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HB 965NORTH CAROLINASession 2025State Billin committee

High Impact

North Carolina General Assembly proposes constitutional amendment establishing an inalienable right to clean water and air

Original title: Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment.

Last action · April 14, 2025: Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (House action)Sponsors: Kanika Brown and 16 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Would Do

North Carolina voters will decide in November 2026 whether to amend the state constitution to establish an inalienable right to pure water, clean air, and a preserved environment. The measure requires the state and all s to serve as trustees of natural resources for present and future generations. If approved by voters, the amendment takes effect immediately upon certification by the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement.

Why it matters

Establishes a constitutional obligation for state agencies and local governments to conserve natural resources and manage public lands under a public trust doctrine.

Background

Constitutional amendments in North Carolina require legislative approval followed by a majority vote of the electorate in a statewide general election before taking effect. context

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

qualified voters of the State

Qualified voters will cast ballots on the constitutional amendment at the November 2026 general election.

Directly affected

State, including each branch, agency, and political subdivision

State and local government entities must serve as trustees of the state's natural resources to conserve, protect, and maintain them for all people.

Key Facts

Adds a new Section 39 to Article I of the North Carolina Constitution establishing a right to clean water, clean air, and a preserved environment.
Declares that the state, including each branch, agency, and political subdivision, shall serve as trustee of the state's natural resources.
Includes protection for air, waters, coastal lands, wetlands, open lands, native flora, native fauna, and soils for present and future generations.
Declares the constitutional provisions and rights stated therein to be inalienable and self-executing.

Show all 8 facts

Requires the amendment to be submitted to qualified voters at the statewide general election in November 2026.
Sets the official ballot question as: 'Constitutional amendment protecting the right of the people to pure water, clean air, and a preserved environment.'
Requires the Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement to certify the amendment to the Secretary of State if a majority of votes are in favor.
Provides that the amendment becomes effective upon certification by the Secretary of State.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will voters decide on this environmental amendment?

Voters will consider the constitutional amendment at the statewide general election in November 2026.

What happens if a majority of voters approve the amendment?

If approved by a majority of votes cast on the question, the Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement will certify the amendment to the Secretary of State, and it becomes effective upon certification.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

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Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

3 actions

Apr 14, 2025House
Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Apr 14, 2025House
Passed 1st Reading
Apr 10, 2025HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Establishment of State Environmental Trust Obligations

The measure shifts state policy by explicitly establishing a public trust doctrine for air, water, and lands directly within the state constitution, binding all political subdivisions.

North Carolina Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement

Connected Entities

Chapter 163A, Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement, North Carolina and 1 more

otherChapter 163A“Governing statutes for conducting elections and using voting systems in the Stat”Map →

OrganizationBipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement“Responsible for certifying the amendment results to the Secretary of State.”Map →

locationNorth Carolina“State jurisdiction for the proposed constitutional amendment.”Map →

OrganizationSecretary of State“Enrolls the certified amendment among the permanent records of the office.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.ncleg.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance85
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy65
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz40
Current news / social attention level

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