NC legislative leaders call for a special session to discuss relief for gas prices
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North Carolina Republican legislative leaders are calling for a special General Assembly session to “provide relief from high gas and diesel prices.”
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Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall said in a post on the social media website X Saturday afternoon that they would call legislators back for a special session, and additional details would be released at a future date.
“North Carolina families and farmers are feeling the impacts of rising fuel costs every day,” the X post said. “They need real relief and they need it now.”
The lawmakers did not specify what sort of relief they had in mind, but other states have rolled back gasoline and diesel taxes to bring down the price per gallon.
Earlier this week Gov. Josh Stein directed state staff to suspend penalties for using off-road diesel in trucks and other on-road vehicles, The News & Observer previously reported. That would allow farmers to use tax-free diesel fuel on roads as well as on field equipment.
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Diesel prices have skyrocketed in North Carolina since February, when the United States and Israel began military attacks on Iran, rising from under $4 in February to $6.25 in September, The News & Observer reported previously.
In a news release, House Democratic Leader Robert Reives called the special session an election distraction.
“After 16 years with nearly complete control of the state, Legislative Republicans have done nothing to make life more affordable for North Carolinians,” Reives said. “In fact, they have made life harder and much more expensive for almost everyone. Now, just weeks before voters can hold them accountable at the ballot box, they are trying the first in what will surely be many attempts to distract from their horrible record.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
This story was originally published October 3, 2026 at 6:21 PM with the headline “NC legislative leaders call for a special session to discuss relief for gas prices.”
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