Rep. Brown files bill in North Carolina House to fund traffic signal preemption technology

A new bill filed by State Rep. Kanika Brown in the North Carolina House aims to improve emergency response times and enhance intersection safety, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 1088 on April 28 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Traffic Signal Preemption Software.’

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

In essence, this bill appropriates $2.7 million in nonrecurring funds from the Highway Fund to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for the 2026-27 fiscal year to deploy traffic signal preemption technology. The money must be used for systems that allow real-time traffic signal changes to prioritize first responder vehicles at intersections. The bill states this is intended to reduce emergency response times and improve safety at intersections. The act becomes effective July 1, 2026.

Brown proposed another 31 bills 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.

Brown, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 71st House district, replacing previous state representative Evelyn Terry.