North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 1 R cosponsors

SB 127 — Lower Taxes for Scotland County.

Last action — Withdrawn From Cal

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  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 February 21, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

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

Prognosis

Stalled 16% · 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.

  • 1 sponsor

    0 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

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

270 added · 279 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the latest version of Senate Bill 127, the language has been clarified to specify the responsibilities of the Scotland County Board of Education, including how it will handle vacancies and budget recommendations. The bill now also emphasizes that the board has the authority to manage its contracts and finances. These changes matter because they aim to streamline the governance of the local education system, ensuring transparency and clear decision-making for the benefit of the community.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 2 SENATE BILL 127 Finance Committee Substitute Adopted 3/18/25 Short Title:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 127 Short Title:
Senator Britt (Primary Sponsor).
February 24, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE SCOTLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TO ADOPT A SCHOOL BUDGET IN ITS DISCRETION, TO ELIMINATE THE MANDATORY SCHOOL FUNDING FLOOR, AND TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES.
Rules and Operations of the Senate February 24, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE SCOTLAND COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO SUBMIT A RECOMMENDATION OF SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FOR THE SCOTLAND COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM TO BE EVALUATED BY THE SCOTLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS INSTEAD OF A MANDATORY BUDGET REQUEST, AND TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES.
SECTION 1.
SECTION 1.(a) Chapter 707 of the 1963 Session Laws, as amended by S.L.
Chapter 707 of the 1963 Session Laws, as amended by S.L.
Upon the receipt of such petition, it shall be the duty of the Scotland County Board ofCommissioners to call an electionuponthe foregoingsubjects within sixty(60)days thereafter and fix the date for the same.
Upon the receipt of such petition, it shall be the duty of the Scotland County Board ofCommissioners to call an electionuponthe foregoingsubjects withinsixty(60)days thereafter and fix the date for the same.
The provisions of this Act, relating to the merger of the Laurinburg City School Administrative Unit and the Scotland County School Administrative Unit, shall be *S127-v-2* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 contingent upon the approval, by a majority of the voters voting in a county-wide election, of all the proposals as set out in subsections (a) through (d) of Section 2 of this Act.
The provisions of this Act, relating to the merger of the Laurinburg *S127-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 City School Administrative Unit and the Scotland County School Administrative Unit, shall be contingent upon the approval, by a majority of the voters voting in a county-wide election, of all the proposals as set out in subsections (a) through (d) of Section 2 of this Act.
(b) If the number of candidates who file for nomination from the StewartsvilleTownshipis twiceor fewerthan the number ofvacancies from Stewartsville Township the names of such candidates shall be placed on the ballot for the general election and there shall be no primary election;
(b) If the number of candidates who file for nomination from the StewartsvilleTownshipis twiceor fewerthan the numberofvacancies from Stewartsville Township the names of such candidates shall be placed on the ballot for the general election and there shall be no primary election;
provided further, that if the number of candidates who file for nomination from the Stewartsville Township is more than twice the number of vacancies from the Stewartsville Township there Page 2 Senate Bill 127-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 shall be placed on the ballot at the general election the four (twice the numberofvacancies)candidatesreceivingthelargestnumberofvotes.
provided further, that if the number of candidates who file for nomination from the Stewartsville Township is more than twice the number of vacancies from the Stewartsville Township there Page 2 Senate Bill 127-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 shall be placed on the ballot at the general election the four (twice the numberofvacancies)candidatesreceivingthelargestnumberofvotes.
(f) The Board of Education shall prepare a ballot for use in the primaries and general elections which shall be separate from other ballots and on which shall be listed separately the Senate Bill 127-Second Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 candidates from the Stewartsville Township and the candidates from the 3 other Scotland County Townships at large.
(f) The Board of Education shall prepare a ballot for use in the primaries and general elections which shall be separate from other ballots and on which shall be listed separately the Senate Bill 127-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 candidates from the Stewartsville Township and the candidates from the 3 other Scotland County Townships at large.
(d) Each year following the merging of the two Boards of Education, at the same time the other school budgets are filed, the Laurinburg-Scotland County Board of Education shall file Page 4 Senate Bill 127-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 a supplemental tax budget which, when added to the regular budget, shall provide, at a minimum, current expense expenditures per student from local funds which are no less than the average current expense expenditures per student from local funds throughout the State as determined by the latest certification of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
(d) Each year following the merging of the two Boards of Education, at the same time the other school budgets are filed, the Laurinburg-Scotland Scotland County Board of Education Page 4 Senate Bill 127-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 shall filea recommended supplemental tax budget which,when addedto the regularbudget, shall provide, at a minimum, current expense expenditures per student from local funds which are no less than the average current expense expenditures per student from local funds throughout the State as determined by the latest certification of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The said Board of Commissioners shall approve the regular and supplemental tax budgets in the minimum amount provided for above and mayapprove the regular and supplemental tax budgets in larger amounts, and shall thenprovidethefundsthereforfrom local funds.Forfiscal year2025-2026,theScotland County Board of Education shall submit to the Scotland County Board of Commissioners, at the same time the other school budgets are filed, a budget request for operational and capital funding in amounts that would provide an appropriate education to all students in Scotland Countyduring that fiscal year.
would provide the amount of per student funding determined by the Scotland County Board of Education to be requisite to provide an appropriate education to all students in Scotland County.
In evaluating the request, the board of commissioners shall consider the educational goals and policies of the State and the local board of education, the budgetaryrequest of the board of education, the financial resources of the county and the board of education, and the fiscal policies of the board of county commissioners and the board of education.
