HB 636 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Promoting Wholesome Content for Students.

HB 636 establishes new procedures for public school units to select and review library media and materials, affecting students, parents, and school personnel. The bill requires schools to adopt policies that ensure materials are age-appropriate and do not contain content defined as "harmful to minors," which includes depictions of sexual activity or pervasively vulgar content. It mandates a review process involving a community library advisory committee, public posting of recommended materials, and a mechanism for public objections. Additionally, the bill requires the creation of a public database for rejected materials and allows parents, guardians, students, or residents to pursue private legal action against schools violating these provisions. Principals are also required to review all media available at school book fairs for compliance.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Apr 1, 2025 Last action Apr 28, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Edition 1 Edition 2 · 6 edits
MODERATE
This bill revision shifts decision-making power from school superintendents to community library advisory committees for selecting library media. It also shortens the review timeline from 90 to 60 days and adds a formal objection process for parents and residents. The changes aim to increase community involvement in library media selection while streamlining the approval process.
Scope change
The bill now requires community library advisory committees to identify and review library media for approval, rather than having superintendents delegate this responsibility. This expands the scope of community participation in library media decisions.
REQUIREMENT

Responsibility for identifying and reviewing library media shifted from superintendents to community library advisory committees.

Added a formal objection process allowing parents, teachers, and county residents to submit objections to library media approval with specific criteria explanations.

Removed specific criteria requiring fiction, graphic novels, and narrative nonfiction to be added only for literary or artistic value.

TIMELINE

The review period for library media approval was reduced from 90 days to 60 days.

DEFINITION

Updated definitions to clarify that library media must be suitable for students' age and ability levels, with explicit language about what makes media inappropriate.

Added new definition for 'Community library advisory committee' and 'School library' to clarify roles and locations.

Floor votes · House Apr 16, 2025

How they voted

6545
Passed · 11 other
Total votes 121
Apr 16, 2025
D Democratic46
1 Yea 42 Nay 3
91% Nay
I Independent2
2 Nay
100% Nay
R Republican73
64 Yea 1 Nay 8
87% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
3
Committee
7
Amendments
1
Apr 28, 2025
Committee
Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
upper
Apr 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed 3rd Reading
lower
Apr 16, 2025
Amended
Amend Failed A1
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Committee
Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav Com Substitute
lower
Apr 14, 2025
Committee
Serial Referral To Judiciary 1 Stricken
lower
Apr 3, 2025
Committee
Re-ref to the Com on Education - K-12, if favorable, Judiciary 1, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Committee
Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Introduced
Filed
lower
3 primary · 13 co-sponsors

Sponsors