North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein signed four bills into law Tuesday covering housing development, disaster recovery, teacher training, economic development and election procedures.
The four North Carolina bills signed were Senate Bill 445 and House Bills 268, 562 and 834.
Housing and Accessory Dwelling Units
Senate Bill 445, known as the Regulatory Reform Act of 2026, includes a wide range of housing, environmental, education and public-safety provisions.
One of its most significant housing provisions requires North Carolina cities with populations of at least 50,000 to allow qualifying accessory dwelling units in certain residential areas.
Accessory dwelling units, sometimes called “granny flats,” can include backyard cottages, garage apartments or other smaller residences constructed on the same property as a primary home.
Local governments may continue regulating factors such as size, location and design, but qualifying cities cannot completely prohibit the units in areas covered by the law.
The measure also limits some restrictions on installing residential solar panels and battery-storage systems. Stein said the changes could help increase the state’s housing supply while allowing families more flexibility with their property.
Disaster Recovery and Teacher Apprenticeships
House Bill 268 makes corrections and additions to North Carolina’s recently approved state budget.
The legislation includes provisions supporting western North Carolina disaster recovery through programs such as the Small Business Infrastructure Program and the Division of Community Revitalization.
It also allows public schools to begin teacher-apprenticeship programs as early as the 2026–27 school year and supports loan access for North Carolina Teaching Fellows.
Additional provisions address hospital and child-care loans and grants, economic-development programs, sporting events and funding intended to attract film and television productions.
Stein supported many of those investments but criticized provisions that shift certain governmental authority away from the executive branch.
House Bill 562 was also among the North Carolina bills signed. It corrects errors contained in House Bill 268.
Changes to North Carolina Election Procedures
House Bill 834 makes several changes to state election law. The legislation passed the General Assembly with bipartisan support.
The new law expands the time and methods available for voters to correct certain procedural problems with their ballots, helping qualifying ballots be counted after errors are resolved.
The law also formalizes the rule that a ballot cast during early voting cannot be counted if the voter dies before Election Day.
Another provision allows lawsuits concerning election laws to be filed in locations outside Wake County.
What the New Laws Mean
The four North Carolina bills signed address a broad collection of issues rather than focusing on a single policy area.
For residents, the most visible changes may involve new options for accessory housing, the creation of teacher-apprenticeship programs and updated procedures for correcting ballot problems.
The laws also direct funding and administrative support toward disaster recovery, child care, hospitals and economic development.
The North Carolina bills signed took effect according to the individual dates and provisions contained in each law.
Source: Information for this report was provided by the Office of Gov. Josh Stein, the North Carolina General Assembly and WRAL.
