House Bill 511 would increase the salaries of North Carolina magistrates beginning July 1, 2025 and appropriate recurring General Fund dollars to pay for those raises. The bill directs $11.5 million in recurring funds each year of the 2025-2027 biennium to the Administrative Office of the Courts for magistrate salary increases.
The bill also rewrites the magistrate salary schedule in G.S. 7A-171.1. It sets new entry-level and step salaries for full-time magistrates and preserves the existing step-based progression tied to years of service. Under the revised schedule, magistrates would receive higher pay at each step, with salaries increasing on a two-year or four-year cadence depending on the step level.
Impact
This bill would amend North Carolina’s magistrate compensation statute, G.S. 7A-171.1, by replacing the current salary table with a higher pay scale for full-time magistrates and by authorizing the Administrative Office of the Courts to implement those increases. It would also create a recurring appropriation from the General Fund to support the raises, affecting state budget obligations for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium and beyond. The primary affected parties are magistrates, the Administrative Office of the Courts, and the state budget.
Sentiment
Based on the available bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the bill appears to be a straightforward compensation measure with no documented opposition in the provided materials. The title and structure suggest a supportive posture toward improving magistrate pay, likely framed as a workforce retention and fairness issue. However, because no transcripts or vote history are included, the broader legislative sentiment cannot be assessed beyond the bill’s apparent intent.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is fiscal: the bill requires $11.5 million in recurring General Fund spending each year of the biennium, which may raise budgetary concerns for lawmakers focused on state expenditures. Another possible issue is whether magistrate salary adjustments should be prioritized relative to other judicial or public-sector pay needs. No specific objections, amendments, or competing viewpoints are provided in the available discussion materials.