NCFREE Unveils 2025 Legislative Business Ratings

Scoring shows lawmakers’ posture toward honing NC’s competitive edge

RALEIGH, NC – On Thursday, the North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation (NCFREE) unveiled its 2025 Legislative Business Ratings (LBR), a comprehensive analysis of how state lawmakers supported or hindered North Carolina’s nation-leading environment for business competitiveness.

“As North Carolina once again leads the nation as a top destination for jobs and investment, our competitiveness continues to depend on lawmakers’ commitment to pro-business priorities,” NCFREE Executive Director Alex Baltzegar said. “These ratings should be the north star for business leaders who want to evaluate who supports business priorities and who does not in the North Carolina legislature.”

Baltzegar continued: “We applaud those lawmakers who performed well, and we are proud to offer this valuable resource to business leaders and voters as we continue to partner with private-sector and civic leaders to keep our state the best for business.”

NCFREE’s methodology evaluated state lawmakers’ votes on free-enterprise-related legislation, surveyed business and trade association leaders with extensive knowledge of the legislature, and factored in the net number of bills each lawmaker sponsored in support of pro-business legislation. The analysis reviewed policies impacting a wide range of economic sectors and policy areas, including healthcare, finance and technology, construction, and real estate, taxation, education and workforce development, and government regulation central to North Carolina’s business environment. More information about the methodology, including the full formula, analyses of the bills evaluated, and lawmakers’ comprehensive scores, is available in the complete 2025 NCFREE LBR online here.

“NCFREE’s ratings have become the benchmark for our state’s business leaders to understand and proactively lead in how policy decisions impact North Carolina’s economy,” NCFREE Board of Directors Chairman Mike Rusher said. “For more than 41 years, NCFREE has offered the clarity and data-driven insight that business and civic leaders rely on to make informed decisions. This year’s ratings again show North Carolinians how decisions made today build the foundation for future growth.”

NCFREE’s 2025 LBRs recognize lawmakers of both parties and legislative chambers who consistently supported free enterprise. This year’s top-performing state senators are: Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham), Timothy D. Moffitt (R-Henderson), Brent Jackson (R-Sampson), Bill Rabon (R-Brunswick), and Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell).

This year’s top-performing state house members are: Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell), John R. Bell, IV (R-Wayne), Jeff Zenger (R-Forsyth), Dean Arp (R-Union), Mike Schietzelt (R-Wake), Cody Huneycutt (R-Stanly), Karl E. Gillespie (R-Macon), Stephen M. Ross (R-Alamance), Allen Chesser (R-Nash), and Jimmy Dixon (R-Duplin).

Also of note are our most-improved legislators from the 2023-2024 LBR to the 2025 LBR: Sen. Dan Blue (D-Wake) +23.8 and Sen. Joyce Waddell (D-Mecklenburg) +9.7; Rep. Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg) +16.2 and Rep. Ray Jeffers (D-Person) +14.1.

About NCFREE

NCFREE is North Carolina’s trusted, nonpartisan source of business intelligence and research for the business community. Since 1983, NCFREE has provided data-driven analysis of elections, campaign finance, and the legislative landscape to help business and civic leaders make informed decisions. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, NCFREE does not lobby or endorse candidates. Learn more about NCFREE online at ncfree.org.