Long Session adjourned last week without a full budget agreed to with their Senate counterparts, but passed two pieces of legislation to address some of the funding needs for our state. 

House Bill 192 would increase teacher pay in North Carolina by an average of 8.7% over the biennium, with 6.4% of that increase coming in the first fiscal year. In keeping with the forward thinking budget passed by the conservative House majority it would make North Carolina the leader in the southeastern United States for entry-level teacher pay.

House Bill 192 also includes a 2.5% raise for most state employees and a 1% cost of living adjustment for retired state employees.

A revised Senate Bill 177 was passed in the House in conjunction with House Bill 192. Senate Bill 177 cuts long empty positions in state government and funds new positions for the State Auditor’s office. These positions would help State Auditor Dave Boliek’s mission of rooting out government waste and creating a more efficient state government.