N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143C-4-1

The budget recommended by the Governor and the budget enacted by the General Assembly shall be balanced and shall include two fiscal years beginning on July 1 of each odd-numbered year. Each fiscal year and each fund shall be balanced separately. The budget for a fund is balanced when the beginning unreserved fund balance for the fiscal year, together with the projected receipts to the fund during the fiscal year, is equal to or greater than the sum of appropriations from the fund for that fiscal year.