North Carolina Senate bill introduced by Sen. Jackson would cap 2026-27 state expenditures

State Sen. Brent Jackson has introduced a new measure in the North Carolina Senate that seeks to determine state spending priorities and expenditure caps for the coming fiscal year, the North Carolina State Senate confirmed.

This legislation, presented as SB 914 and filed on April 29 during the 2025 regular session, carries the short title: ‘2026 Appropriations Act.’

The summary below is based on language from the actual bill text and is intended to clarify its main points.

Essentially, the bill would enact the Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2026, setting maximum spending limits for the 2026-27 fiscal period across state agencies, departments, institutions and other designated recipients. General Fund appropriations would support both state operations and expansion. Funding from the Highway Fund and Highway Trust Fund is earmarked for the Department of Transportation’s ongoing maintenance and operations. Federal block grant provisions cover areas within the Department of Health and Human Services as well as natural and economic resource sectors. The bill references the State Budget Act, limits most measures to the 2026-27 period, includes a severability clause, and—unless otherwise specified—is set to go into effect July 1, 2026.

Among the bill’s three sponsors, Ralph Hise was the most active, proposing 47 bills in the 2025 regular session.

Legislation in North Carolina must pass through a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker begins by submitting a bill, which is then referred to a committee for evaluation. The proposal advances by being read three times, consecutively, in both legislative chambers. If amendments are made after one chamber passes the bill, both must come to agreement on a final version. Once identical versions are approved by both chambers, the governor has 10 days (or 30 days if lawmakers are not in session) to sign, veto or let it become law without signing.

More details about proposed bills and related actions may be found here.

Jackson, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2023, succeeding Michael Lee in the state’s 9th Senate district.