Education

signed · North Carolina · House Jul 29, 2025

HB 805: Prevent Sexual Exploitation/Women and Minors.

HB 805 requires North Carolina state agencies and local governments to use biological sex definitions (based on reproductive anatomy at birth) in all policies, replacing gender identity as a legal equivalent. It directly affects state programs, including healthcare, education, and civil rights enforcement, by mandating that "female," "male," and related terms refer solely to biological sex as defined in the bill. The bill also creates a new "Prevent Sexual Exploitation of Women and Minors Act" with definitions for consent and intimate visual depictions, while including provisions on birth certificates, school accommodations for religious objections, and parental access to library materials. These changes take effect January 1, 2026, and are intended to align state law with federal directives referenced in the bill's preamble.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates biological sex definitions in education policies, restricting gender identity inclusion in school programs and records per bill's enforcement of biological sex standards.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jul 9, 2025

SB 118: Military and Veteran Support Act.

SB 118, the Military and Veteran Support Act, reduces concealed handgun permit fees for veterans and streamlines school enrollment for military families. It allows veterans with honorable discharge (using DD-214 or VA ID) to pay $45 for applications and $40 for renewals - matching fees for retired law enforcement officers - effective July 2025. For military families, it permits remote school enrollment for students of active-duty members or those separating within 12 months, delaying proof of residency until enrollment begins, with extensions for high school seniors until graduation. These provisions directly affect North Carolina veterans seeking concealed carry permits and military-connected students enrolling in public schools. The bill is pending legislative action and not yet law.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enables remote school enrollment for military students and delays residency proof, directly improving educational access for military-connected children.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransReduces veteran concealed carry permit fees to $45/$40 (matching law enforcement), streamlines school enrollment for military families - directly advancing veteran benefits and services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · North Carolina · House Jul 1, 2025

HB 959: Various Education Changes.

HB 959 requires North Carolina public schools to adopt internet safety policies by January 2026, limiting student access to age-appropriate content and blocking social media except for teacher-directed educational use. It mandates annual social media literacy instruction in all grades, covering mental health impacts, misinformation, online safety, and identifying cyberbullying. The bill also establishes rules for wireless device use during class, prohibiting personal device use except for educational purposes, medical needs, or special education plans. These provisions directly affect all K-12 public schools and students across North Carolina, with policies to be implemented starting in the 2026-2027 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates social media literacy education, safety policies, and device use rules to enhance student digital safety and curriculum, aligning with educational strengthening indicators.95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts student social media access during class and mandates safety policies, limiting technology use in schools per bill's content.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · North Carolina · House Jun 27, 2025

HB 1012: Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 - Part II.

HB 1012 redirects over $64 million in existing state funds to support communities affected by Hurricane Helene and wildfires in Western North Carolina. It transfers $25 million from the Environmental Quality budget for water infrastructure repairs, $12.5 million for school closures, $5 million for university facility repairs, and $2.25 million for election operations in impacted areas. The bill applies to counties designated under federal disaster declarations for Hurricane Helene (per Section 1.4) and addresses wildfire recovery efforts hampered by the storm (per Section 1.5). These funds are drawn from unspent allocations in existing state programs, not new taxes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects $64M in existing state funds for disaster recovery, including infrastructure and education repairs, demonstrating fiscal management to fund essential services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates $12.5M for school closures (K-12) and $5M for university facility repairs, directly funding educational infrastructure recovery in disaster-impacted areas.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · North Carolina · House Jun 26, 2025

HB 373: UNC Tuition Discounts for Certain Students.

HB 373 allows University of North Carolina (UNC) institutions to offer tuition discounts to two specific groups: military students receiving federal or North Carolina National Guard tuition assistance, and students enrolled in employer-sponsored financial support programs approved by UNC. The discount covers the difference between the military/employer funding and full tuition, without creating new free tuition programs. UNC must report annually to the legislature on the number of students receiving these discounts and their financial impact on institutions. The policy takes effect for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tuition discounts for military and employer-supported students, expanding access to higher education without new free tuition programs.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill provides tuition discounts for military students, including veterans receiving military tuition assistance, directly advancing veterans' educational benefits without creating new free programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

passed · North Carolina · House Jun 24, 2025

HB 578: The Jason Flatt Act of North Carolina.

HB 578, the Jason Flatt Act, requires all North Carolina public K-12 schools to implement suicide prevention education and training for school staff. It mandates that licensed educators complete at least one hour of annual suicide prevention training, while staff working with grades 6-12 must receive guidelines for identifying at-risk students and procedures for referrals. Schools must adopt a mental health plan including these elements, with initial staff training of six hours (within six months of hire) and two hours annually thereafter. The law applies to all public schools, charter schools, regional schools, and lab schools starting the 2025-2026 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates suicide prevention training for K-12 staff, enhancing mental health support within educational settings per bill requirements.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates suicide prevention training and mental health plans in schools, strengthening mental health services under public health initiatives.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · North Carolina · House Jun 9, 2025

HB 150: Expedite Surplus Property.

HB 150 allows certain educational organizations to quickly obtain unused federal equipment and property for educational use. It specifically exempts qualifying nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) groups focused on education) from standard state transfer rules when acquiring such items directly from federal agencies. The bill removes barriers in existing law that previously required these organizations to follow lengthy processes for federal surplus materials. This change applies only to property used for educational purposes, not for resale or other commercial activities. The bill does not alter federal acquisition rules but streamlines the state-level process for eligible schools and nonprofits.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves bureaucratic barriers for educational orgs to access federal surplus equipment, enhancing resource availability for schools per bill's explicit purpose.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · North Carolina · House May 8, 2025

HB 886: AEDs and CPR in Public Schools.

HB 886 requires all public schools in North Carolina to install Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) and train school personnel on their use and on CPR. The State Board of Education must develop rules for AED placement, maintenance, and coordination with emergency services, with at least one AED per school, ideally in an athletic area. Local school boards, charter schools, and regional schools are then required to create policies aligning with these state rules. The bill appropriates $4.1 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to help public school units purchase AEDs and train staff.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $4.1M for school AEDs/CPR training, directly funding public safety infrastructure under budgeting/appropriations subjects.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates AEDs/CPR training in schools with $4.1M funding, enhancing student/staff safety within educational infrastructure.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates AEDs and CPR training in schools, appropriating $4.1M for emergency medical equipment and training, directly supporting public health infrastructure and emergency services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · North Carolina · House May 8, 2025

HB 854: Require Licensure of Educational Interpreters.

HB 854 removes the current exemption for educational interpreters and transliterators from state licensure requirements. This means individuals who provide accessible communication services to students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and higher education will now be required to obtain a license. The bill also allows continuing education hours earned for license renewal to count towards their existing job-related training requirements. These changes are set to become effective on October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires licensure for educational interpreters, ensuring qualified staff for student accessibility in K-12 and higher education, strengthening educational access standards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · North Carolina · House May 8, 2025

HB 981: Local Schools Open Enrollment Study.

HB 981 establishes an open enrollment system, allowing students to attend any public school within their local school administrative unit (district) where they are domiciled. This bill requires local school boards to adopt open enrollment plans, including an application process with specific enrollment periods, a method for parents to declare school preferences, and a lottery system if a school has more applicants than capacity. Students accepted through this process can continue attending that school in subsequent years without reapplying. The bill outlines specific reasons for denying enrollment requests, such as lack of capacity or disciplinary issues, and establishes an appeal process for denied applications, first to the local board and then to the State Board of Education. This system will be effective for the 2025-2026 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands student access to public schools within district via open enrollment system, aligning with educational access support indicators.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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