Section 1.

Sets out legislative findings.

Section 2.

Increases the salary of sworn law enforcement officers employed by the State of North Carolina by $7,500 annually, effective July 1, 2026.

Directs the Office of State Human Resources to establish a salary schedule for law enforcement officers that accounts for years of service, rank, and cost-of-living to be updated every two years. Sets minimum entry-level salary for State Highway Patrol troopers at $62,500 annually. Directs the Department of State Treasurer (DST), in consultation with the Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM), to make a grant program available to municipalities and counties to provide comparable pay increases for local law enforcement officers.

Defines “law enforcement officer” for the purposes of this section to mean “criminal justice officer” as defined in GS 17C-2 and to include sheriffs’ deputies and municipal police officers.

Section 3.

Increases the minimum starting salary for a correctional officer employed by the Department of Adult Correction (DAC) to $45,000 annually, effective July 1, 2026. Increases the salary of all current correctional officers by $8,000 annually, effective July 1, 2026.

Directs Secretary of Adult Correction to develop a retention incentive program to provide retention bonuses for correctional officers who complete 5 years of service ($2,500) and 10 years of service ($5,000) and to provide increased hazard pay ($3,000 annually) for officers assigned to facilities operating at or below 70% of authorized staffing levels. Requires the DAC to report on vacancy rates and staffing levels quarterly to specified NCGA committee, beginning October 1, 2026.

Section 4.

Sets out legislative findings.

Directs the State Health Plan (SHP), in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services and the DAC, to ensure law enforcement and correctional officers covered under the SHP have access to at least 12 confidential mental health visits annually at no cost to the officer and to maintain a 24-hour mental health crisis line staffed by specifically trained clinicians.

Directs the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the DAC to establish peer support programs that meet specified requirements for training, certification, and curriculum requirements.

Requires the DPS and DAC to each report annually to NCGA beginning January 1, 2028 on the number of officers using mental health services, officer suicide rates and rates, retention and vacancy data correlated with mental health programs, and recommendations for program improvements.

Section 5.

Appropriates $33.1 million in recurring funds for 2026-27 from the General Fund to the OSBM for $7,500 pay raises to State law enforcement officers.

Appropriates $93.1 million in recurring funds for 2026-27 from the General Fund to the DAC for $8,000 pay raises to correctional officers and other compression adjustments.

Appropriates $8.9 million in recurring funds for 2026-27 from the General Fund to the DPS for $8,000 pay raises to correctional officers and other compression adjustments.

Appropriates $1.5 million in recurring funds for 2026-27 from the General Fund to the DAC for retention bonuses.

Appropriates $9.1 million in recurring funds for 2026-27 from the General Fund to the DAC for hazard pay.

Appropriates $100 million for 2026-27 from the General Fund to the DST for the LEO Local Government Grant Program.

Appropriates $30 million for 2026-27 from the General Fund to the SHP for the 12-visit mental health services expansion described in the act.

Appropriates $10 million for 2026-27 from the General Fund to the DPS for peer support programs described in the act.

Effective July 1, 2026.

Section 6.

Except as otherwise provided, effective July 1, 2026.