Education

passed · North Carolina · House May 7, 2025

HB 4: Sam's Law.

House Bill 4, also known as "Sam's Law," aims to improve seizure preparedness and response in North Carolina schools. The bill requires public school units, charter schools, and other educational institutions to develop individualized Seizure Action Plans for students diagnosed with seizure disorders, in collaboration with their parents. It mandates annual seizure education programs for all K-12 school personnel and requires principals, school counselors, and teachers to complete an annual self-study on seizure disorders. Furthermore, the bill ensures at least one employee in each school is trained to administer seizure medication and requires the posting of seizure first aid information in visible areas. Various educational boards are tasked with adopting policies to implement these requirements, with $50,000 appropriated to the Department of Public Instruction for development costs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates seizure safety plans and staff training in schools, enhancing student safety and access to education for students with seizure disorders, supporting the educational environment.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · North Carolina · House Mar 3, 2025

HB 256: Allow Public Employee Collective Bargaining.

HB 256 repeals North Carolina's current ban on public employee collective bargaining, allowing state and local government workers (like teachers, police, and administrative staff) to negotiate wages and working conditions with their employers. The bill removes existing legal restrictions (Article 12 of Chapter 95) and explicitly states that public employees' bargaining rights apply to all state and local government employers. It does not create new benefits or funding but aligns public sector bargaining rights with those already available to private sector employees. The bill’s key provision is the repeal of the prohibition, enabling public employees to collectively bargain under existing state law.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allows teachers (public employees) to collectively bargain for wages/conditions, directly supporting educator retention and working conditions per education topic indicators.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRepeals ban on public employee collective bargaining, explicitly enabling negotiations over wages/conditions per bill text.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Public Employees

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in committee · North Carolina · House Mar 17, 2025

HB 396: Nursing Fellows and Curriculum Support Funds/Winston-Salem State University.

HB 396 establishes a Nursing Fellows Program at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) to provide forgivable loans to nursing students. The program targets WSSU students pursuing Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Master of Science in Nursing Education degrees who commit to working as nurses or nursing instructors in North Carolina after graduation. Eligible students receive up to $5,000 per semester (or $2,500 per summer) to cover tuition, fees, and books, with loans forgiven upon meeting service requirements. Funds are managed through a dedicated Trust Fund, with specific allocations for administrative costs, mentoring, and program activities. This directly affects WSSU nursing students planning to work in North Carolina healthcare settings.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides forgivable loans for nursing students at WSSU, increasing access to higher education funding through scholarships/financial aid.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds nursing education to increase workforce, improving healthcare access and provider availability in NC through forgivable loans for future nurses.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education

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in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 14, 2025

HB 987: Create Police Leadership Fellows Program.

HB 987 creates the North Carolina Police Leadership Fellows Program, which provides forgivable loans to eligible individuals pursuing undergraduate degrees in criminal justice, government, or related fields at UNC institutions. The program targets high school graduates or seniors facing economic barriers (e.g., unemployment, underemployment) or those expressing interest in criminal justice careers, with priority given to residents who intend to work as sworn law enforcement officers, correctional staff, sheriffs, or similar roles after graduation. Recipients may receive up to $20,000 total in forgivable loans ($3,000/year for first two years, $7,000/year for final two years), covering tuition, fees, and books, subject to criminal background checks and residency requirements. The program is administered by a committee appointed by the Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission, with annual selections of 50-100 recipients.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates state-funded program (forgivable loans for criminal justice education) requiring budget appropriations, advancing government spending on workforce development and public safety.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds criminal justice education for future officers via forgivable loans, directly strengthening law enforcement workforce development and aligning with reform-focused training priorities.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides forgivable loans for criminal justice degrees at UNC institutions, expanding higher education access for economically disadvantaged students targeting law enforcement careers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Higher Education K-12 Education

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died · North Carolina · Senate Mar 26, 2025

SB 583: Lead. Invest. Families/Foster Teen Act (LIFT).

