House committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes.

Makes the repeal of GS 153A-250, which allowed local governments, by ordinance, to franchise ambulance service, applicable to any franchise agreement or contracts for ambulance service initiated or renewed on or after the date that the act becomes law. 

Moves the uncodified provision related to the approval of a modification of the level of care being provided into new GS 153A-251 and specifies that the provision is notwithstanding any other provision of law (was, notwithstanding specified listed provisions and any other provision of law). 

Amends the act's long title. 

House amendment to the 1st edition changes the date of Women Veterans Day in new GS 103-19 from June 12 to May 1. Makes conforming changes to the act's title. 

House committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes.

Amends GS 20-137.1, concerning the use of child restraint systems in vehicles, as follows. Amends the exceptions under which a child does not have to be secured in a restraint system in the rear seat as follows: (1) for the exception applying when the vehicle does not have a rear seat, adds that under no circumstances will a child be placed in the front seat of a vehicle that has an active front airbag using a rear-facing child passenger restraint system (previously this was a free-standing provision applicable in all situations) and requires the seat to be secured in a vehicle with a rear seat when height and weight requirements for use of a child passenger restraint system requires the seat to be rear-facing and (2) for the exception applying when the system is designed for use with front air bags (was, air bags), to add that the system must be used according to the manufacturer's instructions as indicated on the label. Allows a child to be restrained by a properly fitted lap belt only when no seating position equipped with a lap and shoulder belt is available and the child is less than eight years old and at least 40 pounds (was, between 40 and 80 pounds under current law and between 40 and 80 pounds and less than 57 inches in height in the previous edition). Makes additional technical and clarifying changes. Amends the act's titles. 

House committee substitute to the 1st edition makes technical change to federal statutory citation 26 USC 529A(f) in GS 147-86.73.

House committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes. Makes conforming changes to act’s long title.

Modifies the shortened separation period barring a member of the Teachers and State Employees Retirement System (TSERS) in GS 135-1(20)(defining retirement) from performing paid work from 30 days after retirement to two months for retired assistant public defenders and retired assistant district attorney who are certified to have earned at least five years of membership service in either of those roles and who becomes employed by the Judicial Branch (previously no service requirement or reemployment by Judicial Branch required). Makes conforming changes to GS 135-3(d)(changes to effective date of retirement based on work during the required separation period).

Clarifies that the State Treasurer must seek a favorable private letter ruling (was, just private letter ruling) from the IRS to determine if the act itself (was the modification to the separation period above) jeopardizes the TSERS status. Directs the Treasurer to do so by January 1, 2026, or 120 days of the act becoming law, whichever is later. Directs that if the Treasurer sought a private letter ruling on the impact of the act on TSERS, and the Internal Revenue Service declines to make a private letter ruling or does not issue a response by December 17, 2026, then the act is repealed. Provides for notice by the Treasurer to the Revisor of Statutes, its employees, and on its website in the event of the act’s repeal.  Makes technical, organizational, and conforming changes. Specifies that these provisions and the part of the act authorizing TSERS to increase receipts from the retirement assets of the system or pay costs associated with the administration directly from the retirement assets are effective when the act becomes law.

Directs the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) and the Director of Indigent Defense Services (IDS) to provide monthly certification to TSERS that the member is employed as a district attorney or public defender. Prevents retired persons reemployed under the act from eligibility for election into a position that would lead the person to be eligible to accrue benefits under GS 135-3. Authorizes the Executive Director to correct any failures of the AOC, the Conference of District Attorneys, or IDS, as specified, with AOC, the Conference of District Attorneys, or IDS to pay for the cost of correction.

Amends GS 115C-12(9) requiring the State Board of Education (State Board) in determining a school's annual report card to award numerical school achievement and school growth scores and separate corresponding letter grades for each, in accordance with GS 115C-83.15 (was, an overall achievement, growth, and performance score on a scale of 0 to 100 and a corresponding performance letter grade). Mandates that the scores and grades reflect measures required for achievement and growth by GS 115C-83.15 and provides a list of measures as examples (was, requires the school performance score and grade to reflect student performance on the listed measures). Makes changes to terminology for the scores reflecting the new school achievement and school growth language throughout the remainder of GS 115C-12(9).

