North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 4 D cosponsors

SB 538 — Family Empowerment Act.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

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

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

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

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Stalled 22% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    1 primary, 3 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (4 D).

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

14 added · 15 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Senate Bill 538 includes a decision to expand the Child Care Subsidy Program, which is aimed at helping more families access child care services. This change specifies that the expansion will begin on January 1, 2026, and outlines the involvement of the Department of Commerce and other state agencies. These updates are significant because they indicate a clear commitment to improving child care access for families in the state, ultimately supporting working parents and enhancing early childhood education opportunities.

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FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA Mar 25, 2025 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 538 Short Title:
538 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS45282-LRa-95 Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED ANACTTOEXPANDCHILDCAREASSISTANCE,ESTABLISHSTATE-LEVELFAMILY LEAVE INCENTIVES, STRENGTHEN PARENTAL SUPPORT SERVICES, AND PROMOTE WORK-FAMILY BALANCE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THOSE PURPOSES.
Rules and Operations of the Senate March 26, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED ANACTTOEXPANDCHILDCAREASSISTANCE,ESTABLISHSTATE-LEVELFAMILY LEAVE INCENTIVES, STRENGTHEN PARENTAL SUPPORT SERVICES, AND PROMOTE WORK-FAMILY BALANCE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THOSE PURPOSES.
– The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) shall expand the Child Care Subsidy Program by increasing funding and broadening eligibility to families earning up to three hundred percent (300%) of the federal poverty level.
– The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) shall expand the Child Care SubsidyProgram byincreasing funding and broadening eligibility to families earning up to three hundred percent (300%) of the federal poverty level.
Eligible businesses shall receive a credit of up to two thousand five hundred *DRS45282-LRa-95* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 dollars ($2,500) per participating employee, capped at two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) per year per business.
Eligible businesses shall receive a credit of up to two thousand five hundred *S538-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 dollars ($2,500) per participating employee, capped at two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) per year per business.
Grant applications shall be developed and administered by the Department of Commerce, in conjunction with other relevant State agencies.
Grant applications shall be developed and administered bythe Department of Commerce, in conjunction with other relevant State agencies.
(1) Expansion of Child Care Assistance Programs shall begin by January 1, 2026.
(1) Expansion of Child Care Assistance Programs shall begin byJanuary1, 2026.
(2) One representative appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(2) One representative appointed bythe Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Page 2 DRS45282-LRa-95 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Two cochairs of the Board shall be appointed bythe Governor.
Page 2 Senate Bill 538-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Two cochairs of the Board shall be appointed bythe Governor.
SECTION 8.(b) Beginning January 1, 2027, the Board shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly concerning the following:
SECTION 8.(b) Beginning January1, 2027, the Board shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly concerning the following:
DRS45282-LRa-95 Page 3
Senate Bill 538-First Edition Page 3
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  3. Withdrawn From Com

  4. Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget

  5. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 3 co-sponsors · 175 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (3)

Not signed on (175)

175 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"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

taxation health-insurance
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 SB 538?
SB 538 is sponsored by Joyce Waddell (Democratic), Natalie S. Murdock (Democratic), Caleb Theodros (Democratic), and Kandie D. Smith (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 538?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 538?
Track SB 538 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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