The said Board of Commissioners shall approve the regular Commissioners, in the process of approving the regular budget, shall evaluate the recommended supplemental tax budget provided by the Scotland County Board of Education and may approve the supplemental tax budgets in the minimum amount provided for above an amount the Board of Commissioners deems appropriate and may approve the regular and supplemental tax budgets in larger amounts, and shall then provide the funds therefor from local funds.
Based on this evaluation, the board of commissioners shall determine, in its discretion, the amount of county revenues, including any voted supplemental tax revenues, to be appropriated to the board of education's local current expense fund and capital outlay fund for fiscal year 2025-2026.
Neither the board of education nor the board of commissioners may initiate a dispute resolution process or file any legal action challenging the determination of funds to be appropriated by the board of commissioners to the local current expense fund and capital outlay fund for fiscal year 2025-2026.
Beginning with fiscal year 2026-2027 and each year thereafter, the preparation, submission, and approval of a budget for the board of education shall be in accordance with Article 31 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes.
Such Senate Bill 127-Second Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 assistant secretary may perform the duties of the secretary of the Board when the secretary is absent from any meeting or for any other reason is unable to perform his duties as secretary.
Such assistant secretary may perform the duties of the secretary of the Board when the secretary is absent from any meeting or for any other reason is unable to perform his duties as secretary.
They may be elected to serve at the pleasure of the Board or for such terms as may be fixed by the Board, but the terms of any associate superintendents or assistant superintendents shall not exceed the term for which the superintendent is employed.
They Senate Bill 127-First Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 may be elected to serve at the pleasure of the Board or for such terms as may be fixed by the Board, but the terms of any associate superintendents or assistant superintendents shall not exceed the term for which the superintendent is employed.
All principals, supervisory personnel, and teachers shall be employed by the Board, upon recommendation of the superintendent.
All principals, supervisorypersonnel, and teachers shall be employed by the Board, upon recommendation of the superintendent.
(j) The Laurinburg-Scotland Scotland County Board of Education may appoint an advisorycouncil for anyschool or for all theschools within thesystem.
(j) The Laurinburg-Scotland Scotland County Board of Education may appoint an advisorycouncil for anyschool or for all theschools within the system.
Page 6 Senate Bill 127-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (m) As of the effective date of consolidation, all provisions of the Charter of the City of Laurinburg relating to public schools shall be deemed and are hereby repealed.
(m) As of the effective date of consolidation, all provisions of the Charter of the City of Laurinburg relating to public schools shall be deemed and are hereby repealed.
(2) Construction of a new consolidated high school to be established to serve the students assigned to Gibson High School, Laurel Hill High School, LaurinburgHighSchool, andWagram HighSchool, andtheissuanceofbonds pursuant to the County Finance Act, as amended, for construction of said consolidated high school and for other school purposes in an amount as determined by the Scotland County Board of Commissioners upon the recommendation of the existing City and County Boards of Education.
(2) Construction of a new consolidated high school to be established to serve the students assigned to Gibson High School, Laurel Hill High School, LaurinburgHighSchool, andWagram HighSchool, andtheissuanceofbonds Page 6 Senate Bill 127-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 pursuant to the County Finance Act, as amended, for construction of said consolidated high school and for other school purposes in an amount as determined by the Scotland County Board of Commissioners upon the recommendation of the existing City and County Boards of Education.
Beginning with the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the base amount of funding for current expense expenditures from local funds shall include the previous year's level of current expense expenditures (for example, eight million seven hundred thousand dollars ($8,700,000) in 2002-2003), multiplied by one plus the average percentage change in local current expense Senate Bill 127-Second Edition Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 school expenditures for the two most recent available fiscal years for low-wealth counties in North Carolina (all local expenditures shall include local current expense expenditures incurred bycharterschools within theappropriatedistricts),as determined bytheSuperintendent ofPublic Instruction or that person's designee.
Beginning with the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the base amount of funding for current expense expenditures from local funds shall include the previous year's level of current expense expenditures (for example, eight million seven hundred thousand dollars ($8,700,000) in 2002-2003), multiplied by one plus the average percentage change in local current expense school expenditures for the two most recent available fiscal years for low-wealth counties in North Carolina (all local expenditures shall include local current expense expenditures incurred bycharterschools within theappropriatedistricts),as determined bytheSuperintendent ofPublic Instruction or that person's designee.
The resulting product shall then be multiplied by a ratio consisting of the Average Daily Membership used to distribute State funding for the succeeding fiscal year as provided by the Department of Public Instruction, divided by the Average Daily Membership used to distribute funding for the current fiscal year, as determined by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, or that person's designee.
The resulting product shall then be multiplied by a ratio consisting of the Average Daily Membership used to distribute State funding for the succeeding fiscal year as Senate Bill 127-First Edition Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 provided by the Department of Public Instruction, divided by the Average Daily Membership used to distribute funding for the current fiscal year, as determined by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, or that person's designee.
This Act shall be in full force and effect from and after its ratification." SECTION 2.
This Act shall be in full force and effect from and after its ratification." SECTION 1.(b) S.L.
2002-66 is repealed.
SECTION 1.(c) Section 63 of S.L.
2004-203 is repealed.
SECTION 2.
Page 8 Senate Bill 127-Second Edition
Page 8 Senate Bill 127-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Withdrawn From Cal

  2. Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  3. Reptd Fav

  4. Reptd Fav Com Substitute

  5. Com Substitute Adopted

  6. Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  7. Withdrawn From Com

  8. Re-ref to Finance. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate

  9. Passed 1st Reading

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

  11. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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0 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 178 not signed on

Sponsors (0)

None.

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (178)

178 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 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 SB 127?
SB 127 is sponsored by Danny Earl Britt, Jr. (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 127?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 21, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 127?
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