Stein signs six bills, including housing finance and agriculture measures
RALEIGH — Gov. Josh Stein signed six bills into law Monday, including measures tied to housing development, agriculture, worker safety and workers’ compensation.
The Governor’s Office announced June 22 that Stein signed Senate Bill 695, Senate Bill 401, House Bill 258, House Bill 315, House Bill 536 and Senate Bill 484.
Stein issued statements on two of the bills. On Senate Bill 695, he said the law encourages partnerships between local governments and developers as housing costs continue to rise.
“As housing costs continue to rise, this law encourages partnership between local governments and developers to increase housing availability and affordability for North Carolinians,” Stein said in the release.
The bill is titled “Incent Development Finance District Funding” in General Assembly records. Development finance districts are generally used as a public financing tool for infrastructure and development-related projects.
Stein also commented on Senate Bill 401, the N.C. Farm Act of 2025-2026. He said agriculture remains a key driver of the state’s economy and praised a provision extending conservation tax credits until 2031.
“Agriculture is a key driver of North Carolina’s economy, and I appreciate the General Assembly’s collaboration on this law,” Stein said. “I am grateful that it strengthens the preservation of North Carolina’s natural and agricultural lands by extending conservation tax credits until 2031.”
House Bill 258, titled the Worker Safety Act of 2026, also became law. The bill changes portions of the Retaliatory Employment Discrimination Act process, including complaint content and filing methods.
House Bill 315, according to bill summaries from the General Assembly, includes provisions titled “Prohibit Litigation Invest/Amend WC Benefits.” The bill was signed by the governor June 22 and became Session Law 2026-14.
The Governor’s Office release did not include statements on House Bill 536 or Senate Bill 484. Readers should review the final bill text and General Assembly history for those measures before relying on detailed descriptions beyond the Governor’s Office announcement.
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.
