NC Economic Progress and Well-Being.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 548

Short Title: NC Economic Progress and Well-Being. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Cohn, Rubin, Roberson, and K. Brown (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
March 31, 2025
*H548-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO MEASURE TH E ECONOMIC PROGRESS AND WELL -BEING OF TH E 2
STATE. 3
Whereas, North Carolinians have prioritized their economic well -being and its 4
advancement as essential work of our State lawmakers; and 5
Whereas, public policy choices can create the conditions for economic security and 6
progress; and 7
Whereas, the State's overall economic progress depends on the well -being of its 8
people and communities; and 9
Whereas, policymakers should monitor the impact of public policy choices o n the 10
well-being of people across the State and economic progress by the assessments of people and 11
communities rather than markets and productivity alone; and 12
Whereas, the NC General Assembly should strive to conduct its work to advance for 13
every person in North Carolina; and 14
Whereas, it is essential to have a well-rounded opportunity to have economically safe, 15
stable, and secure lives, including (i) access to jobs that pay enough to ensure a standard of living 16
where a person can get ahead and a high level of life satisfaction, (ii) affordable prices for the 17
basics like food, housing, health care, and childcare, (iii) access to the education and training that 18
supports mobility, opportunity, and participation in civic life, (iv) opportunity to start and expand 19
business free from unfair competition and domination by monopolies and other unfair advantages 20
for certain kinds of businesses, (v) a community of opportunity free from concentrated 21
disadvantage, toxic exposures, and connected to supports to learn, earn, and live a healthy life, 22
and (vi) adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, climate disaster, and 23
unemployment; Now, therefore, 24
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 25
SECTION 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 26
Commerce the recurring sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for each fiscal year of 27
the 2025 -2027 fiscal biennium to conduct biannual analyses of Economic Progress in North 28
Carolina. The Department shall report the results of the analyses to the General Assembly no 29
later than January 31 of every odd-numbered year, and each report shall meet all of the following 30
requirements: 31
(1) Utilize publicly available data and interview people of various socioeconomic 32
backgrounds. 33
(2) Measure, for the State and each county, at least the following metrics: 34
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 548-First Edition
a. Hardship, as measured by the poverty rate, child poverty, deep 1
poverty, inequality, and the supplemental poverty rate. 2
b. Share of jobs that (i) pay below a living income wage and (ii) provide 3
basic needs and quality conditions and benefits. 4
c. Share of a household's monthly income that goes to food, housing, 5
health care, and childcare. 6
d. Percent of people who are considered cost -burdened ba sed on the 7
amount of income spent on housing, childcare, and health care 8
premiums. 9
e. Cost of postsecondary education and job training relative to income. 10
f. Persistent poverty census tracts and concentrated poverty census 11
tracts, including the number of p eople living in persistent and 12
concentrated poverty neighborhoods. 13
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 14