NC Legislative Leaders Reject Gov. Stein’s Call to Session as Unconstitutional, Unnecessary
Raleigh, NC — Today, North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger jointly informed Governor Josh Stein via letter that the state legislature will not reconvene next week in response to his call for an extra session.
As the letter explains, calling the General Assembly into session while it is already in session functions as an unconstitutional attempt to usurp the General Assembly’s authority to set its calendar, and the Governor’s cuts to Medicaid do not rise to the constitutionally required level to justify this extraordinary call to session.
Although Gov. Stein’s own health agency confirmed Medicaid is funded through at least April 2026—with the General Assembly appropriating $600 million for the program’s rebase—his administration cut provider rates on October 1, putting care for thousands of North Carolinians at risk. Stein’s Department of Health and Human Services has since faced multiple lawsuits, with part of the cuts already enjoined in Wake County Superior Court.
House lawmakers have acted responsibly, passing three clean, stand-alone bills in recent months to clean up the Governor's mess and ensure North Carolina meets its obligations to patients and providers. House leaders have also offered assurances of future Medicaid funding if Gov. Stein reverses course on his administration's rate cuts.
House Speaker Destin Hall said, “With this call for an extra session, Gov. Stein is trying to shift blame from his self-created crisis. He can and should simply stop all Medicaid cuts since the legislature will be back this spring with more than enough time to add additional funds if needed. The North Carolina House will not tolerate political games being played at the expense of people’s health and access to care. That’s why the House has acted responsibly by passing three clean bills to fund the rebase and protect North Carolinians.”
House lawmakers have been informed not to expect voting sessions in the legislature next week.
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