Senate Bill 1028, titled the NC Airport Security Continuity and Federal Worker Relief Act, creates a new special fund within the Highway Fund called the NC Federal Worker Airport Security Emergency Fund. The fund would be administered by the Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation and used to provide emergency operational continuity grants in the form of interest-free loans to airport workers in North Carolina who are not being paid because of a lapse in federal funding.
The bill applies only to two categories of federally employed airport personnel at eligible North Carolina airports: Transportation Security Officers employed by TSA and Air Traffic Controllers employed by the FAA. A loan could be made only after the Secretary of Transportation certifies that a worker in one of those positions has gone at least 14 consecutive days without pay due to a federal funding lapse. Once funds are allocated to an airport, the airport would determine eligibility and loan amounts, disburse the loans, and automatically recover the money when federal back pay is issued.
Impact
The bill would add a new state-administered emergency financing mechanism for airport security and air traffic operations during federal shutdowns or other federal funding lapses. It appropriates $25 million in nonrecurring Highway Fund dollars for fiscal year 2026-2027 to seed the emergency fund, and those funds would not revert at the end of the fiscal year. It also directs the Division of Aviation to adopt procedures and rules, and requires a report to legislative transportation and appropriations committees after an allocation is made. The practical effect would be to temporarily bridge income gaps for affected federal airport workers while preserving continuity at airports that rely on TSA screening and FAA air traffic control services.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the measure appears to be framed as a supportive, continuity-focused response to federal shutdown-related disruptions. Its stated purpose is worker relief and airport security continuity, suggesting a generally protective and operationally pragmatic intent. Because there is no transcript or vote history provided, there is no documented opposition or support to assess beyond the bill’s design.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to be fiscal and administrative. The bill commits $25 million from the Highway Fund, which could raise questions about whether transportation dollars should be used for a federal shutdown backstop. It also places responsibility on airports to determine eligibility, calculate loan amounts, and manage repayment, which may create administrative burden or uneven implementation across airports. Another possible issue is the narrow scope of the program, since it covers only TSA screeners and FAA air traffic controllers, leaving other unpaid federal airport workers outside the relief structure.