North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 18 R cosponsors

HB 142 — Implement Zero-Based Budgeting.

Last action — Reptd Fav

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  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 February 17, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

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

Prognosis

Stalled 26% · 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.

  • 18 sponsors

    3 primary, 15 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (18 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

13 added · 11 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent changes to House Bill 142 include the addition of several sponsors to the bill and slight adjustments to the language regarding the definition of "zero-based budget." It now clarifies that the bill will require state agencies to provide a zero-based budget for each of the upcoming four fiscal years. This adjustment matters because it aims to promote more transparent and accountable budget practices within state agencies, ensuring funds are allocated based on current needs rather than historical spending habits.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA H.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 142 Short Title:
142 Feb 17, 2025 SESSION 2025 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK H D HOUSE BILL DRH40085-MHa-22 Short Title:
Representative Blust.
Representatives Blust, Warren, Lambeth, and Scott (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ZERO-BASED BUDGETING FOR THE STATE BUDGET BY THE 2031-2033 FISCAL BIENNIUM.
Judiciary 3, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House February 18, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ZERO-BASED BUDGETING FOR THE STATE BUDGET BY THE 2031-2033 FISCAL BIENNIUM.
Article3ofChapter143CoftheGeneralStatutesisamendedbyadding a new section to read:
Article3ofChapter143CoftheGeneralStatutesis amendedbyadding a new section to read:
(a) Forpurposesofthissection,theterm"zero-based budget"means abudgetthatreflects the amount of funding deemed necessary to achieve the most cost-effective performance of each State agency pursuant to an accompanying narrative delineating the tasks to be performed by the State agency together with the goals and objectives for each State agency for a period not to exceed four years.
(a) Forpurposesofthissection,theterm "zero-based budget"means abudgetthatreflects the amount of funding deemed necessary to achieve the most cost-effective performance of each State agency pursuant to an accompanying narrative delineating the tasks to be performed by the State agency together with the goals and objectives for each State agency for a period not to exceed four years.
When a State agency submits its zero-based budget for a fiscal year, the State agency shall develop its budget requests for appropriations on a zero base, as if the budget for the State agency was being initiated for the first time.
When a State agencysubmits its zero-based budget for a fiscal year, the State agency shall develop its budget requests for appropriations on a zero base, as if the budget for the State agency was being initiated for the first time.
*DRH40085-MHa-22*
*H142-v-1*
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How this bill changes current law

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AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

This bill establishes a requirement for implementing zero-based budgeting for the state budget starting from the fiscal year 2027-2028.

  • G.S. 143C-3-3.1

    "§ 143C-3-3.1. Development and adoption of zero-based budget estimates. (a) For purposes of this section, the term 'zero-based budget' means a budget that reflects the amount of funding deemed necessary to achieve the most cost-effective performance of each State agency pursuant to an accompanying narrative delineating the tasks to be performed by the State agency together with the goals and objectives for each State agency for a period not to exceed four years. The budget shall have a zero dollar amount as its basis and shall not reflect any prior appropriation amount, adjusted or otherwise. (b) Commencing with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2027, the Governor shall begin implementation of a zero-based budget. The Governor shall establish a schedule for phasing in the zero-based budget over a period of four fiscal years, beginning with the State agencies in the executive branch. The Governor shall identify which State agencies shall be required to submit a zero-based budget for each of the four fiscal years. When a State agency submits its zero-based budget for a fiscal year, the State agency shall develop its budget requests for appropriations on a zero base, as if the budget for the State agency was being initiated for the first time. The State agency's budget request to the Governor shall also be accompanied by a statement giving facts and explanations of reasons for each item requested. The statement shall include a brief explanation of the functions of each of the divisions, boards, commissions, officers, bureaus, or institutions included within the State agency and comments on its policies and plans with descriptive, quantitative, comparative, and other data regarding work accomplished and any other relevant information."

    This adds a new section outlining the definition and requirements for zero-based budgeting for state agencies.

  • G.S. 143C-3-5

    (h) For purposes of this subsection, the term 'zero-based budget' is as defined in G.S. 143C-3-3.1. Beginning with fiscal year 2027-2028, the Governor shall present budget recommendations to the General Assembly that include zero-based budgets for certain State agencies identified by the Governor pursuant to G.S. 143C-3-3.1. Beginning with fiscal year 2031-2032, the entire budget for the 2031-2033 fiscal biennium shall be a zero-based budget.

    This adds a new requirement for the Governor to present zero-based budget recommendations to the General Assembly starting in the 2027-2028 fiscal year, and mandates that the entire budget for the 2031-2033 biennium be zero-based.

Action History

  1. Reptd Fav

  2. Re-ref Com On Appropriations

  3. Passed 1st Reading

  4. Ref to the Com on Judiciary 3, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  5. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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3 sponsors · 15 co-sponsors · 161 not signed on

Sponsors (3)

Co-sponsors (15)

Not signed on (161)

161 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 161 →

"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
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 142?
HB 142 is sponsored by Jeff Zenger (Republican), Bill Ward (Republican), Dennis Riddell (Republican), Jeffrey C. McNeely (Republican), Donnie Loftis (Republican), Keith Kidwell (Republican), Neal Jackson (Republican), Dudley Greene (Republican), Blair Eddins (Republican), Brian Echevarria (Republican), Hugh Blackwell (Republican), Brian Biggs (Republican), Jennifer Balkcom (Republican), Jonathan L. Almond (Republican), Paul Scott (Republican), Donny Lambeth (Republican), Harry Warren (Republican), and John M. Blust (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 142?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced February 17, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 142?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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