House Bill 408 appropriates $869,000 in nonrecurring General Fund dollars to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Office of Archives and History, for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The money is intended to finish remaining work on phase one and phase two of capital improvements at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site.
The bill identifies the specific unfinished items as a visitor center tower sign, partitions and doors in the visitor center, various gun carriages, and an ammunition magazine inside the reconstructed earthworks. It also notes that Fort Fisher is the most visited of the state’s 27 historic sites and that prior appropriations already funded major components of the project, including a new visitor center, parking lot, maintenance facility, and reconstruction of earthworks.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would increase state spending by $869,000 from the General Fund and direct those funds to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources for a specific capital project at Fort Fisher. It would not create a new program or regulatory scheme, but it would amend state appropriations for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and support completion of improvements at a state historic site, affecting the agency responsible for historic site management and the visitors who use the facility.
Sentiment
The bill appears generally favorable and noncontroversial based on the text and available context. Its findings emphasize Fort Fisher’s high visitation and the need to complete already-started improvements, suggesting a practical, preservation-oriented purpose. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no evidence of opposition or debate in the available materials.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is fiscal: the bill requires a new $869,000 appropriation of nonrecurring General Fund money during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Any disagreement would likely center on whether these capital improvements should receive additional state funding now, especially given competing budget priorities. No specific objections, amendments, or opposing viewpoints are included in the available record.
Local governments capital improvements revolving loan program; revise definition of "capital improvements", extend repealer on MDA authority to use certain funds for expenses.