President Trump has issued four Executive Orders (EOs) with significant impact on employment discrimination law. Two focus on the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, one focuses on the elimination of the adverse impact (unintentional) theory of unlawful … Read more

The following post is authored by SOG faculty member Sara DePasquale On June 26, 2025, H612 was signed by the Governor and became S.L. 2025-16. This session law makes significant amendments to the laws addressing juvenile abuse, neglect, and dependency … Read more

It is common for North Carolina counties and municipalities to seek out state or federal grants and loans to help fund local projects. These external funding sources can be essential to getting work done, especially in communities with limited local … Read more

The State of North Carolina operates on a biennial budget cycle, meaning that every two years, in odd-numbered years, the General Assembly adopts a comprehensive budget that covers two full fiscal years. The General Assembly typically adjusts the budget for the … Read more

Posted on behalf of faculty member Meredith Smith. If you’re working to protect vulnerable adults in your community, you know how important it is to have the right people at the table to provide effective and efficient solutions. That’s why … Read more

Effective July 1, 2025, Session Law 2025-8 (HB 50) amends G.S. 143-166.42, which governs the Law Enforcement Special Separation Allowance (LESSA) for local law enforcement officers. While the core structure of the LESSA remains unchanged, the new law introduces an alternative benefit … Read more

A defining characteristic of President Trump’s first five months has been his widespread use of Executive Orders (EOs). President Trump has issued four EOs with significant impact on employment discrimination law: two focus on the elimination of diversity, equity and … Read more

The following post is authored by SOG faculty member Meredith Smith. Navigating the legal requirements applicable to adult protective services (APS) court proceedings can be challenging, given the expedited nature of the cases, the different types of orders the court … Read more

In 2012, state law changed to allow more North Carolina counties to create consolidated human services agencies and have direct county commissioner governance of health departments and departments of social services. Since that change, many people have expressed confusion over … Read more

In a previous post, after a poor joke about the NBA’s Miami Heat, I noted that North Carolina communities may experience massive increases in 95+ degree days in coming decades.  I also described some circumstances in which North Carolina local … Read more

“The Machinery Act is a labyrinthine compilation of statutes that requires careful interpretation.” So observed the North Carolina Court of Appeals in a recent decision (In re: Appeal of Trade Land Company, LLC).  All of us working in the property … Read more

Since the lifting of the COVID state of emergency, local governments have consistently asked about conducting remote meetings. The Court of Appeals ruled on an aspect of remote meetings in State of North Carolina ex rel. Cannon v. Anson County. … Read more

Annexation is the process of adding new territory to an existing city. Until the mid-20th Century, North Carolina law only allowed annexation by an act of the state legislature. Since then, municipal annexation authority has evolved significantly. Today most annexations begin with a petition from property owners. This blog post reviews the several methods by which a municipality can annex territory in response to a petition.

As a dyed-in-the-wool Boston Celtics fan, I often spend this time of year concerned about the Heat.  But as temperatures rise heading into summer, local governments in North Carolina may face more serious heat-related incidents than a potentially embarrassing NBA … Read more

A core responsibility of the local historic preservation commission is to review and decide on certificates of appropriateness (COAs) to prevent development and changes “that would be incongruous with the special character of the landmark or district” (G.S. 160D-947). A … Read more

Since the lifting of the COVID state of emergency, local governments have consistently asked whether and how they can continue to conduct remote meetings. Neither the courts nor the legislature have provided a clear answer. Last year, the Court of … Read more

You may have experienced some technical issues with Coates Canons recently—either getting multiple notifications of new posts or none at all. We’re in the process of transitioning all School of Government blogs to a new platform, and (as is often … Read more

North Carolina authorizes local governments “[t]o safeguard the heritage of the city or county by preserving any district or landmark therein that embodies important elements of its culture, history, architectural history, or prehistory” (G.S. 160D-940). State law sets forth minimum … Read more

Earlier this year, I wrote about how procurement professionals could navigate the impact of proposed tariffs on existing contracts and planned procurements. Now, several months later, the initially imposed tariffs are in place and additional reciprocal tariffs are in effect. … Read more

The death of a utility customer presents a unique set of legal and practical challenges for local government utilities. Because utility service is based on a contract between the utility and the customer, that contract ends when the customer dies—leaving … Read more