Makes conforming changes to the school scores and grades language in GS 115C-47(58) and GS 115C-83.15 title and subsections (a) and (d1).

Amends GS 115C-83.15 by adding subsections (b1) and (c1). Subsection (b1) provides the school achievement grade scale used to calculate school achievement grades (A, B, C, D, or F) based on the school achievement score received. Prohibits modification of the scale to add any other designation related to other performance measures like a “plus” or “minus.” Subsection (c1) provides the school growth grade scale used to calculate school growth grades (A, B, C, D, or F) based on the State Board’s conversion of the school growth score received to a 100-point scale. Prohibits modification of the scale to add any other designation related to other performance measures like a “plus” or “minus.”

Removes subsection (d) of GS 115C-83.15 entirely, which provided the calculation method for the previous overall school performance scores and grades.

Makes conforming changes to the school scores and grades language in GS 115C-83.15(d2) and adds references to subsections (b) through (c1); which provide the calculation of the school achievement score, school achievement grades, school growth score, and school growth grades, respectively. This includes replacing all references to subsection (d) with references to subsections (b) through (c1) throughout the subsection.

Makes conforming changes to the school scores and grades language in GS 115C-83.15(f) and throughout all subdivisions in GS 115C-83.15(g). Makes the following additional changes to GS 115C-83.15(g), which requires a list of information that should be displayed more prominently on the annual report card on the Department of Public Instruction’s website than any other information: (1) adds subdivision (2a), which adds a new piece of information to the list, the percentage of schools receiving a school growth letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F earned by each school located within a local school administrative unit and statewide; (2) amends subdivision (3) by requiring the number and percentage (was, number only) of schools that have met, exceeded, or have not met expected growth by each school located within a local school administrative unit and statewide.

Amends the following definitions in GS 115C-83.17: (1) achievement score – a numerical score (was, a numerical score on a scale of 0 to 100) based on the sum of points earned by a school or subgroup of students pursuant to GS 115C-83.15; (2) school grades (was, overall school performance grade) – the letter grades earned by a school for achievement and growth for all students served by a school pursuant to GS 115C-83.15(b1) and (c1) (was, the grade earned by a school for all students served by a school pursuant to GS 115C-83.15(d)); (3) school scores (was, overall school performance score) – the numerical scores earned by a school for achievement and growth pursuant to GS 115C-83.15(b) and (c) (was, the numerical score earned by a school, calculated by adding the school achievement score and school growth score pursuant to GS 115C-83.15(d)); (4) subgroup grades (was, subgroup performance grade) – the letter grades earned by a school for achievement and growth for a subgroup of students served by the school pursuant to GS 115C-83.15(d2) (was, one letter grade earned for a subgroup of students); (5) subgroup performance score (was, subgroup performance scores) – the numerical scores earned by a school for subgroup achievement and subgroup growth that are converted to a 100-point scale pursuant to GS 115C-83.15(d2) (was, one score calculated by adding the subgroup achievement score and growth score).

Makes technical and conforming changes to GS 115C-83.16 and adds to subsection (a) requiring the State Board to calculate the overall school performance score by adding the school achievement score and the school growth score earned by a school to comply with federal law. The achievement score must account for 51% and the growth score 49% of the total sum.

Makes conforming changes to GS 115C-105.37, GS 115C-105.39A, GS 115C-218.65, GS 115C-218.94(a), GS 115C-238.66(11), GS 116-239.8(b)(14), and GS 116-239.13(3).

Effective January 1, 2026, and applies to school achievement grades, growth grades, and report cards issued based on data from the 2025-2026 school year.

