As the NCGA 2025-2026 session kicks off this Wednesday, staying informed about the new leadership and committee assignments is essential for effective advocacy. We’re here to help you get up to speed. 

On January 22nd, NC House Speaker Destin Hall announced the committee chair appointments for the 2025-2026 session. What’s changed, and how might it impact the legislative agenda? Let’s take a closer look. 

In this post, we compare the new committee structure and leadership to the previous session and highlight key takeaways to guide your advocacy strategy for the months ahead. 

3 Key Takeaways

1. FEWER COMMITTEES 
   The NC House has streamlined its committees for the 2025 session, resulting in: 

• 1 fewer appropriations subcommittee (IT and Capital subcommittees combined). 

• 10 fewer policy committees due to consolidation and elimination. 

• 4 fewer committee chairs appointed as a result. 

• This consolidation could signal a shift toward greater efficiency.

2. FEWER DEMOCRATIC CHAIRS
   Democratic representation among committee chairs has decreased: 

• In 2023, three Democrats (G. Pierce, Willingham, and Wray) held chair positions. 

• In 2025, only Rep. Willingham remains, chairing the Ethics Committee— which historically has had a chair from each party. This change highlights a shift in bipartisan leadership dynamics.

3. NOTABLE REPUBLICAN CHAIR SHIFTS
   Several Republican lawmakers have taken on new or adjusted leadership roles for the 2025 session:

• House Rules Committee: Rep. John Bell replaces Speaker Destin Hall as chair. 

• Appropriations Committee: Reps. Kyle Hall and Larry Strickland are now senior chairs, with Rep. Erin Paré joining as a regular chair. 

• Finance Committee: Rep. Julia Howard moves up from regular chair to senior chair, while Rep. Keith Kidwell shifts from senior chair to regular chair. 

• Education Committees:

  • Rep. John Torbett transitions from chairing two education committees to leading the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and the State and Local Government Committee.

  • Rep. Hugh Blackwell, who was a chair of the Education – K-12 Committee and the Judiciary 3 Committee in 2023, is no longer a chair of either committee. He has been appointed as a regular chair of the full Appropriations Committee and a chair of the Election Law Committee. 

  • Rep. Tricia Cotham continues as chair of the Education – K-12 Committee and takes on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. 

• Judiciary 3 Committee: Rep. John Blust replaces Rep. Blackwell as chair of this committee, after last serving in the NCGA during the 2017 biennium

These shifts highlight evolving leadership dynamics within the NC House.

Change Summary - Appropriations Committees

Change Summary - Policy Committees