A new bill filed by State Rep. Mary Belk in the North Carolina House aims to expand support for counties operating judicially managed accountability and recovery courts, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 1099 on April 29 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Funding Vocational Rehabilitation.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill appropriates $7.5 million in nonrecurring General Fund money for the 2026-27 fiscal year to the Department of Health and Human Services to run a competitive grant program for counties with judicially managed accountability and recovery courts. The grants will pay for vocational rehabilitation training and other employment-related services and supports, including transportation, books, fees, uniforms, tools, equipment and child care, when tied to an individualized plan for court participants. Most counties are capped at $150,000 per year unless the department grants a waiver for good cause. The bill requires detailed reports to legislative oversight committees and allows funds to remain available through June 30, 2028. The act takes effect July 1, 2026.
Of the two sponsors of this bill, Robert T. Reives, II proposed the most bills (49) 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.
Belk graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2006 with a BA.
Belk, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2017 to represent the state’s 88th House district, replacing previous state representative Rob Bryan.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Belk and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 1099 | 04/29/2026 | Funding Vocational Rehabilitation. |
| Mary Belk, Gloristine Brown, Lindsey Prather, and Tracy Clark | HB 1127 | 04/29/2026 | Affordable Maternal Access & Cancer Care Act. |
| Mary Belk, Lindsey Prather, Marcia Morey, and Renée A. Price | HB 1044 | 04/23/2026 | Justice in Mental Health Act. |
| Mary Belk, Dante Pittman, Terry M. Brown Jr., and Tim Longest | HB 938 | 04/10/2025 | Right to Repair Digital Electronics Act. |
| Mary Belk, Julia Greenfield, Maria Cervania, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 984 | 04/10/2025 | Regulate Research of Medical Cannabis. |
| Mary Belk, Becky Carney, and Jordan Lopez | HB 998 | 04/10/2025 | Funds for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. |
| Mary Belk, Becky Carney, Julia Greenfield, and Nasif Majeed | HB 839 | 04/09/2025 | Advanced Teaching Roles Updates. |
| Mary Belk, Beth Helfrich, Brandon Lofton, and Laura Budd | HB 840 | 04/09/2025 | Reward Schools for Student Growth. |
| Mary Belk, Jordan Lopez, Monika Johnson-Hostler, and Nasif Majeed | HB 706 | 04/02/2025 | Change to Needs-Based Capital Funding. |
| Mary Belk, Carolyn G. Logan, Robert T. Reives, II, and Stephen M. Ross | HB 723 | 04/02/2025 | Technology Coalitions Strategic Support Fund. |
| Mary Belk, Carolyn G. Logan, Robert T. Reives, II, and Stephen M. Ross | HB 724 | 04/02/2025 | NC-FACT. |
| Mary Belk, Aisha O. Dew, Marcia Morey, and Pricey Harrison | HB 732 | 04/02/2025 | Common Sense Gun Regulations. |
| Mary Belk, Jordan Lopez, Marcia Morey, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 735 | 04/02/2025 | Modernize STI Transit Funding. |
| Mary Belk, Becky Carney, Maria Cervania, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 752 | 04/02/2025 | Transportation Economic Development Funding. |
| Mary Belk, Cynthia Ball, Julie von Haefen, and Pricey Harrison | HB 686 | 04/01/2025 | Safe Cosmetics Act. |
| Mary Belk, Maria Cervania, Sarah Crawford, and Tracy Clark | HB 624 | 03/31/2025 | Prescription Drug Pricing. |
| Mary Belk, Becky Carney, Carla D. Cunningham, and Donny Lambeth | HB 525 | 03/26/2025 | Reorganize & Fund Rare Disease Adv. Council. |
| Mary Belk, Allison A. Dahle, Gloristine Brown, and Julie von Haefen | HB 510 | 03/25/2025 | Menstrual Equity for All Act. |
| Mary Belk, Becky Carney, Carla D. Cunningham, and Cynthia Ball | HB 495 | 03/24/2025 | Accessing Midwives Act. |
| Mary Belk, Allen Buansi, Becky Carney, and Carla D. Cunningham | HB 460 | 03/19/2025 | Medical Equipment Right to Repair Act. |
| Mary Belk and Nasif Majeed | HB 436 | 03/18/2025 | Counties/Semiannual Assessments. |
| Mary Belk, Cynthia Ball, Marcia Morey, and Pricey Harrison | HB 293 | 03/05/2025 | Marine Life Stewardship Act. |
| Mary Belk, Becky Carney, Donna McDowell White, and Donny Lambeth | HB 297 | 03/05/2025 | Breast Cancer Prevention Imaging Parity. |
| Mary Belk, Deb Butler, Frances Jackson, PhD, and James Roberson | HB 282 | 03/04/2025 | STI Funding/Bicycle/Pedestrian Improv. |
| Mary Belk, Brandon Lofton, Terry M. Brown Jr., and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 265 | 03/03/2025 | SchCalFlex/Char-Meck/CC. |
| Mary Belk, Carolyn G. Logan, and Tim Longest | HB 203 | 02/25/2025 | Home Warranty Act. |
| Mary Belk, Deb Butler, Jordan Lopez, and Phil Rubin | HB 174 | 02/21/2025 | Marriage Equality Act. |
| Mary Belk, Deb Butler, Jordan Lopez, and Phil Rubin | HB 175 | 02/21/2025 | Const. Amend./Marriage Equality. |
| Mary Belk, Dennis Riddell, Harry Warren, and Mark Brody | HB 99 | 02/11/2025 | Reflexologists Right to Work Act. |