Amends GS 115C-76.45(a) to clarify that health care screenings in public school units are not health care services offered in schools. Adds requirement to notify parents of health care screenings as specified in new GS 115C-76.46.

Enacts new GS 115C-76.46 to define health care screenings as vision, hearing, or dental screenings, or developmental screenings for cognition, language and motor function on entry to kindergarten as specified in GS 115C-83.5. Allows public school units to conduct health care screenings without parental consent as long as the schools provide parents notice of all screenings at the beginning of the school year and provide parents the results of those screenings for their children.

Part I. Adoption Law Changes

Amends GS 7B-100 by requiring juveniles to be placed in a safe, permanent home within two years (was, a reasonable amount of time) when it is not in the juvenile’s best interest to return home after being removed. Effective October 1, 2025.

Amends GS 7B-1111(a)(7) allowing the court to terminate the parental rights if they find that a parent has willfully abandoned the juvenile for at least six cumulative (was, consecutive) months immediately before the petition or motion was filed. Effective October 1, 2025, and applying to petitions on or after that date.

Amends GS 48-1-110 providing a new requirement that the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provide the listed information on its website pertaining to adoption, services to assist women during and after pregnancy and childbirth, and abortion alternatives and related services. Effective October 1, 2025.

Amends GS 48-2-206, concerning the prebirth determination of the right to consent, to allow a filing by the biological mother, agency, or adoptive parents chosen by the biological mother for a special proceeding to request that the court determine if consent of the biological father is required at any time after conception as reasonably determined by a physician (was, at any time after about three months from the date of conception as reasonably determined by a physician). Effective October 1, 2025.

Amends GS 48-2-607(c), concerning appeals of a final decree of adoption, allowing a parent or guardian whose consent was necessary under GS Chapter 48 but not obtained to move to have the decree set aside within six months (was, within six months of the time the omission is or ought reasonably to have been discovered). Effective October 1, 2025.

Amends GS 115C-81.30 by adding a requirement to the list of criteria the reproductive health and safety instruction provided by local school administrative units must achieve. The instruction must provide information about adoption, its benefits, and where more information can be found. Effective at the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year.

Part II. Abortion Law Revisions

Amends GS 90-21.81A making it unlawful to procure or cause a miscarriage or abortion in the state after the sixth week (was, the twelfth week) of a woman’s pregnancy.

Amends GS 90-21.81B by changing one of the listed circumstances where it is lawful to procure or cause a miscarriage or an abortion in the state to allow the procedure during the first six weeks (was, 12 weeks) of a woman’s pregnancy, when the procedure is performed by a qualified physician licensed to practice medicine in a hospital, ambulatory surgical center, or clinic certified by DHHS to be a suitable facility for the performance of abortions, in accordance with GS 90-21.82A or during the first six weeks (was, 12 weeks) of a woman’s pregnancy when a medical abortion is procured.

Amends GS 90-21.81C by requiring a qualified physician who advises, procures, or causes a miscarriage or abortion after the sixth week (was, twelfth week) of a woman’s pregnancy to record the listed procedure information and record of findings and analysis the physician based the determination that there was a medical emergency, life-limiting anomaly, rape, or incest and provide all of this to DHHS pursuant to subsection (c).

Amends GS 90-21.82A allowing a physician to perform a surgical abortion in a listed facility during the first six (was, 12) weeks of pregnancy and prohibiting physicians from performing a surgical abortion or dispensing abortion-inducing drugs as permitted under state law in any facility other than a hospital after the sixth (was, twelfth) week of pregnancy.

Part I. Tuition Waiver for Children of Eligible Veteran Teachers.

Section 1.(a). Amends GS 115B-1, which provides definitions for Chapter 115. Defines new terms 12-year teacher, 16-year teacher, and 20-year teacher as a teacher with 12, 16, or 20 years of service, respectively, as a teacher in a public school unit. Defines new term eligible teacher as a teacher employed full-time as a teacher in a public school unit. Makes technical changes to the other terms in GS 115B-1 by renumbering the definitions to account for the additions.

