North Carolina lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 27, 2025. The panel is holding a series of hearings probing agency leaders in state government. (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)
Republicans in the North Carolina legislature have begun summoning government leaders to answer a series of questions: What do you do? How do you do it? And how does it benefit the state?
The House Oversight Committee began its inquiries Thursday, hearing testimony from three new appointees of Gov. Josh Stein, two appointees of former Gov. Roy Cooper, and the state’s newly elected Republican treasurer.
House Majority Leader Brendan Jones (R-Columbus), a chair for the committee, said it was the first in a “series of hearings” to evaluate if agencies are “effective and efficient.”
“That’s why we’re here, to oversee, to ask what’s working and what’s not working,” Jones said. “We want to know if North Carolinians are getting what they pay for.”
The new scrutiny from state lawmakers echoes Elon Musk’s “DOGE” office, which has over the past months sought to identify and cut swaths of the federal government. And though North Carolina lawmakers have not indicated that they want major cuts of their own, they have promised stricter oversight under a new governor’s administration.
House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) has formed a “government efficiency” committee of his own — tasked with identifying “potential waste” and examining “excess” state property. That panel, distinct from the House Oversight Committee, has yet to formally meet.
And lawmakers overseeing hurricane recovery continue to probe ReBuild NC, the homebuilding program that has racked up a major deficit and struggled with mismanagement. Any money sent to the ongoing recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene will be closely tracked, lawmakers have said.
Other Republican-led states have sought to mirror Musk’s efforts in their own states. Iowa launched a task force earlier this month; Florida’s committee will dive into university operations and spending.
“Everyone’s excited about DOGE,” said Rep. Brian Echevarria (R-Cabarrus).
Multiple Democrats on the panel were more dubious.
“I don’t know anyone that’s excited about DOGE,” responded Rep. Zack Hawkins (D-Durham). “Maybe him [Echevarria].”
Rep. Amber Baker (D-Forsyth) said she would stay away from using “national terminology,” and instead focus on the state specifically.
“I don’t think anybody doesn’t want us to look at how to be more efficient in things we do,” Baker said. “I won’t disrespect the people sitting here, to somehow imply you guys aren’t doing all you can to be efficient.”
NC departments move away from ‘DEI’ amid state, federal GOP scrutiny
Among those topics probed by lawmakers Thursday was diversity, equity and inclusion programming within government.
DEI, which in the past has referred to hiring practices, internal training or specific programming, has emerged as a flashpoint for conservative criticism. President Donald Trump has called for the “elimination” of DEI across the federal government.
North Carolina Republicans are also taking aim at it — as multiple state departments take steps to distance themselves from the term.
After Echevarria read from the Department of Revenue’s mission statement, which included a section about “diversity and inclusion,” the agency’s director said it was from the previous administration and would “not be included” in their new strategic plan.
There were “DEI practices that were encouraged” from the state’s HR office, director McKinley Wooten, Jr. said. The department did not have a specific DEI program, he added, and would be unaffected by legislation removing DEI from government.
Asked a similar question, budget director Kristin Walker said she had her team “strive to create a welcoming environment in our office.”
“We absolutely do have to have the best and brightest.”
Two newly elected Republicans have also pledged to get rid of any traces of DEI within their departments — State Treasurer Brad Briner and Auditor Dave Boliek.
Wooten, Briner and Walker all testified in front of the House panel Thursday. They were joined by State Controller Nels Rosland — a Cooper appointee, like Walker — as well as Joey Hopkins, the transportation secretary, and Wayne Goodwin, the soon-to-depart DMV commissioner.
NC moving toward allowing government use of Microsoft AI tool
The state’s budget director also signaled Thursday that use of artificial intelligence could become more commonplace soon.
Asked whether artificial intelligence could play a role in detecting government waste, Walker said the state’s Department of Information Technology was “soon going to allow state agencies access to Microsoft Copilot.” Copilot is an AI tool used increasingly in workplace to automate some tasks — particularly connected to Microsoft’s suite of other apps.