NC Statehouse Catch-Up: Data Centers, AI, School Funding

North Carolina lawmakers are several weeks into their 2026 "short session," during which they are engaged in substantial legislative efforts concerning data centers, public-facing energy costs, and artificial intelligence. The legislative agenda also includes proposals aimed at increasing transparency in entertainment ticket pricing and raising the state's minimum wage for the first time in almost two decades. The focus on data centers and energy issues suggests that significant regulatory changes or policies are being contemplated by the state's legislature.