Ten Percent Raise/Teachers/First Responders.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 932

Short Title: Ten Percent Raise/Teachers/First Responders. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative A. Jones.
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 14, 2025
*H932-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE 2025 TEACHERS' A ND FIRST RESPONDERS' PAY 2
INCREASE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE A TEN PERCENT RAISE TO TEACHERS AND 3
FIRST RESPONDERS. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
6
PART I. FIRST RESPONDER PAY INCREASE PROGRAM 7
SECTION 1.1. The following definitions apply in this Part: 8
(1) Base salary. – The regular, recurring annual compensation of a first responder, 9
excluding overtime pay, shift differentials, longevity pay, or any other 10
supplemental forms of compensation. 11
(2) Employing authority. – A State agency or a city, county, or other local 12
political subdivision of this State that employs first responders. 13
(3) First responder. – A public employee whose primary duties involve the 14
protection of life, property, or p ublic safety during emergency situations, 15
including specifically: 16
a. Law enforcement officers. 17
b. Firefighters. 18
c. Emergency medical services personnel. 19
d. Public safety telecommunicators or dispatchers. 20
e. Nurses employed by public hospitals, health departments, correctional 21
facilities, or other government healthcare facilities. 22
(4) Pay increase. – A permanent increase to the base salary of a first responder at 23
the rate of ten percent (10%) of the first responder's current base salary. 24
(5) Public employee. – A person employed by an employing authority. 25
(6) Years of service. – The total number of years that a first responder has been 26
employed in a qualifying position by any employing authority within the 27
State. 28
SECTION 1.2. Appropriation for First Responder s' Pay Increase. – There is 29
appropriated from the General Fund to the Reserve for First Responder Pay Increases the sum of 30
seven hundred million dollars ($700,000,000) in each year of the 2025 -2027 fiscal biennium to 31
provide a permanent ten percent (10%) pay increase to eligible first responders as defined in this 32
act. The Department of Public Safety and the Department of Health and Human Services shall 33
distribute these funds to employing authorities based on the total cost of implementing a ten 34
percent (10%) pay increase for all eligible first responders employed by each authority. Funds 35
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 932-First Edition
distributed under this section shall be used exclusively for providing the mandated pay increase 1
to eligible first responders and may not be used for administrative costs o r other purposes. The 2
pay increase provided pursuant to this section shall be added to the first responder's base salary, 3
effective July 1, 2025, and included in the first responder's base salary for purposes of calculating 4
future salary increases. This pa y is subject to retirement contributions as provided by the 5
applicable retirement systems. 6
SECTION 1.3. Administration. – The Office of State Budget and Management shall 7
coordinate with the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Health and Huma n 8
Services to distribute funds to employing authorities by no later than August 15 of each fiscal 9
year within the 2025-2027 biennium. Employing authorities shall implement the pay increase for 10
eligible first responders effective July 1 of each fiscal year. To be eligible for the pay increase, a 11
first responder must be employed by an employing authority on July 1 of the fiscal year in which 12
the pay increase takes effect. First responders who work less than full time shall receive a 13
prorated pay increase based on the percentage of full-time equivalent hours worked. The Office 14
of State Budget and Management shall develop simplified procedures for the allocation and 15
distribution of pay increase funds and shall provide necessary guidance to the Department of 16
Public Safety and employing authorities. Employing authorities shall certify to the Department 17
of Public Safety the total cost of implementing the pay increase for eligible first responders by 18
August 1 of each fiscal year. By January 15 of each fiscal year, employing authorities shall submit 19
a verification that the pay increase has been implemented for all eligible first responders. Any 20
funds not expended for the purposes specified in this section by the end of each respective fiscal 21
year shall revert to the General Fund. 22
23
PART II. TEACHERS' PAY INCREASE PROGRAM 24
SECTION 2.1. Definition. – For purposes of this Part, the term "teacher" means a 25
classroom teacher, instructional support personnel, principal, or assistant principal employed by 26
a local school administrative unit, charter school, or regional school. 27
SECTION 2.2. Appropriation. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to the 28
Reserve for Teachers' Pay Increases the sum of nine hundred million dollars ($900,000,000) in 29
each year of the 2025 -2027 fisc al biennium to provide a permanent ten percent (10%) pay 30
increase to eligible teachers in the public schools. The Department of Public Instruction shall 31
distribute these funds based on the total cost of implementing a ten percent (10%) pay increase 32
for all eligible teachers employed by each entity. Funds distributed under this section shall be 33
used exclusively for providing the mandated pay increase to eligible teachers and may not be 34
used for administrative costs or other purposes. The pay increase provided pursuant to this section 35
shall be added to the teacher's base salary, effective July 1, 2025, included in the teacher's base 36
salary for purposes of calculating future salary increases, and is subject to retirement 37
contributions as provided by applicable retirement systems. This pay is subject to all applicable 38
federal and State withholding taxes. 39
SECTION 2.3. Administration. – The State Board of Education and the Department 40
of Public Instruction shall establish procedures and guidelines for the administr ation of the 41
teacher pay increase program consistent with this Part, in coordination with the Office of State 42
Budget and Management. The Department of Public Instruction shall distribute these funds to 43
local school administrative units, charter schools, an d regional schools no later than August 15 44
of each fiscal year within the 2025-2027 biennium. To be eligible for the pay increase, a teacher 45
must be employed by a local school administrative unit, charter school, or regional school on 46
July 1 of the fiscal year in which the pay increase takes effect. Teachers who work less than full 47
time shall receive a prorated pay increase based on the percentage of full -time equivalent hours 48
worked. Local school administrative units, charter schools, and regional schools shall certify to 49
the Department of Public Instruction the total cost of implementing the pay increase for eligible 50
teachers by August 1 of each fiscal year. By January 15 of each fiscal year, local school 51
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 932-First Edition Page 3
administrative units, charter schools, and regional schools shall submit a verification that the pay 1
increase has been implemented for all eligible teachers. Any funds not expended for the purposes 2
specified in this section by the end of each respective fiscal year shall revert to the General Fund. 3
4
PART III. STATE BUDGET ACT 5
SECTION 3.1. State Budget Act Applies. – The provisions of this act are subject to 6
compliance with Chapter 143C of the General Statutes. If there is a conflict between this act and 7
the State Budget Act (SBA), the provisions of the SBA shall control. 8
9
PART IV. EFFECTIVE DATE 10
SECTION 4.1. Effective Date. – This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 11