House committee substitute to the 2nd edition makes organizational changes and adds the following to the act.

Part II.

Amends GS 115C-366(a9) which permits students who are children of active duty military to enroll in public schools by remote means prior to residency in the local school’s area. Amends the conditions under which a student is allowed to register to enroll in the public schools of that unit by remote means before living in the local school administrative unit as follows. Requires that the parent or guardian be separating from active military duty within a 12-month period (was, be separating from active duty service within the next 12 months and intend to establish residency in the State). Allows the parent or legal guardian to provide a copy of the official separation orders or an official military document showing the anticipated date of separation or date of projected Permanent Change of Station to the State, as an alternative to the official military order transferring to a military installation or reservation located in the state. Adds the condition that a parent or legal guardian must submit proof of residency and documentation related to those disciplinary actions upon the child commencing attendance. Requires when proof of residency has not yet become available because the parent or legal guardian and child are residing in temporary housing, for the local school administrative unit to: (1) allow the child to enroll and begin attending school in that unit of anticipated domicile for a period of up to one year from (a) the parent or legal guardian's reporting-for-duty date, separation date from active military duty, or anticipated separation date from active military duty or (b) through the end of the school year before being considered a resident of another local school administrative unit and (2) allow a child who is a high school junior or senior to enroll and begin attending school in that unit of anticipated domicile through high school graduation. Makes conforming changes and organizational changes. Applies beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

Part III.

Adds new Part 8A, Military Admissions and Deferment, to Article 1 of GS Chapter 116, providing as follows. Prohibits UNC constituent institutions from denying admission to any applicant solely on the basis of the applicant’s indication that the applicant is serving in the uniformed service or intend to serve. Requires the UNC Board of Governors to adopt a policy requiring constituent institutions to allow members of the uniformed services and spouse of members of the uniformed services to defer enrollment if it is requested at least 30 days before enrollment, for the following periods of time: (1) for applicants who are members of the reserve Armed Forces, for at least two years after entry into the reserve Armed Forces; and (2) at least five years after accepting entry into active duty service for all other applicants. Defines armed forces as US Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, Space Force, and NC National Guard.

Enacts GS 116-143.3B to require charging any qualifying veteran admitted to an intuition of higher education the in-State tuition rate and applicable mandatory fees for enrollment, without having to meet the 12-month resident requirement. Defines qualifying veteran as an individual who: (1) served active duty for no less than 90 days in the Armed Forces, (2) received an Honorable Discharge from the Armed Forces, and graduated from high school in Norh Carolina on or after January 1, 2024, served active duty in the Armed Forces with a permanent station in NC for at least 90 continuous days, or was awarded a Purple Heart. Specifies that the individual applying for benefits under this statute has the burden of proving that they are entitled to the benefits. Makes additional clarifying changes. 

Applies beginning with the 2025-26 academic year.

Part IV.

Enacts new GS 143B-1278, providing as follows. Defines veterans' benefits matter as the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of a claim affecting an individual who has filed or expressed an intent to file a claim for a benefit, program, service, commodity, pension, function, or status, the entitlement to which is determined under the laws and regulations administered by the US Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs pertaining to veterans, their dependents, their survivors and any other individual eligible for such benefits. Prohibits a person from: (1) receiving compensation for preparation, presentation or prosecution of, or advising, consulting, or assisting an individual with an initial disability claim related to a veterans' benefits matter, except as permitted by this statute; (2) receive compensation for referring an individual to another person to prepare, present, prosecute, or advise, consult, or assist the individual with, a veterans' benefits matter; (3) directly or by implication guarantee or advertise that any individual is certain to receive specific veterans' benefits or that any individual is certain to receive a specific level, percentage, or amount of veterans' benefits; (4) a person seeking to receive compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting any individual with any veterans' benefits matter or engaging in the preparation of an initial claim for a fee shall not: a. aggressively or directly solicit business regarding any veterans' benefit matter, or b. gain direct access to any personal medical, financial, or government benefits log in, username, or password information; (5) a person seeking to receive compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting any individual with any veterans' benefits matter must not use a medical professional for a secondary medical exam with whom they have an employment relationship; and (6) enter into any agreement related to a veterans' benefits matter that does not comply with this statute. Requires a person seeking to receive compensation for preparing, presentation or prosecution of, or advising, consulting or assisting an individual with, a veterans’ benefits matter to memorial all terms of the agreement, before rendering services, in a written agreement signed by both parties and contains specified terms. Violations are an unfair trade practice. Exempts attorneys licensed to practice in NC from the statute. Effective October 1, 2025.

Part V.

Amends GS 20-7 to allow members of the US Armed Forces or a reserve component serving on active duty and stationed outside of North Carolina, and their spouse and dependent children, to renew a drivers licenses a second consecutive time remotely if either: (1) the license being renewed is not REAL ID compliant, or (2) the license being renewed is REAL ID compliant but is being converted to a non-REAL ID compliant license for purposes of the renewal (was, allowed even if their most recent renewal was remote without regard to REAL ID compliance). Applies to licenses renewed on or after October 1, 2025.

Makes conforming changes to the act's titles.