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S1081 • 2025

Constitutional Right to Farm.

Constitutional Right to Farm.

Agriculture Elections Energy
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Jackson, Barnes, B. Newton, Alexander, Berger, Brinson, Britt, Burgin, Corbin, Craven, Daniel, Ford, Galey, Hanig, Hollo, Jarvis, Johnson, Jones, Lee, McInnis, Measmer, Moffitt, Overcash, Rabon, Sanderson, Sawrey, Sawyer, Settle
Last action
2026-05-18
Official status
Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Constitutional Right to Farm.

S1081-SMTQ-123(e1)-v-2 (2026-05-18): Constitutional Right to Farm.

What This Bill Does

  • S1081-SMTQ-123(e1)-v-2 (2026-05-18): Constitutional Right to Farm.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Filed

Plain English: 2025-2026 General Assembly SENATE BILL 1081: Constitutional Right to Farm.

  • 2025-2026 General Assembly SENATE BILL 1081: Constitutional Right to Farm.
  • Committee: Senate Agriculture, Energy, and Environment.
  • If favorable, re -refer to Rules and Operations of the Senate Date: May 18, 2026 Introduced by: Sens.
  • Jackson, Barnes, B.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-18 Senate

    Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  2. 2026-05-18 Senate

    Com Substitute Adopted

  3. 2026-05-18 Senate

    Reptd Fav Com Substitute

  4. 2026-05-18 Senate

    Ref to Agriculture, Energy, and Environment. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate

  5. 2026-05-18 Senate

    Passed 1st Reading

  6. 2026-05-14 Senate

    Filed

Official Summary Text

S1081-SMTQ-123(e1)-v-2
(2026-05-18): Constitutional Right to Farm.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 2
SENATE BILL 1081
Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee Substitute Adopted 5/18/26

Short Title: Constitutional Right to Farm. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
May 18, 2026
*S1081-v-2*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO AMEND THE NORTH CAROLINA CONST ITUTION TO PROTECT T HE 2
RIGHT TO ENGAGE IN FARMING AND FORESTRY. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1. Article I of the North Carolina Constitution is amended by adding a 5
new section to read: 6
"Sec. 39. Right to engage in farming and forestry. 7
The right of the people to engage in the cultivation of crops, the raising of li vestock and 8
poultry, the production of dairy and apiary products, the harvesting of timber, and other practices 9
for the production of agricultural and forestry commodities is a valued and essential part of the 10
State's heritage and shall be forever preserved for the public good, subject only to laws enacted 11
by the General Assembly and rules adopted pursuant to authority granted by the General 12
Assembly." 13
SECTION 2. The amendment set out in Section 1 of this act shall be submitted to 14
the qualified voters of the State at the statewide general election to be held on November 3, 2026, 15
which election shall be conducted in accordance with the laws governing elections at that time. 16
The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be: 17
"[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST 18
Constitutional amendment protecting the right of the people to engage in farming and 19
forestry." 20
SECTION 3. The State Board of Elections shall certify the results of the referendum 21
conducted under Section 2 of this act. If a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of 22
the amendment set out in Section 1 of this act, the Secretary of State shall enroll the amendment 23
among the permanent records of that office. If a majority of votes cast on the question are against 24
the amendment set out in Section 1 of this act, the amendment shall have no effect. 25
SECTION 4. If the certification from the State Board of Elections under Section 3 26
of this act reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment set 27
out in Section 1 of this act, the amendment set o ut in Section 1 of this act is effective upon 28
certification. 29
SECTION 5. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 30
law. 31