2021 NC Legislature

North Carolina’s highest court has delayed the state’s planned March 8 primary until May so state courts can review lawsuits claiming illegal gerrymandering.

The start of North Carolina candidate filing for U.S. House and legislative seats was blocked by an appeals court panel. But it was restored hours later. For now, it means filing will begin for the General Assembly and U.S. House seats on Tuesday morning.

A three-judge panel began a hearing Friday on two lawsuits. Plaintiffs want the judges to prevent state officials from administering elections with the maps because they say they’re extreme partisan gerrymanders.

The Republican-controlled legislature held floor votes Monday on several measures before leaving Raleigh. Some bills are heading to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

Republican budget writers dropped the proposed spending plan and accompanying "money report" on Monday. On Thursday, Democratic Governor Roy Cooper signed the plan into law. North Carolina is the last state in the country to pass a budget.

As state lawmakers prepare to move forward with their own budget, Governor Roy Cooper now faces the threat of a veto-override for the first time in nearly three years as negotiations grind to a conclusion.

Every decade, state lawmakers across the country embark on the process of taking U.S. Census data to draw new political boundaries. That process, known as redistricting, has begun in North Carolina. This fall in Raleigh, legislators will establish new lines for 14 Congressional seats and all 170 General Assembly districts.

The chamber voted 72-41 late Wednesday for the proposal, which contains several billion dollars in cash for infrastructure spending. Republicans who drew up the plan also praised teacher pay raises and tax cuts contained inside.

House Speaker Tim Moore said his plan will better protect businesses and law enforcement from violence and property damage similar to what he saw take place in Raleigh last year after the death of George Floyd.

North Carolina Republicans are moving forward with a plan to limit how teachers can discuss certain racial concepts in classrooms. State Senate leader Phil Berger says his chamber will advance a measure seeking to ban the promotion of critical race theory in K-12 public school classrooms.