North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 27 D · 1 R cosponsors

HB 684 — Environmental Justice in North Carolina.

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 April 01, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

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

Odds of enactment

Low chance

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

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

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

Prognosis

Advancing 42% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 28 sponsors

    3 primary, 25 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (27 D · 1 R) — cross-party backing.

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

366 added · 365 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to House Bill 684 include the addition of several key points emphasizing the importance of environmental justice in North Carolina. These changes reflect the state's commitment to addressing the needs of marginalized communities affected by pollution and underinvestment. By highlighting previous executive orders and the need for state agencies to consider environmental justice in their actions, the bill aims to strengthen protections for vulnerable populations. This matters because it reinforces the state's focus on fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental decision-making processes.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA H.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 684 Short Title:
684 Apr 1, 2025 SESSION 2025 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK H D HOUSE BILL DRH30313-MHa-29 Short Title:
Representative Crawford.
Representatives Crawford, Harrison, Alston, and T.
Brown (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN NORTH CAROLINA.
Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House April 3, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN NORTH CAROLINA.
(1) According to American Journal of Public Health studies published in 2014 and 2018 and affirmedby decades ofresearch,Black,Indigenous,andPersons of Color (BIPOC) and individuals with low income are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards and unsafe housing, facing higher levels of air and water pollution, mold, lead, and pests.
(1) According to American Journal of Public Health studies published in 2014 and 2018 and affirmedbydecades ofresearch,Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) and individuals with low income are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards and unsafe housing, facing higher levels of air and water pollution, mold, lead, and pests.
(5) Executive Order 14008 issued in 2021 created the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council within the Executive Office of the President and the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council within the Environmental Protection Agency.
(5) Executive Order 14008 issued in 2021 created the White House Environmental Justice InteragencyCouncil within the Executive Office of the President and the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council within the Environmental Protection Agency.
(7) Executive Order 14096 issued in 2023 established a goal that forty percent (40%) of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
(7) Executive Order 14096 issued in 2023 established a goal that forty percent (40%) of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments flow to *H684-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
*DRH30313-MHa-29* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (8) Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 246 in 2022 and Executive Order 292 in 2023 directing various actions to advance environmental justice in North Carolina, including requirements that agencies consider environmental justice when taking actions related to climate change, resilience, and clean energy, and identify an environmental justice lead to serve as the point person for agency environmental justice efforts.
(8) Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 246 in 2022 and Executive Order 292 in 2023 directing various actions to advance environmental justice in North Carolina, including requirements that agencies consider environmental justice when taking actions related to climate change, resilience, and clean energy, and identify an environmental justice lead to serve as the point person for agency environmental justice efforts.
(2) Community.
Page 2 House Bill 684-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (2) Community.
Page 2 DRH30313-MHa-29 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (3) Disproportionate impact.
(3) Disproportionate impact.
affordable clean renewable energy sources;
affordable clean renewable energysources;
– Any significant impact to clean air, water, and land, including any destruction, damage, or impairment of natural resources resulting from intentional or reasonably foreseeable causes.
– Anysignificant impact to clean air, water, and land, including any destruction, damage, or impairment of natural resources resulting from intentional or reasonably foreseeable causes.
0292, reside or where the share of American and Alaskan Native populations are five percent (5%) higher than the residing county or State share.
0292, reside or where the share of American and House Bill 684-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Alaskan Native populations are five percent (5%) higher than the residing county or State share.
