Rep. Price files bill in North Carolina House to expand labor organizing rights

A new bill filed by State Rep. Price seeks to expand labor organizing rights and repeal limitations on public employee union activities in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 207 on Feb. 25 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Remove Barriers to Labor Organizing.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill aims to enhance labor organizing rights by allowing labor organizations in North Carolina the unrestricted ability to enter into labor agreements and repealing restrictions that currently limit public employees from organizing. It modifies several sections of the state law, including eliminating provisions that deemed certain labor agreements illegal, and prohibiting conditions of employment that require union membership or payment of union dues. The bill also abolishes the article that prevented public employee labor organizing. Additionally, it specifies that the law will apply to agreements entered into from the act’s effective date onward.

A related bill, SB 120, was also filed in the North Carolina Senate, introduced by Sen. Lisa Grafstein (and two others) on Feb. 18, 2025.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Pricey Harrison and Marcia Morey proposed the most bills (11) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Prince graduated from Tufts University with a BA.

Prince, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 50th House district, replacing previous state representative Graig R. Meyer.