North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 20 D · 13 R cosponsors

HB 490 — Propel NC Funding and Tuition Surcharge.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced March 24, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Advancing 42% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 34 sponsors

    3 primary, 31 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (20 D · 13 R) — cross-party backing.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

65 added · 64 removed

Plain-language change summary

The main change in Bill HB 490 is the adjustment to the language related to how the community colleges’ funding formula will be managed. Specifically, the wording surrounding the allocation of surplus receipts from tuition and fees has been streamlined to clarify that these amounts can be used for community colleges' operating costs. This matters because it aims to ensure financial stability and improved funding for colleges, allowing them to better support their students and maintain quality education.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA H.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 490 Short Title:
490 Mar 24, 2025 SESSION 2025 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK H D HOUSE BILL DRH40287-NGa-103A Short Title:
Representative Winslow.
Representatives Winslow, Pickett, K.
Hall, and Willis (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED ANACT TODIRECT THESTATEBOARDOF COMMUNITYCOLLEGES TOREVISE ITS FUNDING MODEL FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO ALIGN WITH THE PROPEL NC FUNDING MODEL, TO ESTABLISH THE ENROLLMENT INCREASE RESERVE, AND TO PERMIT COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO ESTABLISH A LOCAL TUITION AND FEE SURCHARGE.
Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House March 25, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED ANACT TODIRECT THE STATE BOARDOF COMMUNITYCOLLEGES TOREVISE ITS FUNDING MODEL FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO ALIGN WITH THE PROPEL NC FUNDING MODEL, TO ESTABLISH THE ENROLLMENT INCREASE RESERVE, AND TO PERMIT COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO ESTABLISH A LOCAL TUITION AND FEE SURCHARGE.
"(aa) The State Board of Community Colleges shall review and revise, as necessary, its workforce sector designations for curriculum, workforce continuing education, and Basic Skills courses at community colleges by July 15, 2028, and every three years thereafter." SECTION1.(d) NolaterthanApril 1,2027,the Community Colleges SystemOffice shallreporttotheJointLegislativeEducationOversightCommitteeontherevisionstoitsfunding formula for community colleges pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, including the structure of the revised formula, the process for implementing the revised formula, and any recommended changes to the revised formula.
"(aa) The State Board of Community Colleges shall review and revise, as necessary, its workforce sector designations for curriculum, workforce continuing education, and Basic Skills courses at community colleges by July 15, 2028, and every three years thereafter." SECTION1.(d) NolaterthanApril 1,2027,the CommunityColleges SystemOffice shallreporttotheJointLegislativeEducationOversightCommitteeontherevisionstoitsfunding formula for communitycolleges pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, includingthe structure *H490-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 of the revised formula, the process for implementing the revised formula, and any recommended changes to the revised formula.
*DRH40287-NGa-103A* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 SECTION 1.(e) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Community Colleges for the 2025-2026 fiscal year the sum of ninety-three million nineteen thousand five hundred fifty-six dollars ($93,019,556) in recurring funds to implement the revisions to the funding formula required by subsection (b) of this section.
SECTION 1.(e) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Community Colleges for the 2025-2026 fiscal year the sum of ninety-three million nineteen thousand five hundred fifty-six dollars ($93,019,556) in recurring funds to implement the revisions to the funding formula required by subsection (b) of this section.
6 PART II.
8 PART II.
Page 2 DRH40287-NGa-103A General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (a) Notwithstanding G.S.
Page 2 House Bill 490-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (a) Notwithstanding G.S.
DRH40287-NGa-103A Page 3
House Bill 490-First Edition Page 3
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How this bill changes current law

5 changes Share ↗

Compared against the N.C. General Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes a new Enrollment Increase Reserve and allows community colleges to impose a local tuition and fee surcharge.

  • G.S. 115D-31(e)

    may allocate those receipts to the community colleges for operating costs according to a formula adopted by the State Board. → may allocate those receipts to the community colleges for operating costs according to a formula adopted by the State Board. Funds in the Enrollment Growth Reserve allocated pursuant to this subsection shall not revert to the General Fund and shall remain available to the State Board until expended. The State Board may allocate funds in this reserve to colleges experiencing an enrollment increase greater than five percent (5%) of budgeted enrollment levels.

    The provision clarifies that funds in the Enrollment Growth Reserve may be allocated to colleges with significant enrollment increases and ensures those funds do not revert to the General Fund.

  • G.S. 115D-31

    (e1) The State Board shall administer the Enrollment Increase Reserve as provided in G.S. 115D-31.4.

    This establishes the Enrollment Increase Reserve to provide financial support to community colleges experiencing enrollment increases.

  • N.C.G.S.

    § 115D-31.4. Enrollment Increase Reserve.

    This creates a new section that details the administration and purpose of the Enrollment Increase Reserve.

  • N.C.G.S.

    (a) Notwithstanding G.S. 115D-39(a), a community college may implement a surcharge for tuition for curriculum courses and registration fees for workforce continuing education courses.

    This allows community colleges to implement a tuition and fee surcharge, enhancing funding flexibility.

  • N.C.G.S.

    (c) The funds collected from the surcharge shall only be used to support instruction in curriculum, workforce continuing education, or Basic Skills courses.

    This specifies that the revenue generated from surcharges is restricted to instructional purposes only.

Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref to the Com on Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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3 sponsors · 31 co-sponsors · 145 not signed on

Sponsors (3)

Co-sponsors (31)

Not signed on (145)

145 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 145 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

finance education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 490?
HB 490 is sponsored by Bill Ward (Republican), Brian Turner (Democratic), Phil Rubin (Democratic), James Roberson (Democratic), Reeder, Renée A. Price (Democratic), Lindsey Prather (Democratic), Joseph Pike (Republican), Rodney D. Pierce (Democratic), Howard Penny, Jr. (Republican), Marcia Morey (Democratic), Jordan Lopez (Democratic), Tim Longest (Democratic), Monika Johnson-Hostler (Democratic), Zack Hawkins (Democratic), Pricey Harrison (Democratic), Julia Greenfield (Democratic), Sarah Crawford (Democratic), Tricia Ann Cotham (Republican), Allen Chesser (Republican), Maria Cervania (Democratic), Celeste C. Cairns (Republican), Terry M. Brown Jr. (Democratic), Gloristine Brown (Democratic), Vernetta Alston (Democratic), Eric Ager (Democratic), Jay Adams (Republican), David Willis (Republican), Kyle Hall (Republican), Ray Pickett (Republican), Matthew Winslow (Republican), Neal Jackson (Republican), Jake Johnson (Republican), and Beth Helfrich (Democratic).
What is the current status of HB 490?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced March 24, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 490?
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