DRH30313-MHa-29 Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (9) Limited English language proficiency communities.
(9) Limited English language proficiency communities.
the Departments ofEnvironmental Quality, HealthandHumanServices, Transportation, Commerce, Public Safety, Agriculture and Consumer Services, and Public Instruction and the Utilities Commission.
the Departments ofEnvironmental Quality, HealthandHuman Services, Transportation, Commerce, Public Safety, Agriculture and Consumer Services, and Public Instruction and the Utilities Commission.
of G.S.
of Page 4 House Bill 684-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 G.S.
Page 4 DRH30313-MHa-29 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (e) The Program, in consultation with the Environmental Justice Advisory Council and the Interagency Environmental Justice Committee, shall review the definitions contained in G.S.
(e) The Program, in consultation with the Environmental Justice Advisory Council and the Interagency Environmental Justice Committee, shall review the definitions contained in G.S.
– (1) On or before February 15, 2026, the covered agencies shall, in accordance with the guidance document developed by the Program pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, review the past three years and generate baseline spending reports that include all of the following:
– (1) On or before February 15, 2026, the covered agencies shall, in accordance with the guidance document developed bythe Program pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, review the past three years and generate baseline spending reports that include all of the following:
(2) Thecovered agenciesshall publicly postthebaselinespending reportsontheir respective websites.
(2) Thecovered agenciesshall publiclypost thebaselinespending reportsontheir respective websites.
(b) On or before July 1, 2028, and as appropriate thereafter, the covered agencies, in consultation with the Environmental Justice Advisory Council, shall adopt or amend policies and procedures, plans, guidance, and rules, where applicable, to implement this Article.
(b) On or before July 1, 2028, and as appropriate thereafter, the covered agencies, in consultation with the Environmental Justice AdvisoryCouncil, shall adopt or amend policies and procedures, plans, guidance, and rules, where applicable, to implement this Article.
(c) The following requirements apply to rulemaking by covered agencies:
House Bill 684-First Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (c) The following requirements apply to rulemaking by covered agencies:
DRH30313-MHa-29 Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (1) Prior to drafting new rules required by this Article, agencies shall consult with the Environmental Justice Advisory Council to discuss the scope and proposed content of rules to be developed.
(1) Prior to drafting new rules required bythis Article, agencies shall consult with the Environmental Justice Advisory Council to discuss the scope and proposed content of rules to be developed.
Any proposed rule shall be provided to the Advisory Council not less than 45 days priortosubmittingtheproposedruleorrulestotheRulesReviewCommission (RRC).
Any proposed rule shall be provided to the Advisory Council not less than 45 days priortosubmittingtheproposedruleorrulestothe RulesReviewCommission (RRC).
d.
Page 6 House Bill 684-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 d.
Page 6 DRH30313-MHa-29 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 e.
e.
To consult with the Program in the development of the guidance documentrequiredby G.S.
To consult with the Program in the development of the guidance documentrequiredbyG.S.
e.
House Bill 684-First Edition Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 e.
DRH30313-MHa-29 Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 f.
f.
Page 8 DRH30313-MHa-29
Page 8 House Bill 684-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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3 sponsors · 25 co-sponsors · 151 not signed on

Sponsors (3)

Co-sponsors (25)

Not signed on (151)

151 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 151 →

"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

public-safety civil-rights environment
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 684?
HB 684 is sponsored by Phil Rubin (Democratic), James Roberson (Democratic), Amos L. Quick, III (Democratic), Rodney D. Pierce (Democratic), Garland E. Pierce (Democratic), Marcia Morey (Democratic), Carolyn G. Logan (Democratic), Ya Liu (Democratic), Monika Johnson-Hostler (Democratic), Zack Hawkins (Democratic), Julia Greenfield (Democratic), Allison A. Dahle (Democratic), Mike Colvin (Democratic), Maria Cervania (Democratic), Becky Carney (Democratic), Deb Butler (Democratic), Allen Buansi (Democratic), Mary Belk (Democratic), Cynthia Ball (Democratic), Amber M. Baker (Democratic), Eric Ager (Democratic), Terry M. Brown Jr. (Democratic), Vernetta Alston (Democratic), Neal Jackson (Republican), Pricey Harrison (Democratic), Sarah Crawford (Democratic), Beth Helfrich (Democratic), and Julie von Haefen (Democratic).
What is the current status of HB 684?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced April 01, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 684?
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