NC Economic Progress and Well Being.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 732

Short Title: NC Economic Progress and Well Being. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Robinson, Meyer, and Salvador (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 26, 2025
*S732-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 o f life satisfaction, (ii) affordable prices for the 17
basics like food, housing, health care and child care, (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 advantage 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, and 22
(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 $200,000 for each fiscal year of the 2025 -2027 fiscal biennium 27
to conduct bi -annual analyses of Economic Progress in North Carolina. The Department shall 28
report the results of the analyses to the General Assembly no later than January 31 of every 29
odd-numbered year, and each report shall meet all of the following requirements: 30
(1) Utilize publicly available data and interview people of various 31
socio-economic backgrounds. 32
(2) Measure, for the State and each county, at least the following metrics: 33
a. Hardship, as measured by the poverty rate, child poverty, deep 34
poverty, inequality, and the supplemental poverty rate. 35
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 732-First Edition
b. Share of jobs that (i) pay below a living income wage and (ii) provide 1
basic needs and quality conditions and benefits. 2
c. Share of a household's monthly income that goes to food, housing, 3
health care, and childcare. 4
d. Percent of people who are considered cost burdened based on the 5
amount of income s pent on housing, childcare, and health care 6
premiums. 7
e. Cost of post-secondary education and job training relative to income. 8
f. Persistent poverty census tracts and concentrated poverty census 9
tracts, including the number of people living in persistent a nd 10
concentrated poverty neighborhoods. 11
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 12