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HB 1006

Schools; Ten Commandments; display; procedures; effective date; emergency.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jim Olsen

Requires each General Assembly act to contain only one subject, clearly stated in its title (with specific exemptions for appropriations, revenue, and technical corrections).

Referred to Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee
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Bill Summary · HB 1006

Summary — HB 1006 (North Carolina): Constitutional Amendment — Single‑Subject Bills

Status: Passed 1st Reading (House)
Introduced: (filed) Nov 12, 2024
Primary sponsor: Rep. Tim Blust (Rep. Blust listed in bill text)
Subject areas: North Carolina Constitution; General Assembly; legislative process

Main purpose

HB 1006 proposes a constitutional amendment to require that every act of the General Assembly contain only one subject, clearly expressed in its title. The change is intended to limit multi‑subject or “omnibus” bills and require greater topical focus and transparency in legislation.

Key provisions

  • Amends Section 21 of Article II of the North Carolina Constitution to read (summary):
    • “Each act shall contain but one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title, except general appropriation acts, revenue acts, and acts containing only technical corrections.”
    • Retains the prescribed style of acts: “The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:”.
  • Exempts from the one‑subject rule:
    • general appropriation acts,
    • revenue (tax) acts,
    • acts containing only technical corrections.
  • Provides for submission of the amendment to voters at the statewide general election.
    • Specifies the voter referendum date: November 3, 2026.
    • Provides the exact ballot question wording to appear on ballots.

Ballot question text (as provided in the bill):
" FOR AGAINST
Constitutional amendment limiting the number of subjects that can be in a bill to one, except for appropriations bills, tax bills, and technical corrections bills."

Who and what would be affected

  • Directly affects the General Assembly’s law‑making process and bill drafting practices.
  • Affects all proposed state laws (excepting the enumerated exemptions).
  • Impacts legislators, legislative staff, bill drafters, the Office of the Revisor, lobbyists, and stakeholders who participate in bill development and amendments.
  • Could affect how complex or multifaceted policy changes are packaged (may require separate bills for distinct subject matters).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • As a constitutional amendment, the change does not take effect unless approved by a majority of voters in the specified statewide referendum (Nov 3, 2026).
  • If a majority of votes are “FOR,” the State Board of Elections will certify results and the Secretary of State will enroll the amendment among permanent records; the amendment becomes effective upon certification.
  • If a majority votes “AGAINST,” the amendment has no effect.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Expected to reduce multi‑topic “omnibus” bills and require more targeted legislation; may increase the number of separate bills needed to address complex policy packages.
  • Could change legislative strategy (use of riders, amendments, and conference committee packaging).
  • May increase transparency (titles more closely mirror content) but could also increase administrative workload and session volume.
  • The amendment’s practical effect may depend on how courts interpret “one subject” and what qualifies as a single subject in complex policy areas — thus potential for litigation and rule‑making/interpretive guidance.
  • Exceptions for appropriations and revenue acts preserve current practice for budgets and tax legislation.

For readers seeking the full statutory language, procedural history, or the exact ballot language, consult the enrolled bill text and the State Board of Elections instructions for the November 3, 2026 referendum.

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

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