NFIB Backs Proposed Constitutional Amendment on Government Spending

June 21, 2023 Last Edit: June 5, 2025

Under the plan, spending would be tied to inflation and North Carolina's population

NFIB Backs Proposed Constitutional Amendment on Government Spending

NFIB has told the House Judiciary I Committee that it supports a proposed state constitutional amendment that would limit state government spending. House Bill 146 would tie state spending to a formula based on inflation and North Carolina’s population. Under the proposed amendment, the General Assembly could override the spending limit, but it would require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. If passed by the General Assembly, the amendment would go before voters in 2024. NFIB State Director Gregg Thompson says the proposed amendment faces an uphill battle. An earlier version of the plan passed the Senate in 2015 but didn’t come up for a vote in the House, and a June 20 hearing on the latest proposal in the House Judiciary I Committee was only for discussion. Half of the committee’s members didn’t attend the discussion, and sponsor Rep. Dennis Riddell of Alamance says it isn’t sure the bill will be brought up for a vote.

Still, Thompson said government spending is an important issue for North Carolina’s small businesses.

“Our concern is that excessive government spending will lead to higher fees and taxes on small businesses and across the board,” he said.

Topics:

Taxes

State:

North Carolina

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