Section 1.(b). Amends GS 115B-2(a), concerning people eligible for tuition waiver for classes at UNC constituent institutions and community colleges as defined in GS 115D-2(2), to add 20-year teacher to the list of positions that a parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian can hold to qualify their child(ren) ages 17-23 to receive the tuition waiver under GS 115B-2(a)(4).

Adds subsection (a1) to GS 115B-2, which requires UNC constituent institutions and community colleges, as defined in GS 115D-2(2), to allow any child between 17-23 years old whose parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian is either a 16-year teacher or 12-year teacher to attend classes at a reduced tuition rate, which is a rate of 75% of the tuition rate where the child is enrolled for 16-year teachers and 50% of the tuition rate where the child is enrolled for 12-year teachers.

Adds subsection (a2) to GS 115B-2, which shifts the location of the prohibitions on a child’s eligibility for the tuition waiver under this Chapter from exceeding 54 months if seeking a baccalaureate degree or the number of months required to complete an educational program the child is applying to, if not seeking a baccalaureate degree. Previously, this language was included in GS 115B-2(a)(4).

Section 1.(c). Appropriates $2,000,000 in recurring funds for 2025-26 from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of UNC to provide tuition waivers for children of eligible veteran teachers in accordance with GS Chapter 115B, as amended by this section.

Section 1.(d). Requires the UNC System Office to report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division on the actual costs of the waivers for children of eligible veteran teachers adopted pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section by February 15, 2026. States intent of NCGA to adjust recurring appropriations for the waivers based on the report.

Section 1.(e). Section 1 is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2025-26 academic year.

Part II. Professional Evaluation Tools

Section 2. Requires the State Board of Education (State Board) to report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on at least three potential professional evaluation tools for teachers to provide feedback to teachers on their professional development and to provide administrators with information on teacher quality. Provides a list of four minimum criteria the tools must meet, which includes that the tools: (1) be evidence-based and replicable; (2) take into account existing measures of teacher effectiveness including those measures listed; (3) include professional feedback, including two specific types of feedback as listed; and (4) for at least two of the tools proposed, be viewable by teachers throughout the school year.

Part III. Revive and Revise Retired Teachers Program

Section 3.(a). Reenacts GS 115C-302.4 as it existed immediately prior to its expiration and now expires June 30, 2030.

Section 3.(b). Amends newly reenacted GS 115C-302.4 by changing the statute’s title to Reemploy qualifying retired teachers (was, High-need retired teachers).

Changes defined term high-need retired teacher to qualifying retired teacher and amends the definition to a teacher who is a beneficiary of the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System of North Carolina (Retirement System) who meets all of the following requirements, which includes two new requirements: (1) retired at least two months before the scheduled date of a beneficiary's reemployment (was, retired on or before February 1, 2019) after either becoming at least 65 years old with five years of creditable service, becoming at least 60 years old with 25 years of creditable service, or having 30 years of creditable service; (2) is reemployed by a local board of education to provide classroom instruction as a teacher, as defined in GS 135-1(25), employed on an annual contract to provide the instruction in any public school unit (was, exclusively at a high-need school or schools); (3) prior to retirement taught a subject area in three of the prior five school years in which a majority of the students of the teacher had EVAAS student growth index scores that met or exceeded expected growth (new requirement); and (4) has not been reemployed by any other local board of education pursuant to this section (new requirement).

Removes definitions of high-need school and STEM.

Makes conforming changes to the language in GS 115C-302.4(b) by changing all uses of high-need retired teacher to qualifying retired teacher.

Amends GS 115C-302.4(c) by making conforming changes to use qualifying retired teacher where high-need retired teacher had been used previously. Allows a qualifying retired teacher eligibility for salary supplements and state bonuses (was, not eligible), but does not allow for salary increases beyond the salary steps prescribed in subsection (b) of GS 115C-302.4.

Makes conforming changes to the language in GS 115C-302.4(d) changing all uses of high-need retired teacher to qualifying retired teacher.

