Last Updated on October 5, 2026 7:06 am
Republican leaders in the North Carolina General Assembly announced Saturday they will call a special legislative session focused on bringing relief to drivers and farmers struggling with fuel prices that remain sharply higher than a year ago.
House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) made the announcement October 3, saying they will recall the General Assembly to “provide immediate relief at the pump.”
“Rising fuel costs are squeezing North Carolina families’ pocketbooks and creating challenges for farmers across the state,” Hall said in a social media post. “North Carolinians can’t afford to wait.”
Berger echoed that message, calling for “real relief” for families.
No Date Set — and No Specifics Yet
As of Monday, October 5, no date has been set for the special session, and no specific legislation has been introduced or detailed publicly. Lawmakers said additional information would be coming.
Among the options under discussion is a temporary suspension of part or all of North Carolina’s 41-cent-per-gallon fuel tax. Similar suspensions have been enacted in other states during periods of elevated fuel prices.
With the November 3 midterm elections less than a month away, NC Newsline reported it is unclear whether Republican lawmakers can or will be called off the campaign trail for the session.
Current Prices in Watauga County
Prices in the High Country are running close to the state average. As of Monday morning, the lowest regular unleaded price in Watauga County was $3.94 per gallon at the 76 station and Speedway in Blowing Rock. Most Boone stations were posting $4.05 to $4.07 per gallon.
Diesel prices are hitting farmers and small businesses especially hard. The county diesel low was $6.18 per gallon at Speedway in Banner Elk, with most stations at $6.25.
Statewide, North Carolina drivers are paying an average of $4.03 per gallon for regular, compared to the national average of $4.37 — though diesel averages $6.03 statewide, according to AAA.
Farmers Already Getting Some Relief
Governor Josh Stein has already taken one step to ease the burden on agricultural operations. Stein directed the state Department of Revenue not to penalize drivers using red-dyed diesel — a fuel exempt from state and federal fuel taxes and normally restricted to off-road agricultural use — on public roads. That exemption is in effect through the end of 2026.
Filling a tractor tank with diesel at current prices has cost some farmers $500 or more per fill-up, Stein said.
Democrats Call It Election-Season Politics
Democratic leaders pushed back hard on the announcement, questioning the timing one month before an election.
Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch called the move “a day late and a dollar short,” and said it fits “the exact same pattern” of weak Republican leadership on affordability issues.
House Democratic Leader Robert Reives said Republicans have “done nothing to make life more affordable for North Carolinians” and that, weeks before the election, “they are trying the first in what will surely be many attempts to distract from their horrible record.”
Republican leaders did not directly respond to those characterizations. Both lawmakers said additional information will be coming.
WataugaOnline will continue tracking this story. If a session date is announced or specific legislation is introduced, we will update this article.
Sources: WRAL News, NC Newsline, ABC11, WITN. Fuel price data: GasBuddy, AAA.
