September 2026

North Carolina is investing $20 million to expand childcare, focusing on UNC and community college campuses in western and southeastern parts of the state.

State officials have closed an investigation into complaints that a member of the Cumberland County Board of Elections made an illegal campaign contribution of $25,000.

According to Feeding America’s annual Map the Meal Gap analysis, 1 in 7 North Carolinians are unsure where their next meal will come from.

The rule would create new standards for the envelopes used to send ballots to people who vote by mail. It would also allow the federal government to verify voters receiving ballots are eligible. Democratic state officials and voting rights groups say that is an unconstitutional violation of states’ role in administering elections.

North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Phil Berger, Jr. announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection to his seat on the court in 2028. Berger Jr., the son of Senate President Phil Berger, will serve out the remainder of his term.

White House staff have sent somewhat mixed messages on what the president may try to do. A White House spokesperson wrote in an email they wouldn’t “engage in hypotheticals,” adding that “Anyone breaking the law will be held accountable.”

North Carolina’s graduation rate reached a record 88.8% in 2025 as overall student proficiency rose to its highest level in three years.

A nurse practitioner with clinics in Wake County is suing to win the ability to practice independently. N.C. requires doctors to supervise advanced nurses.

U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman barred the Trump administration from denying citizenship to babies born in the United States to parents deemed part of a designated terrorist organization or to parents who came to the U.S. in what critics call “birth tourism.”

The end of the year could bring big changes for both the hemp and cannabis industries. State lawmakers are trying to navigate how to best protect minors from hemp-derived cannabinoids, while also preparing for a future that could include some form of legal cannabis.