Makes conforming changes to the language in GS 115C-302.4(e) changing use of high-need retired teacher to qualifying retired teacher. Limits the contract between the local board of education and a qualifying retired teacher to a term of no more than one school year and specifies that it can be renewed on an annual basis for up to five years (was, limited to the school-year length term without limit on number of renewals).

Removes GS 115C-302.4(f) pertaining to identification of STEM and Special Education Licensure Areas.

Section 3.(c). Amends GS 135-3(a)(8), concerning members whose membership in the Retirement System terminated on or after July 1, 1963, and who become entitled to benefits in accordance with the listed provisions by adding a new sub-subdivision (i) which specifies that the postretirement earnings computed under subdivision (8) will not include earnings while a beneficiary is employed as a qualifying retired teacher under GS 115C-302.4 and that the beneficiary must not be restored to service as a teacher or employee. Requires the Department of Public Instruction to certify to the Retirement System that a beneficiary is employed by a local board of education as a qualifying retired teacher. Requires a local board of education to inform the Retirement System if it will not employ any qualifying retired teachers for the school year by September 15 each year. Clarifies that the retirement allowance of a beneficiary who retired on an early or service retirement does not cease due to reemployment as a qualifying retired teacher and that a qualifying retired teacher is not entitled to any benefits otherwise provided under this Chapter as a result of this employment period.

Section 3.(d). Amends GS 135-3(a)(8)c1 to add reference to new sub-subdivision (i) and make technical changes.

Section 3.(e). Amends GS 135-3(d) to add a new provision that a beneficiary who retired on an early or service retirement allowance under GS Chapter 135 and is a qualifying retired teacher the two months immediately following their effective retirement date should have the option of the listed subdivisions applied that has the lesser financial impact on the member, as determined by the Retirement System (was, only applicable to those beneficiaries who retired on an early or service retirement allowance under Chapter 135 and is reemployed, or otherwise engaged to perform services for, an employer participating in the Retirement System on a part-time, temporary, interim, or fee-for-service basis during the six months immediately after their effective retirement date).

Section 3.(f). Amends GS 135-1(10), which provides the definition of employee, to add qualifying retired teachers under GS 115C-302.4(a) to the list of positions that the term "employee” does not include.

Section 3.(g). Amends GS 135-1(20), which provides the definition of retirement for GS Chapter 135, by adding to the included list that in order for a member’s retirement to become effective in any month, the member must perform no work for an employer, including part-time, temporary, substitute, or contractor work at any time during the six months immediately after the effective retirement date or, if a member is a qualifying retired teacher, the two months immediately after the effective date of retirement (was, only that the member must not perform work for an employer, including part-time, temporary, substitute, or contractor work at any time during the six months immediately after the effective retirement date).

Section 3.(h). Amends GS 135-48.40(b)(1a), detailing the criteria retirees must meet to be eligible for partially contributory coverage under the State Health Plan by adding a retiree that is a qualifying retired teacher to the third criteria listed. Retirees must still meet all other listed criteria in GS 135-48.40(b)(1a).

Section 3.(i). Amends GS 135-106(b), regarding long-term disability benefits, to conform with changes made to GS 135-1(20) as explained in Section 3.(g) by clarifying that a long-term disability recipient who begins to receive an unreduced service retirement allowance from the Retirement System is not subject to the applicable waiting period set forth in GS 135-1(20) (was, the six-month waiting period).

Section 3.(j). Requires the State Treasurer to seek a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to determine if any provisions of this section jeopardize the status of the Retirement System.

Section 3.(k). Provides that if the IRS determines a provision of this section jeopardizes the Retirement System under the Internal Revenue Code, then the section is repealed on the last day of the month following the month of receipt of that determination by the State Treasurer. Details requirements for the State Treasurer if the Treasurer receives this determination from the IRS and requirements for local school administrative units once they are notified.

