NC House returns as it faces final pre-election push on unfinished bills

North Carolina House members return to Raleigh this week for what are expected to be their final voting days before the Nov. 3 election. They are scheduled to convene at 4pm on Tuesday.

The Senate met last week and advanced several proposals, leaving the House to consider a growing list of unresolved issues when it returns to Raleigh. With lawmakers expected to hold their final votes before the November election, time is running short to address legislation that could otherwise remain unfinished until the uncertain post-election reconvene session. 

Potential votes

The House calendar includes concurrence votes on a pair of rewritten election bills that would shorten early voting for primary elections, require performance audits of election procedures, and make changes to ballot processing and post-election deadlines.

House Bill 958, Election Law Changes, passed the Senate 28-13 on a party-line vote. House Bill 834, State Board of Elections Administrative Changes, passed 42-0.

Because senators revised much of the language previously approved by the House, representatives must agree to the changes before either measure can go to Stein.

Among the most significant changes in HB 958 is a provision that reduces early voting from 17 days to 10 days for primaries, second primaries, and runoff elections. The bill would also direct the state auditor to conduct post-election performance audits of election systems and procedures in randomly selected counties, with every county board reviewed at least once every six years.

HB 834 would extend several post-election deadlines from three business days to five, giving voters more time to correct missing registration information, provide required identification, and resolve certain absentee or provisional ballot problems. It would also address absentee ballot delivery and judicial review of the State Board of Elections’ decisions.

Most major provisions in HB 958 would take effect Jan. 1, 2027, and would not apply to the November election. HB 834 would take effect upon becoming law and could affect this year’s election administration.

Stein criticized HB 958 in a social media post, arguing that the changes would make voting more difficult and give partisan officials greater power to challenge ballots.

“Voters must be able to choose elected leaders who actually deliver for them on the issues that matter — lowering the cost of living, investing in public schools, or keeping us safe,” Stein wrote. “HB 958 makes it harder for people to vote and easier for partisans to throw out votes after the election is over when they don’t like the results. This bill undermines our elections and weakens our democracy.”

House leaders could also decide the fate of a Senate-approved conference report that would largely ban intoxicating hemp products in North Carolina.

House Bill 328, Regulate Hemp-Derived Consumables, would impose a limit of 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container on finished hemp products. The restriction would remove most THC beverages, gummies, vapes, delta-8 products, and THCA flower from North Carolina’s legal market.

The agreement would also prohibit the sale or delivery of hemp-derived consumables to anyone younger than 21, prohibit underage possession, and create penalties for illegal sales and possession.

The Senate adopted the conference report 37-6 on July 2, but the House did not take it up before lawmakers left Raleigh. The report was formally submitted to the House and referred to the Rules Committee on July 30, leaving it available for consideration this week.

House Republicans previously raised concerns about the scope of the agreement. House leaders have shown greater interest in age restrictions and youth access than in the conference report’s broader ban on products.

Stein criticized the proposal in a social media post, arguing that it would legalize kratom while failing to establish adequate protections for minors.

“Tomorrow the House is considering a bill that aims to eliminate the Wild West that is North Carolina’s THC market,” Stein wrote. “For some reason, the bill also legalizes kratom, an opioid-like substance sometimes called gas station heroin, and fails to include any meaningful age restrictions. The legislature should be focused on creating a safe and well-regulated adult THC market that protects kids.”

Because conference reports cannot be amended on the floor, the House would have to accept or reject the agreement. Approval would send the bill to Stein, while rejection would likely require lawmakers to renegotiate the legislation during a later session.

Constitutional amendments

The House also has one Senate-approved constitutional amendment that remains eligible for the November ballot.

Senate Bill 1082, the NC Right to Work Amendment, passed the Senate 30-16 and has remained in the House Rules Committee since May.

The proposal would place North Carolina’s longstanding right-to-work protections in the state constitution. It would declare that a person’s right to work cannot be denied based on membership or nonmembership in a labor union or labor organization.

Right-to-work laws prohibit employers from requiring workers to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment. Supporters argue that adding the protection to the Constitution would make it more difficult for future lawmakers to weaken or repeal the policy.

Constitutional amendments require approval from three-fifths of each chamber before they can be placed before voters. SB 1082 would therefore need at least 72 votes in the 120-member House.

Because representatives are not expected to vote again before Election Day, this week is effectively the final opportunity for SB 1082 to reach the November ballot.

Voters are already scheduled to consider amendments that would lower the constitutional cap on state income tax rates and require the General Assembly to establish limits on increases in local property tax levies.

Veto overrides

The House calendar also includes two veto overrides: House Bill 437, governing unauthorized public camping; and Senate Bill 50, allowing permitless concealed carry.

HB 437, Drug-Free Zones/Unauthorized Public Camping, would prohibit local governments from allowing unauthorized camping or sleeping on public property, including sidewalks, parks, public buildings, and rights-of-way.

The bill would create a limited framework for cities and counties to establish regulated camping sites when shelter beds are insufficient. Those sites would require state certification, sanitation services, restroom access, running water, security, and coordination with mental health and substance-abuse treatment providers.

It would also create drug-free zones around homeless shelters and service providers.

The House originally passed HB 437 by a 73-40 vote, with five Democrats joining Republicans. Stein vetoed it on July 8, arguing that it would impose costs on local governments and interfere with efforts to help people experiencing homelessness and addiction.

In a social media post, House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, pledged that the chamber would override Stein’s veto.

SB 50, Freedom to Carry North Carolina, would allow eligible North Carolinians who are at least 18 to carry a concealed handgun without first obtaining a permit.

The Senate overrode Stein’s veto in 2025, but the legislation has remained stalled in the House. Representatives originally passed the bill 59-48, with two Republicans joining Democrats in opposition and several other Republicans absent.

The bill has repeatedly appeared on the House calendar without receiving a final override vote, raising questions about whether leadership can assemble the three-fifths majority required among members present and voting.

After this week, the General Assembly’s next scheduled voting period would begin Nov. 16, following the November elections. This window gives lawmakers another opportunity to finish eligible legislation, consider veto overrides, and resolve outstanding business before the two-year session ends Dec. 18. 

However, what lawmakers would address during those lame-duck sessions remains uncertain because the election results will shape their political context and direction. With unfinished bills at risk of being pushed into an unpredictable lame-duck session, advocates of the major proposals are expected to intensify their lobbying at the legislature this week.

“NC House returns as it faces final pre-election push on unfinished bills” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.