Bill > H649

This bill directs the North Carolina Collaboratory, a research organization at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to conduct a comprehensive study of potential changes to the county tier designation system, which is a method used to classify counties based on economic indicators. The study will examine proposed modifications to the criteria, assignment process, and ranking timeframe for county tiers, and will evaluate the impacts on all 100 counties in North Carolina, programs that use the tier designation system, and the state's business environment. The Collaboratory will collaborate with the Departments of Commerce, Health and Human Services, and Public Instruction to assess whether the proposed changes align with economic development goals, use high-quality and timely data, employ an easily understandable methodology, and accurately identify economically distressed areas. The bill requires the Collaboratory to submit a preliminary report by December 31, 2025, to the Joint Legislative Economic Development and Global Engagement Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division, with a final report due by December 1, 2026. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2025, providing a structured approach to potentially improving the state's county tier designation system.

Government Affairs

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H649