Stein Reluctantly Signs Mini-Budget to “Keep the Lights On”

Last week, Gov. Josh Stein signed a “mini-budget” stopgap partial budget bill – the conference report for HB 125, “Continuing Budget Operations” – despite objections to the bill’s shortcomings in needed funding.“ This Band-Aid budget fails to invest in our teachers and students, fails to keep families safe, fails to value hardworking state employees, and fails to fully fund health care,” said Stein in his statement on signing the bill. “With federal cuts on the horizon, the legislature’s forced $319 million cut to Medicaid will be particularly painful. Despite these serious reservations, I am signing this bill into law because it keeps the lights on.”

Concerning Cuts

In debate on the NC House floor, Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) objected to the impacts on Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) operations from underfunding in HB 125. She pointed out that the bill cuts – $2.5 million from DEQ’s current fiscal budget and ~$3 million from next year’s budget – eliminates 75% of vacancies at DEQ which are essential for permitting, and does not provide raises for state employees. 

Despite these and other concerns, the bill passed both chambers of the legislature by wide margins because it permits regular operations of state government-funded agencies to continue while kicking the can of many tough questions a few months down the road.