s approximately $97 million recurring child care rate increase. These investments will help support families’ access to quality childcare and provide additional stability for child care providers across North Carolina.

The budget also provides more than $700 million for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, helping communities rebuild infrastructure, restore essential services, and recover from the widespread impacts of the storm. 

It also ends the sales tax exemption on electricity used by data centers, ensuring these large-scale operations contribute more fully to the state’s tax base.

The budget funds the SUN Bucks summer nutrition program, providing eligible families with a $120 food benefit for school-aged children during the summer months, invests in Farm to School programs that help schools purchase food from North Carolina farmers, expands access to free school meals by making it easier for eligible schools to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision, and provides continued support for administering the state's SNAP program, though new administrative costs will shift to counties. 

The budget also includes support for school nutrition programs, including the goal of expanding access to no-cost school breakfast for students across the state.

Pierce said these investments will have a meaningful impact on rural communities where access to healthcare, affordable food, child care, and educational opportunities remain critical challenges.

Once House leadership opened the directed grants process, Pierce submitted the maximum number of local requests permitted — 10 projects totaling $2.5 million — within the 48-hour deadline.

Those proposals included funding for Halifax Community College's Heavy Equipment Operator Training Program, Halifax County EMS, the replacement of the Chaloner Recreation Center bridge in Roanoke Rapids, wastewater infrastructure improvements in Enfield and Scotland Neck, roadway improvements in Rich Square, public works and accessibility projects in Gaston, renovations to the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe's multipurpose facility, and workforce development improvements at Vance-Granville Community College's Warren County campus.

One project that did receive partial funding was the Drewry Volunteer Fire Department. 

Pierce requested $200,000 for a new fire truck for the department, which is based in Vance County but serves residents in Warren County. The final budget appropriated $100,000 toward that effort.

"Those requests were developed in partnership with our local governments, first responders, educational institutions, and community organizations because they represent real needs in our region," Pierce said. "House leadership ultimately determined which requests were included in the final budget.”