While the General Assembly has cleared key milestones this session—such as bill filing and crossover—significant work remains. The NC Chamber is examining the policies still on the table to effectively advocate for North Carolina job creators. Our team is singularly focused on a pro-growth agenda that encourages investment and jobs in communities across the state. These policies include elimination of the franchise tax, keeping dark money out of the courts, advancing an all-of-the above energy strategy, preventing regulatory creep, removing barriers to work, and more.

The NC Chamber urges legislators to give serious consideration to these policies prior to adjourning this legislative long session.

Eliminate the Tax on Hardworking People
For years, the NC Chamber has advocated for the elimination of the franchise tax, a duplicative and burdensome levy that continues to hinder economic growth. Despite recent reforms, the franchise tax remains a complex and onerous burden that North Carolina must abolish to keep its competitive edge. This video from the John Locke Foundation provides a great summary of the tax, and why it needs to be axed.

While there is not an active bill that proposes abolishing this onerous tax, it could be done through the budget appropriations process. Learn more >

Keep Dark Money Out of North Carolina Courts
Third party litigation investment (TPLI) is a practice in which an external party, separate from the plaintiff and defendant, provides financial support to one of the parties involved in a legal dispute in exchange for a share of the potential settlement or judgment.

The practice is bad for business and bad for consumers. North Carolina could lead the nation in providing a fair, competitive legal climate that protects individuals and businesses by banning the practice. Learn more >

Protect the Reliable, Affordable Energy that Powers Economic Growth
Reliable, affordable energy has been critical to North Carolina’s economic growth and success. The policies in the revised version of SB 266 enable utilities to build more reliable energy resources like natural gas and nuclear power as part of an “all-the-above” approach to keep up with skyrocketing demands from always-on industries. Additionally, the consumer protections inject a level of certainty and predictability into the pricing of our energy, which is another critical factor for continued economic investment. The NC Chamber urges support and passage of Senate Bill 266 and will score it as a key vote.

Prevent Regulatory Creep
HB402: NC REINS Act ensures that rulemaking bodies operate within the authority that was granted to them by the state legislature. Most importantly, it puts North Carolinians first by empowering legislators who are elected by the citizens with the ability to oversee rules that will have a substantial economic impact. The NC Chamber urges support and passage of House Bill 402: NC REINS Act.

Remove Barriers to Work
Policies that remove barriers to work are critical to connecting North Carolinians with good-paying jobs. The NC Chamber urges support and passage of the following.

Enabling a Person to Provide for Their Family
H980: Remove Barriers to Employment from Court Debt aims to help people with court-related debt by removing the ability of the government to suspend driver’s licenses for unpaid fines or missed court appearances. This helps individuals continue to have a means to get to work and provide for their families.

Expanding Middle-Class Housing
H765: Save the American Dream Act aims to reform local government regulations concerning development to enhance housing availability and streamline local government processes. The NC Chamber supports efforts to address challenges to housing availability to improve opportunities for the state’s workforce. Addressing North Carolina’s housing crisis is also a critical investment in our state’s future and one that could generate $489 billion in economic activity and nearly 2.2 million jobs.

Child Care
North Carolina’s employers have identified child care as a critical factor in our state’s workforce challenges. Without access to affordable, safe child care, a parent cannot go to work. Research from the NC Chamber Foundation indicates the child care crisis is negatively impacting the state’s economy.

• HB309: Bldg. Code Fam. Child Care Home Class would establish a new classification under the North Carolina State Building Code specifically for family child care homes, which would simplify regulatory compliance while maintaining high safety standards, expanding access to child care.
• H389: Child Care Workforce Pilot Program/Funds would establish a two-year pilot program that expands the child care workforce academies currently operating in Johnston and Wayne Counties.This would strengthen North Carolina’s talent pipeline by providing training for child care workers.
• H412: Child Care Regulatory Reforms directly addresses funding structures, policy reforms, and innovations in child care, which is in alignment with the NC Chamber Child Care Coalition’s mission to expand access and improve the business climate for child care providers in North Carolina.

Ensure Alignment Between State and Federal Regulations and Balance to Our Legal Climate
Do you know the full story of the litigation surrounding Roundup? Probably not. This critical issue is addressed in Section 19 of the North Carolina Farm Act of 2025. Imposing liability at the state level for something that has been deemed untrue at the federal level creates a significant legal issue for businesses and would be detrimental to both our regulatory and legal climates. We urge support and passage of section 19 of SB639: North Carolina Farm Act of 2025.

Curb Workplace Violence
SB484: Workplace Violence Prevention/Mass Picketing would introduce changes to North Carolina’s workplace violence prevention laws to protect employees and employers. The bill continues to allow employees to engage in mass picketing, while minimizing workplace violence against employees who choose not to participate. The NC Chamber urges support and passage of this bill.

As North Carolina continues to experience tremendous population growth, we must continue to prioritize economic growth. We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with policymakers to do just that.