According to N.C. Newsline, Republican leaders in the North Carolina House and Senate say they are making progress toward a new state budget and hope to have a final agreement by the end of June.

House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate leader Phil Berger met last week to work through remaining differences between the two chambers. According to the N.C. Newsline report, Berger said lawmakers are moving in the right direction, but negotiations are not yet complete.

According to the report, North Carolina has not passed a comprehensive state budget since 2023 after Republican leaders failed to reach an agreement last year. Lawmakers announced a framework agreement in May covering teacher and state employee raises, future tax cuts, and proposed constitutional amendments on tax limits.

Budget writers are now reportedly developing a final spending plan, which House budget chairman Donny Lambeth says will include additional Hurricane Helene recovery funding. He says agencies may not receive all they requested, but lawmakers have worked for weeks to build a fair and balanced budget.