House Bill 386 would increase the annual registration fee for private passenger vehicles by adding a new $6.25 fee on top of the existing base registration charge. The bill directs the revenue from that additional fee to the Department of Public Safety and specifies that it must be used to fund State Highway Patrol salaries. It also preserves the existing reduced fee for certain vehicles given by the federal government to disabled veterans.
In addition to the fee increase, the bill appropriates $40.4 million in recurring General Fund money for each year of the 2025-2027 biennium to provide compensation increases for State Highway Patrol personnel. The bill sets new experience-based salary schedules for troopers and separate rank-based salary schedules for supervisory and command positions, with salaries ranging from $56,000 for a new trooper to $224,612 for a colonel. The changes would take effect July 1, 2025, and apply to vehicle registrations issued or renewed on or after that date.
Impact
The bill would amend G.S. 20-4.02 and G.S. 20-87 to create a new dedicated registration-fee revenue stream for State Highway Patrol salaries, while also changing the fee schedule for private passenger vehicles statewide. It would increase costs for most vehicle owners renewing or registering private passenger vehicles, but would not alter the special reduced fee for qualifying veteran-donated vehicles. It also creates a recurring appropriation from the General Fund to support patrol pay increases, affecting state budgeting, the Department of Public Safety, and Highway Patrol compensation statutes and practices.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a support-and-compensation bill for law enforcement rather than a controversial policy overhaul. Its stated purpose is to improve Highway Patrol pay and provide a dedicated funding source, which suggests a generally favorable posture toward recruitment, retention, and public safety funding. However, the vehicle fee increase could draw concern from motorists and fee-sensitive stakeholders because it shifts part of the cost of patrol compensation onto vehicle registrations.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the new $6.25 annual fee on private passenger vehicles, since it raises the cost of registration for a broad class of drivers to finance patrol salaries. Critics may question whether vehicle owners should bear that cost or whether the General Fund should cover it entirely, while supporters may argue that dedicated funding is appropriate for public safety and patrol recruitment. Another possible issue is the size of the recurring appropriation and the long-term budget commitment it creates, though the bill also includes a specific salary structure that may be viewed as necessary to address Highway Patrol pay competitiveness.