Seventeen bills are now law in the Tar Heel State after Gov. Josh Stein signed them this week.
Along with approving a historic $34 billion budget that’s the state’s first comprehensive spending plan since 2023, Stein signed 16 other bills and issued one veto. The actions leave him with an empty desk before lawmakers return to Raleigh at the end of the month.
Here’s a look at some of the new laws for North Carolina.
Crypto ATMs
Lawmakers passed a bill to regulate cryptocurrency kiosks, which enable users to exchange cash for digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Under House Bill 920, crypto ATMs will need to provide fraud warnings and set new transaction limits. The measure also limits service fees at 12% of a transaction’s value. Many crypto ATM companies currently charge fees of 20% to 30%. And companies must provide refunds for up to 30 days for users who were scammed.
In a statement explaining his signature, Stein said the state’s laws must keep up with changing technology. North Carolinians lost more than $12 million in frauds and scams involving cryptocurrency kiosks, according to the governor’s office.
“This bill protects people from fraud when they use virtual currency kiosks, requiring the machines to be licensed and regulated under state law, placing limits on daily transactions, and providing scam alert signs, live customer service, receipts for transactions, and the ability to cancel a transaction that’s still in progress,” Stein said.
Legislators in several other states have banned the kiosks entirely, but North Carolina lawmakers decided not to go that far.
Property Tax
Senate Bill 474 changes the list of counties subject to a moratorium on property tax revaluation this year.
An earlier measure receiving Stein’s approval, Senate Bill 889, enacted a moratorium on property tax revaluations in Anson, Bladen, Buncombe, Davidson, Guilford, Harnett, Onslow, Pender and Scotland counties.
S474 removes Buncombe, Harnett and Scotland counties from the moratorium, but adds Chowan and Pamlico. However, the law also requires any revaluation in Buncombe County this year to be revenue-neutral, meaning the county can’t raise any additional money from it.
Buncombe County leaders voiced concerns the property tax assessment freeze would lead to tax revenue loss while they’re financially recovering from Hurricane Helene.
When he signed the earlier measure, S889, Stein encouraged the legislature to also pass S474 to protect Buncombe County and other jurisdictions recovering from the natural disaster.
“The version sent to my desk does not do that. Instead, it continues to impede Buncombe County’s recovery efforts,” he said. “Nevertheless, this bill provides legal clarity to local governments adopting new budgets after the statutory deadline, so I have signed it into law.”
Transportation Law
The General Assembly approved a myriad of changes to transportation laws through House Bill 1094.
The legislation defines three classes of electric bicycles and allows their use on roads, bicycle lanes and paths. Local governments can regulate their use “within municipal limits.”
Riders under 18 need to wear a helmet when riding the fastest e-bikes, which can travel up to 28 miles per hour. Municipalities could extend the requirement to young riders on less-powerful e-bikes as well.
Additionally, the law permits drivers to renew their licenses at any point during the eight-year renewal cycle, rather than waiting until the six-month window before expiration.
“This bill makes the DMV more efficient and gives drivers a smoother experience,” Stein said. “It helps more people avoid a trip to renew their IDs and makes crash reports easier to access online so that people can get the information and resources they need when they need them.”
Stein also signed:
