HB 69 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Military and Veterans Educational Promise Act.

HB 69, the Military and Veterans Educational Promise Act, provides two key benefits for military-affiliated individuals and veterans at North Carolina's University of North Carolina (UNC) schools. First, it requires UNC institutions to allow eligible military members (including reservists) and their spouses to defer admission for up to five years (for active duty) or two years (for reserve service) upon enrollment notice. Second, it establishes in-state tuition rates for honorably discharged veterans who served at least 90 days in the military, graduated from a North Carolina high school after 2004, had a North Carolina duty station, or received a Purple Heart. The bill applies to all UNC institutions beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

Issues: ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 6, 2025 Last action Apr 16, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Edition 1 → Edition 2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to strengthen protections for military applicants by adding a specific prohibition against discriminatory admissions policies and clarifying that the North Carolina National Guard is included in the definition of Armed Forces. The in-state tuition provision for veterans was also updated to explicitly exempt qualifying veterans from the standard 12-month residency requirement, making the benefit easier to access.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include nondiscrimination mandates and the North Carolina National Guard, while the tuition benefit scope broadened by removing residency barriers for eligible veterans.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new section explicitly prohibiting universities from denying admission based on an applicant's current or intended service in the uniformed service.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'Armed Forces' to explicitly include the North Carolina National Guard.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified the in-state tuition provision to state that qualifying veterans receive the benefit without needing to satisfy the standard 12-month residency requirement.

TECHNICAL

Removed the reference to federal law (34 C.F.R. § 668.18) regarding readmission requirements from the military deferment section.

Changed the bill title from 'Veterans Educational Promise Act' to 'Military and Veterans Educational Promise Act' to reflect the new nondiscrimination provisions.

Floor votes · House Apr 15, 2025

How they voted

111–0

Passed · 10 other

Total votes 121

Apr 15, 2025

D Democratic46

40 Yea 6

86% Yea

I Independent2

2 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican73

69 Yea 4

94% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 16, 2025

Committee

Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

upper

Apr 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed 3rd Reading

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Committee

Re-ref to the Com on Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Committee

Serial Referral To Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Stricken

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Higher Education

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav Com Substitute

lower

Feb 10, 2025

Committee

Ref to the Com on Homeland Security and Military and Veterans Affairs, if favorable, Higher Education, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Introduced

Filed

lower

3 primary · 72 co-sponsors