Gov. Stein urges lawmakers to pass budget nearly one month after it’s due

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – State lawmakers returned to Raleigh on Tuesday to begin work on overriding bills vetoed by Governor Josh Stein.

The governor urged them to instead focus on approving a state budget.

“It is past time for this General Assembly to pass a budget that puts the people of North Carolina first,” Gov. Stein said.

Gov. Stein’s 2025-2027 proposed budget contained $68 million worth of spending. The House and Senate approved their own budget versions but failed to come to an agreement on a single spending bill. 

Part of the Governor’s proposal includes raising teacher pay, approving Master’s degree pay and providing money for supplies. With no budget in place, 2025 Teacher of the Year Rachel Candaso says educators are preparing to return to the classroom without a clear picture of their paycheck.

“Commitment alone does not pay the bills,” Candaso said. “This is not just about numbers on a page. This is about whether we truly value the people shaping North Carolina’s future,” Cadaso said. 

The governor is also pushing for increased pay for law enforcement. Captain Kimberly Lane, in charge of training and recruitment for the Durham County Sheriffs Office, says current wages aren’t enough to attract future generations of police as older generations of law enforcement retire or change careers. 

“Even as we continue to restore image of this profession by weeding out those who have tarnished it, we still struggle to let people know it is a profession that can pay the bills,” Lane said. 

DMV issues continue to plague the state. It’s why the governor proposes funding more positions.

He’s also insisting lawmakers continue to fully fund Medicaid, a program made more expensive as a result of inflation as new federal laws.

“People who can finally afford to see a doctor when they’re sick or manage their chronic conditions, they can be losing their coverage as quickly as they got it,” Stein said. 

As lawmakers work on overriding bills vetoed by stein, he says they should focus on the one bill that impacts all North Carolinians

“They could do nothing but pass the budget and set the state up for continued success,” Stein said. 

The state is currently operating on the last state budget.