Item:
Title
Legislative Goals Update in Preparation for General Assembly Short Session (20min)
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: February 2, 2026
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to receive an overview of the status of the Durham County 2025 Legislative Goals in advance of preparing for the General Assembly Short Session. Lawmakers are scheduled to return in April to continue to work on bills still eligible for consideration, and to approve a state budget. Budget priorities are expected to focus on funding for Medicaid, Helene recovery, as well as raises for hundreds of thousands of state workers.
Since session began, staff have worked to regularly communicate with members of the Durham Legislative delegation on key issues. Regular updates have also been shared from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and our lobbyists from McGuireWoods.
An update on current bills will be shared at the meeting. Staff are requesting that the Board discuss any new local bills they may want added to the current 2025 Legislative Goals listing. If new local bills are suggested, staff will prepare potential language and bring the items back to the Feb 9th regular meeting for approval. At that point, the items will be shared with the Delegation so that they may be timely filed.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: This item aligns with Durham County Strategic Plan: Regional Leadership
Resource Persons: Deborah Craig-Ray, Chief Communications Officer
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board receive the report, discuss any new local legislative items and instruct staff to prepare for final consideration at the February 9th meeting. Approved new items will be shared with the Durham Delegation to ensure they are filed during the upcoming local bill filing period
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________