The News & Observer today published a glimpse into North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall’s leadership style and legislative priorities in his first year as Speaker.

From the story:

Hall said in a November interview with The News & Observer that issues he talked about when he started his job in early 2025 remain.

There’s Helene recovery, which was the topic of the first bill Democratic Gov. Josh Stein signed and is an ongoing focus.

And there’s public safety, which for Hall included House Bill 318, requiring stricter sheriff cooperation with Immigration & Customs Enforcement. That bill was vetoed by Stein, but Republicans and one Democrat passed it into law over his objections.

“If you as a sheriff, you have someone in your jail who’s been charged with a serious crime, who also happens to be here illegally, you have to cooperate with ICE if they issue a detainer. We got that done. Overrode the veto,” Hall said.

The third big issue is teacher pay, including Hall’s pitch to raise starting pay for teachers to the highest in the Southeast. The House proposal passed in May would have raised starting teacher base pay to $50,000 by July 2026.

Later in the story:

The real debate, as Hall describes it, is over taxes. If the House agrees to keep the revenue triggers for income tax cuts in 2027 and beyond, there could be less money for the teacher and state employees raises that Hall, House Republicans and some Democrats want. House and Senate Republicans agreed on the triggers in 2023, before Hall was speaker.

We’ve covered over the last year the forward thinking approach to budgeting that has been a hallmark of Conservative leadership in the House. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation published a recommendation that North Carolina should refine its tax reduction triggers, which is aligned with the forward thinking budget the House passed.

We applaud Speaker Hall’s continued commitment to increased public safety, smart investments in education, and prudent tax reform.