The new bill filed by State Rep. Phil Shepard aims to review the Ferry Division’s operations and finances, seeking strategies to improve efficiency and support future capital needs, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 1094 on April 29 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Ferry Division Performance Audit.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill directs the Office of the State Auditor to conduct a performance audit of the Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division. The audit must include a financial review of operations, maintenance spending and budget practices; an evaluation of operations, capital projects and maintenance activities with suggested long-term strategies to maximize revenue and reduce costs; an assessment of the route system and possible route and schedule changes; and an evaluation of ways to diversify revenue to support capital needs and recover operating costs, plus any other matters the auditor finds relevant. The auditor must report findings by Oct. 1, 2026. The bill takes effect when it becomes law.
A related bill, SB 902, was also filed in the North Carolina Senate, introduced by Sen. Bill Rabon (and two others) on April 29, 2026.
Of the two sponsors of this bill, Frank Iler proposed the most bills (14) 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.
Shepard, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2011 to represent the state’s 15th House district, replacing previous state representative Robert Grady.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Shepard and Frank Iler | HB 1094 | 04/29/2026 | Ferry Division Performance Audit. |
| Phil Shepard and Frank Iler | HB 1109 | 04/29/2026 | NCDOT STI Study Recommendation. |
| Phil Shepard | HB 1134 | 04/29/2026 | Secret Peeping on Minor/Increase Punishment. |
| Phil Shepard and Wyatt Gable | HB 1038 | 04/22/2026 | At-Large Elections/Jacksonville City Council. |
| Phil Shepard, Celeste C. Cairns, Karl E. Gillespie, and Steve Tyson | HB 869 | 04/09/2025 | Dynamic Symbol of Access. |
| Phil Shepard, Jay Adams, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 822 | 04/08/2025 | Moped Regulation. |
| Phil Shepard, Diane Wheatley, Edward C. Goodwin, and Matthew Winslow | HB 703 | 04/02/2025 | Memorials in Veterans Cemeteries. |
| Phil Shepard, Diane Wheatley, Frank Iler, and Hugh Blackwell | HB 741 | 04/02/2025 | Veterans Registration Plate Modifications. |
| Phil Shepard, Allen Chesser, Frank Iler, and Jeffrey C. McNeely | HB 652 | 04/01/2025 | Transportation Goods Unit Pricing Cost. |
| Phil Shepard, Diane Wheatley, Garland E. Pierce, and Grant L. Campbell, MD | HB 663 | 04/01/2025 | Living Donor Protection Act. |
| Phil Shepard, Cody Huneycutt, Larry W. Potts, and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 565 | 03/27/2025 | Check Yes, Save Lives. |
| Phil Shepard and Wyatt Gable | HB 333 | 03/06/2025 | Jacksonville/ETJ Prohibited. |
