Includes whereas clauses.

Part I.

Amends GS 20-7 to require the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to provide options for license applicants to receive all drivers education materials and take the written test in all of the 25 specified languages, in addition to English. Amends GS 20-88.1 to require the DMV to, upon request, make copies of the drivers license handbook available, and provide access to training courses, in those same 25 languages, in addition to English.

Amends GS 136-30 to require that the appearance criteria of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) supplement to the Uniform Manual make all traffic signs clear to non-English speakers through translations or universally recognized symbols.

Effective January 1, 2026.

Appropriates the following from the Highway Fund: (1) $10,000 for 2025-26 to the DMV to produce the materials required by the act and (2) $10,000 for 2025-26 to the DOT to implement the requirement on appearance criteria. Effective July 1, 2025.

Part II.

Enacts new GS 115C-76.41 requiring the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the governing body of all public school units to make available a copy of any document for parents translated into the listed 25 languages. Defines a document for parents as any form, communication, notice, or report that the school will provide to parents or that a parent has the ability to access, regardless of whether the document is printed or electronic, including the listed forms and documents. Encourages DPI and the governing body of public school units to offer interpretation services for parent-teacher conferences and other critical meetings. Applies beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

Amends GS 115C-302.1 to encourage supervisors and principals to make reasonable efforts to accommodate a request for personal leave if the teacher is requesting the leave for observance of a religious holiday. Amends GS 115C-316 by encouraging local boards of education to adopt a policy that schools will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate an employee’s request to use leave for the observance of a religious holiday. Amends GS 115C-379 to encourage principals to allow excused absences for religious holidays beyond those that are required to be given.

Appropriates $1 million in recurring funds for 2025-26 from the General Fund to DPI to be allocated to public school units on an as-needed basis to cover the costs of a substitute teacher for teachers on personal leave to observe a religious holiday. Effective July 1, 2025.

Part III.

Appropriates $100,000 for 2025-26 from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to make available on their website for free, the following forms and documents translated into the 25 specified languages (plus English): (1) informed consent forms and explanatory materials for use by healthcare providers; (2) information on the Adult Care Home Residents’ Bill of Rights, the Nursing Home Patients’ Bill of Rights, and the Home Care Clients’ Bill of Rights; and (3) any public health information essential to maintaining public health and safety, including at least the four specified items.

Encourages healthcare providers, as defined, receiving state funds to employ multilingual staff or provide interpreter services for patients with limited English proficiency.

Effective July 1, 2025.

Part IV.

Amends the list of public holidays under GS 103-4 by: (1) removing Robert E. Lee’s birthday and Confederate Memorial Day and (2) adding Lunar New Year, Eid al-Adha, Diwali, Eid al-Fitr, and Rosh Hashanah.

Encourages State agencies to accommodate employees who observe the cultural and religious holidays in GS 103-4 by allowing excused absences.

Appropriates $10,000 for 2025-26 from the General Fund to the Department of Administration to coordinate public awareness efforts to ensure State agencies and residents know of the new holidays.

Effective July 1, 2025.

Part V.

Makes the act effective when it becomes law, unless otherwise indicated.