A new bill filed by State Rep. Jones seeks to create appreciation bonus programs for first responders, nurses and teachers in North Carolina to recognize their service, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 930 on April 10 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘First Responder Bonus/Appreciation Fund/$1500.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill establishes the 2025 First Responders and Nurses Appreciation Bonus Program and the Teachers’ Appreciation Bonus Program in North Carolina. It appropriates $130 million each year from the General Fund to provide a $1,500 one-time bonus payment to first responders and eligible nurses, and $165 million annually for teachers, both for the 2025-27 fiscal biennium. Eligible recipients must be employed by their respective authorities by October 1 to qualify, with payments distributed by December 31 each fiscal year. Any unspent funds revert to the General Fund. The act is effective July 1, 2025, and prohibits use of these funds for administrative costs.
Jones proposed another 16 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.
Jones graduated from Harvard University in 1974 with an AB and again in 1977 from Harvard Law School with a JD.
Jones, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 38th House district, replacing previous state representative Yvonne Lewis Holley.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abe Jones | HB 930 | 04/10/2025 | First Responder Bonus/Appreciation Fund/$1500. |
| Abe Jones | HB 932 | 04/10/2025 | Ten Percent Raise/Teachers/First Responders. |
| Abe Jones, Julia Greenfield, Phil Rubin, and Renée A. Price | HB 784 | 04/03/2025 | Prohibit Assault Weapons. |
| Abe Jones | HB 699 | 04/02/2025 | Sheriff’s Deputies/Dismissals. |
| Abe Jones | HB 700 | 04/02/2025 | The Patients’ Restoration of Rights Act. |
| Abe Jones, Garland E. Pierce, and Zack Hawkins | HB 726 | 04/02/2025 | Youth Mentoring & Academic Enhancement Comm. |
| Abe Jones, Beth Helfrich, Phil Rubin, and Tracy Clark | HB 643 | 04/01/2025 | Clarify Firearm Storage Law. |
| Abe Jones, Allen Buansi, Charles Smith, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 646 | 04/01/2025 | Const. Amend.: Remove Slavery as Punishment. |
| Abe Jones and Jeffrey C. McNeely | HB 585 | 03/31/2025 | Human Trafficking Reporting/Response System. |
| Abe Jones, Julia Greenfield, Marcia Morey, and Renée A. Price | HB 589 | 03/31/2025 | The Second Look Act. |
| Abe Jones, Becky Carney, Robert T. Reives, II, and Shelly Willingham | HB 604 | 03/31/2025 | Rural and Downtown Community Eco. Dev. Grants. |
| Abe Jones, Julia Greenfield, Sarah Crawford, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 467 | 03/20/2025 | Reenact Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. |
| Abe Jones, Robert T. Reives, II, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 446 | 03/18/2025 | Prohibition on Disclosing Booking Photographs. |
| Abe Jones, Charles Smith, Julie von Haefen, and Monika Johnson-Hostler | HB 367 | 03/11/2025 | Provide Rape Kit Status Updates to Victims. |
| Abe Jones, Garland E. Pierce, Hugh Blackwell, and Marcia Morey | HB 335 | 03/06/2025 | Expand Emergency Judge Eligibility. |
| Abe Jones, Marcia Morey, Phil Rubin, and Tim Longest | HB 129 | 02/13/2025 | Judge Joe John Nonpartisan Jud. Elections Act. |
