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The North Carolina Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (NC-AI-Workforce)

North Carolina state companion to AI Workforce. Builds on N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 55 and Ch. 57D (business entities), Article 3L tax credits, Economic Investment Committee / JDIG, and the Regulatory Sandbox (N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 169).

THE NORTH CAROLINA PRO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP & AI WORKFORCE ACT (NC-AI-WORKFORCE)

Vehicle: State passage. North Carolina General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Commerce / Finance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “North Carolina Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (NC-AI-Workforce).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that North Carolina business entities are governed by N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 55 (Business Corporation Act) and Ch. 57D (LLCs); that Article 3L of N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 105 provides the Job Development Investment Grant and related credits; that the Economic Investment Committee operates under N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 143B; that the North Carolina Regulatory Sandbox Act operates under N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 169 (S.L. 2021-174); and that NCWorks and the Department of Commerce coordinate workforce programs. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH NORTH CAROLINA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Qualified NC AI Workforce Training” means training toward an NCRMC or Federal FRAC in AI fields.
  2. (b) “NC Innovation Sandbox” means a regulatory sandbox under Title III.
  3. (c) “Qualified small business” has the meaning given in N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 55 or Ch. 57D.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing North Carolina Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 55 and Ch. 57D (business entities).
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 105 Article 3L (JDIG).
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 143B (Economic Investment Committee).
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 169 (Regulatory Sandbox).

TITLE II — NORTH CAROLINA AI WORKFORCE TRAINING CREDIT

Sec. 201. Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 105 Article 3L and Article 4 for qualified AI workforce training expenditures.
  2. (b) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45BB; aggregate cap.
  3. (c) Credit equals 30% of eligible expenditures capped at $3,000 per employee / $150,000 per employer annually.
  4. (d) Department of Revenue administers.

Sec. 202. Coordination with Department of Commerce

  1. (a) The Department of Commerce shall publish a list of qualifying NCRMC and Federal FRAC pathways.

TITLE III — NORTH CAROLINA INNOVATION SANDBOX

Sec. 301. Expansion of the Regulatory Sandbox

  1. (a) N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 169 is expanded to cover occupational-licensure activities under N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 93B in addition to financial and insurance innovation.
  2. (b) Twenty-four-month terms; renewable.

Sec. 302. Scope

  1. (a) Covers state-licensed activities in occupational-licensure boards under N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 93B and financial / insurance activities under N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 53 and Ch. 58, to the extent not preempted.

TITLE IV — SMALL-BUSINESS FORMATION

Sec. 401. Expedited Formation Pathway

  1. (a) The Secretary of State shall implement an expedited formation pathway for N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 55 and Ch. 57D entities within 24 hours.

Sec. 402. Single-Portal Licensing

  1. (a) Business Link North Carolina shall operate a single-portal licensing system for state-level occupational licenses under N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 93B.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect July 1 of the year following enactment, except that Sec. 201 shall apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: AI Workforce. Other North Carolina bills: NC-ACSA, NC-MEWRA, NC-GT&P.