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Bill

SB 786

Protect NC Prosperity and Health.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Woodson Bradley and 1 co-sponsor

The bill creates two state-led, funded public education campaigns (for consumer finance risks and health/civil rights) with websites, local toolkits, and no lobbying, totaling $7 m

Passed 1st Reading
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Bill Summary · SB 786

Summary of SB 786 (Session 2025) – North Carolina: Protect NC Prosperity and Health

Purpose and Intent

SB 786 proposes statewide initiatives to protect North Carolina’s prosperity and health by funding and directing public education campaigns. The bill creates two parallel programs led respectively by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to raise public awareness about consumer finance risks and health/civil rights issues. It emphasizes education, resources, and local community outreach while prohibiting advocacy for changing laws.

Key Provisions

Section 1: Consumer Finance Awareness Initiative (DOJ)

  • Objective: Educate the public about consumer finance risks, including phishing, mail fraud, identity theft, pyramid schemes, predatory home-based opportunities, and money transfer fraud.
  • Website and Toolkit (Section 1(a)-(b)):
    • Develop a state website detailing risks, links to resources, and a toolkit for local education initiatives.
    • Toolkit to be customizable for communities to run local campaigns and distribute information.
    • Website and toolkit deadline: September 1, 2026.
  • State-Coordinated Outreach (Section 1(c)): Create and implement outreach and provide technical assistance to communities using the toolkit.
  • Third-Party Entity (Section 1(d)): DOJ may contract with a relevant expert entity to help launch the initiative.
  • Prohibition on Advocacy (Section 1(e)): Funds and efforts cannot advocate for new or revised laws; activities limited to explaining and promoting existing consumer protection resources and laws.
  • Funding (Section 1(f)): $3,000,000 in recurring General Fund appropriations starting in the 2026–2027 fiscal year.
  • Monitoring and Reporting (Section 1(g)): DOJ must report progress to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety by September 1, 2027.

Section 2: Health and Civil Rights Awareness Initiative (DHHS)

  • Objective: Educate the public about health and civil rights issues, including reproductive health, LGBTQIA+, gender, and racial health concerns.
  • Website and Toolkit (Section 2(a)-(b)):
    • Develop a state website with information on risks/issues and links to health/civil rights resources.
    • Create a localizable toolkit for use by communities, distributed to local media, and used for local campaigns and events.
    • Website and toolkit deadline: September 1, 2026.
  • State-Coordinated Outreach (Section 2(c)): Implement outreach and provide technical assistance to communities.
  • Third-Party Entity (Section 2(d)): DHHS may contract with a relevant expert entity to support the initiative.
  • Prohibition on Advocacy (Section 2(e)): Funds and activities cannot advocate for changing health/civil rights laws; limited to maintaining existing resources and laws.
  • Funding (Section 2(f)): $4,000,000 in recurring General Fund appropriations starting in the 2026–2027 fiscal year.
  • Monitoring and Reporting (Section 2(g)): DHHS must report progress to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services by September 1, 2027.

Section 3: Effective Date

  • The act becomes effective on July 1, 2026.

Who/What is Affected

  • State Agencies: Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services.
  • Local Governments/Communities: Eligible to use the provided toolkit and participate in state-coordinated outreach; technical assistance provided to implement local programs.
  • Public: General NC residents, who would have access to the new website, toolkit, and local outreach regarding consumer finance risks and health/civil rights information.
  • Budget/Finances: Recurring General Fund appropriations totaling $7 million per year (combined: $3M for DOJ initiative and $4M for DHHS initiative) starting in FY 2026–2027.

Procedural and Timeline Highlights

  • Website/toolkit development deadline: Sept. 1, 2026 for both initiatives.
  • Outreach implementation: Following development of the website and toolkit.
  • Reporting deadlines: Progress reports due to the respective Joint Legislative Oversight Committees by Sept. 1, 2027.
  • Effective date: July 1, 2026.
  • Funding start: Recurring appropriations begin in FY 2026–2027.

Potential Impact

  • Increased public awareness about common consumer finance scams and health/civil rights issues.
  • Provision of centralized resources and localizable materials to support community-led education campaigns.
  • Strengthened state capacity to coordinate information dissemination without engaging in lobbying or policy advocacy.
  • Clear accountability through mandated annual reporting to legislative oversight committees.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with existing NC consumer protection and health outreach programs, or draft a one-page briefing for stakeholders.

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

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