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SB 578

North Carolina CARDINAL Corps Act.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Sophia Chitlik and 2 co-sponsors

The bill creates the NC CARDINAL Corps to fund paid fellowships for recent grads and service members in high-need sectors, with matched funding and up to 9-month placements.

Passed 1st Reading
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Bill Summary · SB 578

SB 578 — North Carolina CARDINAL Corps Act (2025) — Summary

Status: Passed 1st Reading; Enacted effective July 1, 2025
Primary sponsors: Senators Chitlik and Lowe
Administration / Implementing agency: NCWorks Commission, Department of Commerce

Purpose / Intent

Establishes the North Carolina CARDINAL Corps Program (Communities Advancing Real Development by Investing in Newly Accomplished Leaders) to create paid fellowships that place recently graduated young adults and recently deployed service members into critical, high‑need sectors. The goals are to (1) relieve workforce shortages in targeted fields, (2) provide career pathway training (certifications, licenses, or associate degrees), and (3) move fellows toward permanent employment.

Key provisions

  • Program established and administered by the NCWorks Commission (Dept. of Commerce).
  • Eligible fellows: individuals within the first two years after (a) high school graduation or GED, or (b) a U.S. military deployment.
  • Eligible host recipients: businesses, schools, local governments, and private nonprofit organizations operating in NC.
  • Qualifying fellowship sectors (examples): disaster relief & recovery; education (tutoring, early childhood, after‑school); public safety; public service (local government); farming & food security; military families & veterans support.
  • Funding allocation: appropriated funds are split 50/50 between (a) fellows who are recent high school graduates/GED and (b) fellows who are recent military returnees.
  • Reimbursement cap: host recipients may be reimbursed (upon providing the required non‑State matching funds) up to $30,200 per fellow per fiscal year for program expenses, payroll, mentor stipends, insurance, training, uniforms, safety equipment, and the fellow’s salary and completion award.
  • Matching requirement: 1:1 match — one dollar of non‑State funds for every one dollar of State funds.
  • Pay and duration limits: fellows funded with matched State funds may be paid up to $600 per week; each fellowship is 9 consecutive months. Fellows receive a $5,000 completion award at the end of the fellowship.
  • Fellows’ conference: NCWorks will host a biannual fellows conference; up to $1,000 per fellow per year from program funds may be used for this purpose.
  • Reporting: NCWorks must report by June 15, 2026, and annually thereafter to relevant legislative committees and Fiscal Research on program use, matching funds, and salary data.
  • Growth intent: Legislature intends to grow the program by +100 fellows/year until reaching 1,000 annual participants; appropriation is a seed.
  • Appropriation: $1,485,000 (nonrecurring) from the General Fund to the Department of Commerce to implement the Program; Commission encouraged to seek philanthropic contributions.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: eligible recent high school/GED completers and recently deployed service members seeking paid entry into careers.
  • Host organizations: schools, local governments, nonprofits, businesses that hire fellows and provide matching funds.
  • State agencies: NCWorks Commission / Department of Commerce (administration, reporting, conferences).
  • Budgetary impact: initial seed appropriation ($1.485M nonrecurring); further expansion depends on legislative funding and host matching contributions.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Effective date: July 1, 2025.
  • First required program report due June 15, 2026.
  • Program scalability contingent on ongoing appropriations and matching funds; the act expressly states legislative intent to grow to 1,000 fellows/year.

Practical note (illustrative)

  • If reimbursements were provided at the statutory maximum ($30,200 per fellow), the initial $1,485,000 appropriation would fully cover ~49 fellows (1,485,000 ÷ 30,200 ≈ 49). The program therefore anticipates leveraging substantial non‑State matching funds and additional appropriations to reach the 1,000‑fellow goal.

For more detail, see the enacted bill text (establishing Division and administrative/financial rules) and NCWorks Commission guidance once the program is implemented.

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

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