A bill introduced by State Rep. Bryan Cohn in the North Carolina House seeks to strengthen the monitoring and transparency of economic opportunity and affordability for families statewide, information from the North Carolina State House shows.
Filed as HB 1046 on April 23 for the 2025 regular session, the bill carries the short title: ‘NC Economic Progress and Well-Being.’
Below is our summary, referencing the actual bill text, with some interpreted language for clarification.
If approved, the bill would direct the North Carolina Department of Commerce to compile and publish a biennial report—at both the state and county levels—covering economic opportunity, affordability, and family economic security, primarily using available public data. Required subjects include measuring hardship, work and earnings, household affordability, cost burdens, education and workforce preparation, and community and regional opportunity, along with other relevant county-level data the department may determine. The Department of Commerce would need to list its sources and methods for collecting the information, deliver the report to specific legislative entities by Jan. 31 of each odd-numbered year, and publish it online. This legislation allocates $200,000 in recurring General Fund appropriations beginning with the 2026-27 fiscal year and would be enacted starting July 1, 2026.
Among the three sponsors, Phil Rubin submitted the most legislation (23 bills) in the House during the 2025 regular session.
The legislative path for bills in North Carolina features a multi-step process before enactment. Legislation is started when a member files a bill and it gets assigned to committee. Each chamber must read the bill three times. If changes are made by one chamber, the other must agree to the final text. After approval by both chambers, the legislation goes to the governor, who can sign, veto, or leave it unsigned for 10 (or up to 30 if out of session) days, after which it may still become law.
Further details on bills and their progress are available here.
Cohn, a Democrat, was elected in 2025 to serve North Carolina’s 32nd House district, taking over from former Rep. Frank Sossamon.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan Cohn, Phil Rubin, and Rodney D. Pierce | HB 1046 | 04/23/2026 | NC Economic Progress and Well-Being. |
| Bryan Cohn, Cynthia Ball, Dante Pittman, and Frances Jackson, PhD | HB 943 | 04/10/2025 | Turning High-Achieving Students into Teachers. |
| Bryan Cohn, Allison A. Dahle, Pricey Harrison, and Tim Longest | HB 973 | 04/10/2025 | Uniform Restrictive Employment Agreement Act. |
| Bryan Cohn, Gloristine Brown, Pricey Harrison, and Tracy Clark | HB 879 | 04/09/2025 | Air Conditioning for Rental Properties. |
| Bryan Cohn, Deb Butler, Mike Colvin, and Pricey Harrison | HB 881 | 04/09/2025 | PFAS Free NC. |
| Bryan Cohn, Allen Buansi, Phil Rubin, and Shelly Willingham | HB 788 | 04/03/2025 | Fix Our Democracy. |
| Bryan Cohn, B. Ray Jeffers, Dante Pittman, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 685 | 04/01/2025 | Rural NC Reinvestment Act. |
| Bryan Cohn, B. Ray Jeffers, Dante Pittman, and Sarah Crawford | HB 619 | 03/31/2025 | Health Care Security Act. |
| Bryan Cohn, James Roberson, Kanika Brown, and Phil Rubin | HB 548 | 03/26/2025 | NC Economic Progress and Well-Being. |
| Bryan Cohn, Charles Smith, Laura Budd, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 499 | 03/24/2025 | NC Paid Family Leave Insurance Act. |
| Bryan Cohn, Lindsey Prather, Robert T. Reives, II, and Vernetta Alston | HB 503 | 03/24/2025 | Don’t Tread on Me Act. |
| Bryan Cohn, Beth Helfrich, Dante Pittman, and Lindsey Prather | HB 473 | 03/20/2025 | Right to IVF. |
| Bryan Cohn, Aisha O. Dew, Carolyn G. Logan, and Kanika Brown | HB 374 | 03/11/2025 | NCARCOG Funding/Operations Improvements. |
| Bryan Cohn, Aisha O. Dew, Allison A. Dahle, and Marcia Morey | HB 353 | 03/10/2025 | Fair Minimum Wage Act. |
| Bryan Cohn, Frances Jackson, PhD, Marcia Morey, and Renée A. Price | HB 267 | 03/03/2025 | Expunging Certain Eviction Records. |
| Bryan Cohn, Carolyn G. Logan, Kanika Brown, and Sarah Crawford | HB 269 | 03/03/2025 | Workforce Freedom and Protection Act. |
| Bryan Cohn | HB 255 | 02/27/2025 | SchCalFlex/Granville,Vance/Open Cal. |
| Bryan Cohn, Kanika Brown, Sarah Crawford, and Tracy Clark | HB 115 | 02/12/2025 | Child Care Facility Tax Exemption. |
| Bryan Cohn | HB 101 | 02/11/2025 | Prop. Tax Appeal Process Transparency. |
| Bryan Cohn | HB 102 | 02/11/2025 | Real Property Appraisal – Owner Notification. |
| Bryan Cohn | HB 68 | 02/05/2025 | Restore Down-Zoning Auth./Granville & Vance. |
