North Carolina’s latest government developments include a request for federal artificial intelligence safeguards, an antitrust restitution process and public input on flood resilience strategies.
Jackson urges Congress to establish AI safeguards
Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined 25 other attorneys general in urging Congress to establish federal artificial intelligence regulations, his office announced Sept. 25. Their recommendations include independent safety oversight, transparent incident investigations, competition safeguards and protection of existing state laws. The coalition also wants state officials empowered to enforce federal protections. The announcement concerns a request to Congress, not newly enacted requirements. NC DOJ announcement
Generic-drug settlements could provide compensation
Eligible North Carolinians may seek compensation through settlements totaling $96.5 million involving generic-drug manufacturers accused of conspiring to raise prices, the Department of Justice announced Sept. 25. The department said a court had preliminarily approved a distribution plan. Eligibility depends on purchases of specified drugs between May 2009 and December 2019. Consumers can follow the claims links in the department’s announcement or call 866-290-0182 for eligibility information. NC DOJ announcement
DEQ seeks comments before sending flood strategies to lawmakers
The Department of Environmental Quality will hold a virtual public information session Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. on draft flood resilience strategies for the Cape Fear and White Oak river basins. Comments are due Oct. 9. DEQ says the strategies will be delivered to the General Assembly in October as part of the legislatively directed Flood Resiliency Blueprint. Feedback may be submitted through the agency’s online form or emailed to blueprint@deq.nc.gov with “RBAS Feedback” in the subject line. DEQ announcement and participation details
House lists five vetoed bills for reconsideration
The North Carolina House is scheduled to convene at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday with five vetoed measures under unfinished business: Senate Bill 50, “Freedom to Carry NC”; House Bill 437, “Drug-Free Zones/Unauthorized Public Camping”; House Bill 96, “Expedited Removal of Unauthorized Persons”; House Bill 377, “2026 Court Changes”; and House Bill 958, “Election Law Changes.” The official calendar lists the measures for reconsideration but does not establish that votes will occur. The Senate is scheduled to convene at 1 p.m., and its posted calendar does not list a specific bill. Official House calendar
State completes three-million-egg antitrust remedy
The Department of Justice said the final delivery of nearly 150,000 eggs completed distribution of almost three million eggs to North Carolina food banks under a July antitrust settlement with Cal-Maine, Hickman’s Family Farms and Versova. Earlier deliveries went to food banks serving the Albemarle, Raleigh and Winston-Salem areas, while the final delivery went to MANNA FoodBank in western North Carolina. The multistate settlement resolved allegations that the companies coordinated bidding and information from 2022 through 2025 to manipulate an egg-price benchmark. It also requires compliance measures, an end to the prohibited coordination and cooperation with state and federal oversight. Official source