Sen. Lee introduces bill to establish digital sovereignty authority in North Carolina

State Sen. Michael V. Lee filed a bill in the North Carolina Senate to create an independent body responsible for leading a comprehensive overhaul of the state’s information technology systems, as outlined by the North Carolina State Senate.

Filed as SB 1037 on April 30 during the 2025 regular session, the proposed legislation carries the short title: ‘DIGITAL NC Act.’

Below is a summary derived from the full bill text, with clarifications to highlight key points.

The bill seeks to form the Board of Governors of the North Carolina Digital Sovereignty Authority, which would independently develop a long-term improvement plan for the state’s information technology systems. The nine-member board, comprised of appointed experts, would create a blueprint covering 2026 to 2046. Its focus includes IT modernization, reducing reliance on data centers, moving services to the cloud, consolidating the IT workforce, establishing an innovation center, and enhancing cybersecurity with National Guard coordination. The bill also instructs the board to recommend restructuring the IT department, outline funding and fee strategies, set out governance authority, and submit recommendations and draft legislation to the General Assembly by March 1, 2027. For this work, $100,000 would be allocated, and the legislation would take effect July 1, 2026.

Among the three sponsors, Lee put forward the highest number of bills (54) for consideration during the 2025 regular session.

North Carolina legislative proposals go through a multi-step process before it can become law. Once a lawmaker files a bill, it is sent to a committee for evaluation. The bill must be read three times in each chamber of the legislature. If any amendments are made by the second chamber, both must approve the same version. The approved bill is then sent to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is out of session) to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without signature.

Further reading on 2025 legislation and related proposals is available here.

Lee holds a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earned in 1991, and a JD from Wake Forest University Law School, conferred in 1997.

Lee, a Republican, won election to the North Carolina State Senate in 2023, representing the 7th Senate district and succeeding Jim Perry.