North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 14 R · 1 D cosponsors

HB 647 — Agricultural Present-Use Value Conservation.

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.

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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.

  • 15 sponsors

    3 primary, 12 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (14 R · 1 D) — 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

55 added · 53 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to House Bill 647 mainly clarify the conditions under which property owned by certain conservation entities can retain its tax classification when ownership changes. Specifically, the requirement for the new owner to be identified as a "conservation holder" has been maintained, but some repetitive language regarding appraisal has been streamlined. These changes are significant because they simplify the rules, making it easier for land to be recognized for its conservation value, which in turn can promote environmental protection efforts.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA H.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 647 Short Title:
647 Apr 1, 2025 SESSION 2025 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK H D HOUSE BILL DRH10265-NIf-15B Short Title:
Representative Balkcom.
Representatives Balkcom, Gillespie, Eddins, and N.
Jackson (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED ANACTTOALLOWPROPERTYOWNEDBYCERTAINCONSERVATIONENTITIES TO BE TAXED AT PRESENT-USE VALUE.
Agriculture and Environment, if favorable, Finance, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House April 2, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED ANACT TOALLOW PROPERTYOWNEDBYCERTAINCONSERVATIONENTITIES TO BE TAXED AT PRESENT-USE VALUE.
– If the land qualifies for classification in the hands of the new owner under the provisions of this subdivision, then any deferred taxes remain a lien on the land under G.S.
– If the land qualifies for classification in the hands of the new owner under the provisions of this subdivision, then anydeferred taxes remain a lien on the land under G.S.
Land qualifies for classification in the hands of the new owner if all of the following conditions are met:
Land qualifies for *H647-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 classification in the hands of the new owner if all of the following conditions are met:
*DRH10265-NIf-15B* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 a.
a.
105-277.4(a) and has certified that the new owner accepts liability for any deferred taxes and intends to use the land for purposes consistent with sub-subdivision c.
105-277.4(a) and has certified that the new owner accepts liabilityfor anydeferred taxes and intends to use the land for purposes consistent with sub-subdivision c.
Notwithstanding G.S.
NotwithstandingG.S.
Page 2 DRH10265-NIf-15B
Page 2 House Bill 647-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

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

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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3 sponsors · 12 co-sponsors · 164 not signed on

Sponsors (3)

Co-sponsors (12)

Not signed on (164)

164 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 164 →

"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 environment agriculture
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 647?
HB 647 is sponsored by Matthew Winslow (Republican), Donna McDowell White (Republican), Bill Ward (Republican), Mitchell S. Setzer (Republican), Paul Scott (Republican), Stephen M. Ross (Republican), Jeffrey C. McNeely (Republican), Pricey Harrison (Democratic), Brian Biggs (Republican), Jonathan L. Almond (Republican), Neal Jackson (Republican), Blair Eddins (Republican), Karl E. Gillespie (Republican), Jennifer Balkcom (Republican), and Jake Johnson (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 647?
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 647?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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