SB 583, the Lead. Invest. Families/Foster Teen Act (LIFT), creates a program providing $1,000 monthly cash payments to four specific groups: homeless high school seniors (grade 12), expectant or new mothers with children under 18 months, natural disaster survivors qualifying for FEMA aid, and young adults exiting foster care (aged 16-27). Payments begin April 1, 2026, and continue until April 1, 2035, with disaster survivors receiving payments for 12 months post-disaster. The program is funded through a new LIFT Fund established within the Department of Health and Human Services, which receives state appropriations and other designated funds, and payments are exempt from state income tax and do not affect eligibility for other public benefits. The bill also modifies the corporate income tax rate to offset program costs, aligning the effective tax rate for corporations more closely with individual taxpayers.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds $1,000 monthly payments for vulnerable groups via state budget, increasing public spending on social services per Taxation subject.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationTargets homeless high school seniors (secondary education) and foster youth (16-27), providing financial stability to improve educational access and retention for vulnerable students.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingTargets homelessness via $1,000 monthly payments to homeless high school seniors (directly addressing housing instability) and aligns with HOMELESS subject category.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Income Tax K-12 Education Homelessness

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in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 704: Establish Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Commission.

HB 704 establishes the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Commission within North Carolina’s Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The commission, composed of nine members appointed by the Governor and General Assembly, advises on preserving, promoting, and interpreting AAPI history, arts, and culture through programs, school education, and statewide collaboration. It receives $250,000 annually from 2025-2027 to fund operations, including a director and associate director. The bill directly affects the department and AAPI communities by creating a formal structure to advance cultural preservation and awareness. It becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $250k annual funding for AAPI Heritage Commission, directly addressing budget appropriations as a new program.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes AAPI Heritage Commission to advise on school education programs and cultural curriculum with $250k annual funding for K-12 educational initiatives.95% confidence

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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

Sub-Topics Higher Education

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jul 8, 2026

SB 355: Support the Dept. of Adult Correction.-AB

SB 355 waives tuition at North Carolina public colleges for survivors of correctional officers, probation officers, or firefighters who died in the line of duty or became permanently disabled. It specifically covers spouses of disabled officers and children (ages 17-24) of disabled officers, with eligibility requiring service-connected death/disability and verification from relevant agencies. The waiver applies to both credit and noncredit programs, limiting bachelor’s degree support to 54 months. This policy directly affects families of these public safety workers by reducing education costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill waives state tuition fees for eligible survivors, increasing state spending on education funding through targeted appropriations.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tuition waivers for eligible survivors of first responders, expanding access to higher education through financial aid for specific beneficiary groups.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

in committee · North Carolina · House Mar 17, 2025

HB 395: Jackson, Transylvania and Swain Counties/Funds.

HB 395 allocates $13.2 million to Swain County, $18.6 million to Jackson County, and $65.3 million to Transylvania County for infrastructure and public services in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It funds specific projects including fire department equipment (e.g., new tankers, hydrants), water/sewer system upgrades, school facilities, emergency management buildings, and college infrastructure like dental clinics and engineering buildings at Western Carolina University. The bill directs one-time state funds to county governments, local fire departments, school systems, and community colleges (Southwestern Community College, Western Carolina University, Blue Ridge Community College) to address immediate needs. It does not create new laws but provides targeted financial support for existing public services and facilities in these three counties.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $13.2M, $18.6M, and $65.3M for infrastructure/public services via appropriations, directly funding essential programs as specified in budgeting subjects.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds school facilities and college infrastructure (e.g., WCU dental clinics/engineering buildings) with specific allocations for education-related projects in subjects list.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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died · North Carolina · Senate Feb 17, 2025

SB 98: Funds for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

This bill appropriates $1.5 million annually from 2025-2027 to fund Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in North Carolina. It directs funds to the North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. to mail age-appropriate books monthly to registered children through the early literacy program. The bill provides recurring state funding for an existing program that delivers books directly to children's homes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $1.5M annually for literacy program, directly funding a public service through state budget.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $1.5M annually for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, funding monthly book distribution to children via state appropriation to enhance early literacy access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Libraries

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