NC lawmakers pass over $1 billion ‘mini budget,’ send to governor’s desk

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – The North Carolina General Assembly passed a budget on Wednesday.

It’s a so-called “mini budget” as lawmakers continue to debate a full budget. It passed 91-23 in the N.C. House.

“Think what we’ve done is address the more immediate pressing concerns that are out there,” Senator Phil Berger said on Tuesday when it passed 47-2 in the N.C. Senate.

“This meets some of the needs on things like school funding allotments across community colleges and K-12, and Medicaid rebase,” House Speaker Destin Hall said.

The mini budget comes as the House and the Senate, both controlled by Republicans, can’t come to an agreement on a final budget despite previously hoping for a July 1 deadline. This one funds more DMV positions across the state and $600 million for Medicaid rebasing. It does not fund raises for teachers or state employees, which is something both chambers have disagreed on from the start.

“For the teachers that are on the steps, the provision that we passed today does fund or authorize the steps; beyond that, we’re continuing to have conversations,” Senator Berger said.

Democrats say it’s not enough and that Republicans spent more time overriding governor vetoes this week than they did looking after North Carolinians.

“We could’ve spent all of that time talking about a budget, talking about delivering the needs of North Carolina, talking about increasing teacher pay,” Senator Sydney Batch said.

“We heard the sponsor talk about ‘we’ and ‘we had a compromise,’ well we, the Democrats, aren’t part of the ‘we’ that I think they’re talking about; we have not had a voice at the table in this,” Representative Marcia Morey said.

Republican leaders say it’s a step in the right direction.

“Those things we think will get us through to a point where we get to have a larger deal that will include state employee and teacher pay raises, that should be retroactive to July 1,” Representative Hall said.

CBS 17 asked Hall about a new deadline for a final budget. He said sometime before Dec. 31, 2026.