House Bill 648 clarifies the process for placing abused, neglected, or dependent juveniles in out-of-home care. It requires courts to first consider placing a juvenile with a willing and able relative, unless such placement is found to be contrary to the juvenile's best interests. Courts can only consider nonrelative placements after making specific findings of fact, such as the unavailability of a suitable relative. The bill also expands options for nonrelative placements to include former foster parents, nonrelative kin, or legal guardians of siblings, and allows for notification of State-recognized tribes to help locate caregivers.
HB 570, the "Responsible Firefighting Foam Management Act," restricts the use of firefighting foams containing PFAS chemicals for training and testing. It prohibits any person, local government, or state agency from discharging Class B firefighting foam with intentionally added PFAS for training or practice purposes. For testing, these foams are also prohibited unless required by law or an authority, and the testing facility has implemented measures to prevent environmental releases. The bill mandates the use of non-fluorinated alternatives for training and is set to become effective on December 1, 2025.
House Bill 288 requires the official Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) flag to be displayed at all state-owned buildings and public schools in North Carolina. This applies whenever the United States flag is flown, provided an existing flagpole can accommodate the POW/MIA flag. The state will purchase these flags for state-owned buildings, while local boards of education may accept donations or use available funds for their schools.
HB 250 modifies the annual report filing requirements and fees for certain business entities in North Carolina. It directly affects domestic and foreign corporations and Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) where more than 50% of the ownership is held by one or more deployed members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The bill waives the annual report requirement and associated fees for these businesses while the owner is deployed. Instead, qualifying businesses must file a notice of deployment and can submit their annual report after the deployment ends (90 business days for corporations, April 15 of the following year for LLCs).
SB 579 aims to transform the high school experience in North Carolina. It establishes the North Carolina High School Redesign Commission, tasked with exploring and recommending changes to high school and higher education policies to better prepare students for college or the workforce. The Commission will examine areas like flexible diploma requirements, work-based learning, industry credentials, and personalized, competency-based learning pathways.
The bill also creates the Competency-Based High School and Healthcare and High-Tech Pathways Program. This program, initially involving the Mooresville Graded School District and Mitchell Community College, will develop competency-based pathways for students to earn associate degrees or industry credentials, with an initial emphasis on healthcare.
Bill SB 711, titled "ROD Removal/Gov. Security Breach Notice Costs," as presented in the provided text, primarily establishes a new ethics and removal process for county Registers of Deeds. It mandates that county boards of commissioners adopt a code of ethics for these officials. The bill outlines a mechanism for citizens to file complaints, leading to a review by the county manager and a public hearing by the board of commissioners. If ethics violations are confirmed, the board can impose sanctions, including censure, suspension, or removal from office for specific serious offenses, with an appeals process available to the Register of Deeds. This process directly affects Registers of Deeds, county governments, and the public.
HB 217 requires individuals aged 18 and older who are applying for a North Carolina driver's license and are not licensed in another state or haven't completed a state driver education course to complete a mandatory alcohol and drug abuse awareness course. This also applies to applicants licensed in other countries. The three-hour course, available online or in person, will cover the effects of substance abuse on driving, state traffic laws, and high-risk driving behaviors. Third-party vendors will offer these courses under the Division's oversight, and participants will pay a fee.
HB 822 modifies North Carolina laws governing moped operation, directly affecting moped operators. The bill presumes a moped is designed for one person unless manufacturer documentation indicates otherwise. It restricts mopeds to the right-hand side of the right-hand lane on highways with speed limits over 35 mph, except when preparing for a left turn. Furthermore, it prohibits operating a moped on any highway where the posted speed limit is greater than 35 miles per hour. Violations of these provisions would constitute an infraction, with the changes becoming effective on December 1, 2025.
This House Resolution elects six individuals - Wendy Floyd Murphy, Kellie Hunt Blue, John A. Fraley, Carolyn Coward, Reginald Ronald Holley, and Dr. M. Lee Barnes - to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina. Their terms on the board will commence on July 1, 2025, and end on June 30, 2029.
HB 329 encourages nonpublic schools in North Carolina, including private church schools and other qualified nonpublic schools, to adopt policies that prohibit the use of tobacco and hemp products on their school grounds. The bill amends existing state statutes to add this encouragement. It suggests that these schools use the current requirements for public schools as guidance when developing their own policies. This legislation aims to promote smoke-free and hemp-free environments within nonpublic educational settings.
House Bill 244, titled "Depoliticize Government Property Act," restricts the types of flags that can be flown or displayed on property owned or leased by the State of North Carolina or its local government entities. The bill specifies a limited list of permissible flags, including the U.S. flag, the North Carolina flag, flags of local government agencies, military branch flags, the POW/MIA flag, the Honor and Remember flag, and flags of recognized nations during official visits. It also clarifies that local governments cannot prohibit the display of official governmental flags on private or public property with consent. Any violation of the display restrictions on government property would be classified as a Class 3 misdemeanor.
HB 574 establishes a Workforce Development Pilot Project in North Carolina. This bill provides funds to the Office of State Budget and Management to be allocated to the North Carolina Workforce Development Coalition (NCWDC). The NCWDC will then provide grants to eligible North Carolina-based employers, with 20 to 1,500 employees, to support employer-sponsored training programs. These grants aim to increase job creation, reduce employee turnover, improve wages, and upgrade worker skills, especially in industries with identified training gaps. Employers can receive up to 50% of eligible training costs or $2,000 per trainee, with a maximum of $40,000 annually per employer.
