North Carolina lawmakers are weighing a hemp and kratom crackdown that could reshape a fast-growing market for gummies, seltzers, vapes and other intoxicating products sold at convenience stores, smoke shops and breweries.

House Bill 328 would prohibit any person from selling or delivering hemp-derived consumable products to anyone under 21, and would make underage possession illegal. The bill text says violations would be a Class 2 misdemeanor and could trigger civil penalties against retailers.

The measure targets the products themselves. The proposed conference bill defines prohibited finished hemp products as items with more than 0.4 milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per retail container, or products containing synthetic or chemically converted cannabinoids. It would regulate kratom, ban synthetic kratom products and block kratom sales or possession for people under 21.

The Senate adopted the conference report 37-6 July 2, according to the North Carolina General Assembly. The bill has not yet reached Gov. Josh Stein because the House declined to take a final vote before lawmakers left Raleigh for a break. House Speaker Destin Hall said members needed more time to study technical language, WUNC reported, and the House is expected to return the week of July 27.

Supporters say North Carolina cannot leave intoxicating hemp products loosely regulated, especially when some are packaged and marketed in ways that appeal to minors. WRAL reported the state currently has no age restriction for buying intoxicating hemp-based products.

Hemp businesses warn the bill could wipe out much of the legal market. Axios reported Trophy Brewing may stop making THC seltzers, while WLOS reported Asheville retailers say the 0.4 milligram cap would effectively eliminate many products on shelves.

The fight now is whether lawmakers can protect minors without turning regulation into a de facto prohibition on North Carolina’s legal hemp industry.

Republicans are sharpening an immigration attack against former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper as the state’s Senate race moves deeper into a public-safety fight.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) accused Cooper in a new attack of enabling “sanctuary policies” after federal officials said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Somsack Khamhaeng, a Laotian national with convictions in Cabarrus County. The Department of Homeland Security identified Khamhaeng as an immigrant in the country illegally who had been convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon and drug possession.

The NRSC press release pointed to other alleged North Carolina court entries, including drug paraphernalia offenses, a noise ordinance violation and a felony probation violation. NRSC Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia said Khamhaeng “should have been arrested and immediately deported,” arguing Cooper’s record put North Carolinians at risk.

The attack revives a long-running dispute over how closely North Carolina law enforcement should cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Cooper vetoed legislation in 2022 that would have required sheriffs to make greater efforts to hold jail inmates wanted by ICE, calling the bill unconstitutional and accusing Republicans of using fear to divide voters.

Republican lawmakers later overrode Cooper’s veto of House Bill 10, requiring county sheriffs to cooperate with ICE in certain cases. This year, lawmakers enacted the North Carolina Border Protection Act, expanding cooperation requirements for state law enforcement agencies.

The fight now lands in the Senate race between Cooper and former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, who are battling for the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.

Gov. Josh Stein signed North Carolina’s long-delayed state budget into law this week, ending a more than 1,000-day stretch without a comprehensive spending plan and unlocking pay raises for teachers, state workers and law enforcement officers.

Stein signed Senate Bill 257 Tuesday, making the 2026 Appropriations Act state law after the House and Senate approved the compromise last week. The governor said the budget delivers the largest starting teacher pay raise in nearly 50 years, the largest overall teacher raise in 15 years, full Medicaid funding for the year and historic salary increases for public safety officers.

The $34 billion plan was written by Republican legislative leaders after months of budget disputes. WRAL reported the budget gives all state employees 3% raises, provides average 8% teacher raises, offers raises of up to 17% for some law enforcement officers and lowers the personal income tax rate from 3.99% to 3.49% next year.

The spending plan provides more than $700 million for Hurricane Helene recovery and more than $1 billion to fund the state’s Medicaid rebase. Other investments include community colleges, the Department of Motor Vehicles, child care, cybersecurity, clean drinking water, summer food programs and a new veterans’ home.

Stein still criticized major parts of the package. In his budget-signing statement, he said lawmakers slashed more than 1,000 state government positions and included provisions shifting power away from the executive branch. The Assembly reported the budget cuts hundreds of full-time-equivalent jobs and moves appointment authority for several boards and commissions away from the governor.

Republican leaders argue the budget delivers pay raises and tax relief without overspending. For Stein, signing it was a compromise to enact the state’s first comprehensive budget since 2023.