STUDENT HEALTH AND RESPONSIBILITY ACT.

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View NCGA Bill Details(link is external)2025-2026 Session
Senate Bill 323 (Public) Filed Tuesday, March 18, 2025
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO ESTABLISH THE SAFER SEX SUPPLIES GRANT PROGRAM.
Intro. by Applewhite, Robinson.

Status: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate action) (Mar 19 2025)
S 323

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Mar 18 2025 - View Summary

    Titles the act the “Student Health and Responsibility Act.” Contains whereas clauses.

    Establishes the Safer Sex Supplies Grant Program (Program) for the 2025-26, 2026-27, and 2027-28 fiscal years to reduce health care costs and support student success by assisting eligible entities that are grant recipients to provide free access for students to safer sex supplies at UNC constituent  institutions, community colleges, and high schools located in public school units. Provides for the separate administration of the Program by: (1) the UNC Board of Governors (Board) for UNC constituent institutions, (2) the State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) for community colleges, and (3) the  Department of Public Instruction (DPI) for high schools in public school units. Sunsets the Program on June 30, 2028. Defines applicable administering entity, eligible entity, and safer sex supplies.  Provides for a grant application that requires the applicant to provide information on two listed matters, including the applicant school’s current and ongoing needs for safer sex supplies along with the cost thereof. Requires each administering entity to develop criteria and guidelines for selecting grant recipients, including those described. Limits use of grant funds to providing free safer sex supplies to students in accordance with the application submitted by the eligible entity. Directs entities to refrain from requiring parental permission for students to access safer sex supplies, including for students enrolled in high school in a public school unit. Requires collaboration amongst administering entities to share, to the extent possible, best practices and coordinate outreach.

    Clarifies that the grant funds supplement and do not supplant any State or non-State funds already provided for safer sex supplies. Authorizes use up to $100,000 of the funds appropriated to each administering entity for administrative costs each year. Requires, by April 1 of each fiscal year in which funds are awarded, for each administering entity to report on the Program, including on the five listed matters to the specified NCGA committee.

    Appropriates $9.6 million from the General Fund for each year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium to provide Program grants to be allocated to the UNC Board, the Community Colleges Systems Office (Office), and DPI, in the amounts described.  Appropriates $750,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health for 2025-26 and again for 2026-27 for the three described uses relating to coordination, technical assistance, and collaboration with local health departments/student groups under the Program. Specifies that the appropriated funds do not revert, but instead remain available until June 30, 2028.

    Effective July 1, 2025.