Senate panel to consider constitutional amendments on farming, right-to-work
RALEIGH, N.C. — A Senate committee is scheduled to consider two proposed constitutional amendments Monday that would place farming rights and right-to-work protections in the North Carolina Constitution.
The Senate Agriculture, Energy and Environment Committee is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Monday, May 18. The committee calendar lists Senate Bill 1081, “Constitutional Right to Farm,” and Senate Bill 1082, “NC Right to Work Amendment.”
Both bills were filed May 14 and are identified on the General Assembly website as public bills that affect the state constitution.
S1081 is sponsored by Sens. Brent Jackson, Lisa Barnes and Buck Newton. The bill had not been referred beyond its filing status on the bill page as of Monday morning.
S1082 is sponsored by Sens. Kevin Ford, Gale Adcock Alexander and Steve Jarvis. Its bill page also listed it as filed, with no votes posted as of Monday morning.
The proposals are politically significant because constitutional amendments approved by lawmakers bypass the governor and go directly to voters. A constitutional amendment requires approval from three-fifths of each chamber before it can be placed on the ballot.
A right-to-farm amendment could affect future debates over agriculture, land use, nuisance lawsuits, environmental regulation and development pressure in rural areas. A right-to-work amendment would put existing labor policy into the state constitution, making it harder for future legislatures to change.
The committee hearing is the first test of whether the proposals are moving as message bills or as active ballot measures for 2026.
The key questions are whether either bill is amended in committee, whether outside groups testify for or against the measures and whether Senate leaders move the bills quickly toward floor votes.
Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.
