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North Carolina to end COVID state of emergency

For the first time since March of 2020, North Carolina will discontinue its coronavirus state of emergency in August.

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina will end its coronavirus pandemic state of emergency on August 15, Governor Roy Cooper's office announced Monday.   The emergency declaration has been running continuously since it was first enacted on March 9, 2020.

The change was included in the state's new budget, which was signed by the governor Monday.

"The budget includes the changes in the law requested by the NC Department of Health and Human Services to ensure flexibility that is currently made possible by the Governor’s Covid-19 State of Emergency," the governor's press office said in a released statement.

In his own released statement, Cooper said the state budget "includes critical investments in education, economic development, transportation and the state workforce."

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been 2.8 million COVID-19 cases in North Carolina, according to NC DHHS. There have been over 25,000 deaths statewide. 

Cooper said the newly signed budget does not include Medicaid expansion.

RELATED: Advocates push for North Carolina to expand Medicaid

"The leadership in both the House and Senate now support it and both chambers have passed it," Cooper wrote. "Negotiations are occurring now and we are closer than ever to agreement on Medicaid Expansion, therefore a veto of this budget would be counterproductive."

In his announcement Monday, Cooper said he also vetoed four bills.

In addition to the state budget, House Bill 252, related to bondsmen provisions, was also passed.

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