WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 1112

NC Workforce Stability and Economic Protection.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Kanika Brown and 10 co-sponsors

Requires annual study of federal immigration enforcement impact on NC economy, plus employer notice to workers of audits and public reporting on civil rights and commerce effects.

Passed 1st Reading
#appropriations;auditing&audits;budget&managementoffice;budgeting;commerce;commercedept.;economicdevelopment;emergencyservices;employment;immigration;lawenforcement;personnel;public;reports;revenuedept.;studies;taxation
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 1112

Summary of North Carolina HB 1112 (Session 2025) – NC Workforce Stability & Economic Protection Act

Purpose and intent

HB 1112 proposes to protect North Carolina’s economy and workforce by:
- Requiring an annual economic impact study of federal immigration enforcement operations within the state.
- Mandating employer notification to workers when federal audits (e.g., of I-9 records) are planned.
- Authorizing the North Carolina Attorney General to monitor the effects of federal enforcement actions on state commerce and civil rights, and to maintain a public reporting portal.

The bill emphasizes safeguarding state tax revenue, workforce stability, and business continuity amid federal immigration enforcement.

Key provisions

Article: NC Workforce Stability & Economic Protection Act (new Chapter 64, Article 4)

  • § 64-70. Short title; findings

    • Designates the act as the NC Workforce Stability & Economic Protection Act.
    • Finds that NC's economy relies on a diverse workforce in agriculture, manufacturing, and life sciences, and that federal immigration enforcement disruptions have harmed businesses and communities.

  • § 64-71. Annual study of economic impact of federal immigration enforcement

    • Requires the Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM), in consultation with the Department of Commerce and the Department of Revenue, to conduct an annual study on the economic impact of federal immigration enforcement within NC.
    • Study topics include:
    • Estimated losses in state and local tax revenue.
    • Estimated decreases in gross state product due to workforce reductions.
    • Fiscal impact on state-funded services and infrastructure from business closures or contractions.
    • OSBM must report findings to the Joint Legislative Economic Development and Global Engagement Oversight Committee by March 1 each year.

  • § 64-72. Employer notification of federal audits

    • Requires employers who receive a federal Notice of Inspection (NOI) for I-9 or other employee records to provide written notice to each current employee in the employee’s primary language within 72 hours of receipt.
    • Notice content must include:
    • Name of the federal agency conducting the audit.
    • Date the employer received the notice.
    • A general description of records sought.
    • Prohibits retaliation against employees for exercising rights or requesting audit information.
    • Establishes civil penalties for violations:
    • At least $500 for a first violation.
    • Up to $1,000 for each subsequent violation.
    • Penalties to be collected by the North Carolina Commissioner of Labor.

  • § 64-73. Monitoring federal enforcement impacts on civil rights and commerce

    • The Attorney General may monitor federal immigration enforcement operations to ensure they do not infringe constitutional rights or unlawfully interfere with state commerce.
    • Establishes a public portal for NC business owners and workers to report economic disruptions or civil rights grievances stemming from federal operations.
    • Requires the Attorney General to issue an annual “Workforce and Community Safety Report” summarizing findings and transmitting it to the Governor and General Assembly.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: The act becomes law upon passage (default “effective when it becomes law”).
  • Study reporting deadline: Annual OSBM report due by March 1 each year.
  • Funding: Allocates $100,000 in nonrecurring General Fund support for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to assist in conducting the required study.
  • Severability: If any provision is invalid, other provisions remain in effect (severability clause).

Who and what is affected

  • State agencies: OSBM, Department of Commerce, Department of Revenue, Attorney General, and the North Carolina Commissioner of Labor.
  • Employees/workers: Receives employer notification in the event of federal audits; protected from retaliation.
  • Businesses: Subject to employer notification requirements and potential penalties for noncompliance.
  • General public: Access to a new public portal to report impacts; annual workforce safety and economic impact reporting to state leadership.

Potential impact (summary)

  • Improves transparency around federal immigration enforcement effects on NC economy, tax revenue, and workforce.
  • Provides worker protections through advance notice of audits and anti-retaliation safeguards.
  • Creates mechanisms for monitoring and reporting civil rights and commerce implications, potentially guiding policy decisions.
  • Allocates limited funds for initial study efforts and ongoing analytic oversight.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.