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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Leading North Carolina lawmakers announced Saturday afternoon that they would call the state General Assembly back for a special session to address high fuel prices.
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Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall, both Republicans, made the announcement around 3:30 p.m.
“Rising fuel costs are squeezing North Carolina families’ pocketbooks and creating challenges for farmers across the state,” Hall said on social media.
There were no details about when lawmakers would reconvene in Raleigh.
North Carolina regular unleaded per-gallon prices have spiked 15 cents in the last month and $1.20 over the last year, sitting at an average of $4.03 Saturday, according to AAA. Gas prices are about 65 cents below the state record in June 2022, but diesel prices hit records last month and are still high.
A gallon of diesel averages $6.03, which is down about 20 cents from the September record of $6.24, AAA reports.
“North Carolina families and farmers are feeling the impacts of rising fuel costs every day. They need real relief and they need it now,” Berger wrote when announcing the special session.
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Earlier this week, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein ordered the state revenue department to waive penalties for highway use of “red dye” diesel fuel, which is non-taxed for typical off-road use by farmers and agricultural producers, the governor’s office said.
Also on Wednesday, Stein wrote to the Internal Revenue Service requesting federal penalty relief for the road use of the same fuel, his office said in a news release.
Stein noted the move by the state would help farmers during this year’s harvest, which is the “most fuel-intensive period of agricultural production.”
Both Berger and Hall said that details would be announced soon regarding the General Assembly special session.
Stein’s move on diesel fuel and the announcement of the special General Assembly session come a month before Election Day on November 3.
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