AN ACT directing the department of health and human services, the DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, the HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY, and LOCAL HOUSING AUTHORITIES to develop, implement, and report on a plan to ensure that STATE‑funded benefits provided by or through these state and local agencies ARE available only to united states citizens and noncitizens residing in the united states with legal permission; directing state‑funded institutions of higher education to adopt and implement a policy to verify that all applicants are legally authorized to reside in the united states; and directing the department of commerce, division of employment security, to adopt and implement a policy to verify that all applicants for benefits are legally authorized to reside in the united states.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

part i. department of health and human services

SECTION 1.  To the extent permitted by federal law, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) shall take all steps necessary to cease providing State‑funded benefits to noncitizens residing in the United States without legal permission.

SECTION 2.  To the extent permitted by federal law, the DHHS shall develop and implement a plan to review and update the eligibility criteria for all State‑funded benefits to ensure that noncitizens determined to be residing in the United States without legal permission are ineligible to receive State‑funded benefits. As a part of this plan, the DHHS shall develop a method for verifying the immigration status of applicants for State‑funded benefits who are noncitizens prior to the initiation of benefits.

SECTION 3.  By January 15, 2026, the DHHS shall report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and the Fiscal Research Division all of the following:

(1)        The steps taken to implement Section 1 of this act and the resulting success of those steps.

(2)        A list of State‑funded benefits for which the DHHS is prohibited from changing.

(3)        The plan developed and implemented pursuant to Section 2 of this act, which shall include a citation to each federal law or regulation that prohibits the DHHS from denying eligibility for State‑funded benefits to noncitizens determined to be residing in the United States without legal permission.

SECTION 4.  As used in this Part, State‑funded benefits includes any of the following programs administered by or through a contract with the Department but excludes any benefits or services available under these programs to help eligible beneficiaries access food or meals:

(1)        Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Work First).

(2)        Early Intervention Services.

(3)        Rental or housing assistance programs.

(4)        Medication assistance programs.

(5)        Child care subsidy programs.

(6)        Foster care and adoption assistance payments.

(7)        Refugee assistance programs.

(8)        Low Income Energy Assistance.

(9)        Work First Cash Assistance and other employment and self‑sufficiency training and services.

(10)      Medicaid.

(11)      Single‑stream funding.

(12)      Inpatient psychiatric hospital services (3‑Way Bed Contracts).

(13)      The State‑County Special Assistance program.

(14)      Programs funded by the Home and Community Care Block Grant.

(15)      Caregiver Support programs.

part Ii. department of commerce, housing finance agency, and local housing authorities

SECTION 5.  To the extent permitted by federal law, the Department of Commerce, the Housing Finance Agency, and all local housing authorities established under Chapter 157 of the General Statutes shall take all steps necessary to cease providing publicly funded housing benefits to noncitizens residing in the United States without legal permission.

SECTION 6.  To the extent permitted by federal law, the Department of Commerce, the Housing Finance Agency, and all local housing authorities established under Chapter 157 of the General Statutes shall each develop and implement a plan to review and update the eligibility criteria for all publicly funded housing benefits to ensure that noncitizens determined to be residing in the United States without legal permission are ineligible to receive publicly funded housing benefits. As a part of this plan, the Department of Commerce, the Housing Finance Agency, and all local housing authorities established under Chapter 157 of the General Statutes shall develop a method for verifying the immigration status of applicants for publicly funded housing benefits who are noncitizens prior to the initiation of benefits.

SECTION 7.  By January 15, 2026, the Department of Commerce, the Housing Finance Agency, and all local housing authorities established under Chapter 157 of the General Statutes shall report to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and the Fiscal Research Division on both of the following:

(1)        The steps taken to implement Section 5 of this act and the resulting success of those steps.

(2)        The plan developed and implemented pursuant to Section 6 of this act, which shall include a citation to each federal law or regulation that prohibits the Department, Office, Agency, or local government unit from denying eligibility for publicly funded benefits to noncitizens determined to be residing in the United States without legal permission.

SECTION 8.  As used in this Part, publicly funded housing benefits means any of the following programs or assistance administered by or through a contract with the Department of Commerce, the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, and any local housing authority established under Chapter 157 of the General Statutes:

(1)        Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).

(2)        Rental assistance programs.

(3)        Transitional housing programs.

(4)        Key Rental Assistance programs (KEY).

(5)        Subsidized housing assistance programs.

(6)        Housing Choice Voucher program (HCV).

(7)        NC Home Advantage Mortgage program.

(8)        NC 1st Home Advantage Down Payment program.

(9)        HOME Investment Partnerships program (HOME).

(10)      Community Living programs.

(11)      Essential Single‑Family Rehabilitation program (ESFR).

(12)      Affordable Housing Development Fund program (AHDF)

(13)      Emergency Solutions Grants program (ESG), including the Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing program (RUSH).

part iii. state‑funded institutions of higher education

SECTION 9.  Notwithstanding G.S. 116‑143.1 or any other provision of law, the governing bodies of all institutions of higher education in North Carolina receiving State funds shall adopt and implement a policy to verify, for tuition and educational benefits purposes, that all applicants are legally authorized to reside in the United States.

part iv. unemployment compensation

SECTION 10.  Notwithstanding any provision of State law and to the extent permitted by federal law, the Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security, shall adopt and implement a policy to verify, for unemployment benefits purposes, that all applicants are legally authorized to reside in the United States prior to the first payment of benefits.

part v. effective date

SECTION 11.  This act is effective when it becomes law.