Section 3.(l). Permits the Retirement Systems Division of the Department of State Treasurer to increase receipts from the retirement assets of the Retirement System to pay costs associated with the administration of the provisions of this section or to pay costs of administration directly from retirement assets.

Section 3.(m). Prohibits a beneficiary employed by a local board of education as a qualifying retired teacher from eligibility to elect into a position that would lead them to be eligible to accrue any additional benefits under GS 135-3(a)(8). Provides instruction for correction and charging for costs of correction if there is any failure to comply with the foregoing by a local board of education or beneficiary.

Section 3.(n). Appropriates $100,000 for 2025-26 from the General Fund to the Department of State Treasurer to be used to obtain the private letter ruling under Section 3.(f).

Section 3.(o). Appropriates $10,000,000 in recurring funds for each year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium from the General Fund to the Department of State Treasurer to be used to address the increased cost to the Retirement System as a result of implementing Section 3.

Section 3.(p). Section 3 is effective July 1, 2026, and expires June 30, 2030.

Part IV. Expand Teacher Licensure Reciprocity

Section 4. Amends GS 115C-270.25 concerning out-of-state license applicants by adding that the State Board can grant a Continuing Professional License (CPL) to a teacher who is either (1) licensed in another state with a substantially similar licensure requirement who has at least 3 years of teaching experience and is in good standing with the other state or (2) currently teaching in a state that has been ranked in the top 25 states for education, as evaluated by the US News and World Report, during at least 3 of the 5 preceding school years (was, only allowed to grant a CPL to a teacher that was licensed in another state with a substantially similar licensure requirement with at least 3 years of teaching experience and in good standing with the other state). Effective when it becomes law and applies to applications for CPLs on or after that date.

Part V. Strengthen Reporting Requirements for Threats and Assaults on Teachers

Section 5.(a). Amends GS 115C-388(g) by adding to the list of actions occurring on school property that a principal must report to the appropriate local law enforcement agency if they have personal knowledge or actual notice from school personnel of the act to include a threat directed at a teacher and assault and removes the previous requirement that assault have to result in serious personal injury to be reportable.

Section 5.(b). Amends GS 115C-289.1(a) requiring a supervisor of a school employee with actual notice that the employee has received a threat from a student or has been assaulted by a student in violation of GS 14-33(c)(6) to immediately report the threat or assault to the principal (was, only required to report when there was actual notice of a teacher being a victim of assault by a student in violation of GS 14-33(c)(6) resulting in physical injury, as defined in GS 14-34.7).

Section 5.(c). Amends GS 115C-150.12C(29) to require the board of trustees to adopt rules to (1) notify the parents of any students alleged to be victims of any act required to be reported to law enforcement and the superintendent under GS 115C-288(g); (2) requiring a principal, or equivalent authority, to report acts to law enforcement in accordance with GS 155C-288(g); and (3) requiring school employee supervisors to report acts to the principal, or equivalent authority, in accordance with GS 115C-289.1(a) (was, only rules adopted related to the parental notification in the foregoing list).

Section 5.(d). Adds new subsection (p) to GS 115C-218.75 mandating that a charter school require a principal, or equivalent authority, to report acts to law enforcement in accordance with GS 115C-288(g) and to require school employee supervisors to report acts to the principal, or equivalent authority, in accordance with GS 115C-289.1(a).

Section 5.(e). Adds new subdivision to GS 115C-238.66 mandating that a regional school require a principal, or equivalent authority, to report acts to law enforcement in accordance with GS 115C-288(g) and to require school employee supervisors to report acts to the principal, or equivalent authority, in accordance with GS 115C-289.1(a).

Section 5.(f) Adds new subdivision to GS 116-239.8(b) mandating that a laboratory school require a principal, or equivalent authority, to report acts to law enforcement in accordance with GS 115C-288(g) and to require school employee supervisors to report acts to the principal, or equivalent authority, in accordance with GS 115C-289.1(a).

Section 5.(g) Section 5 is effective when it becomes law and applies to incidents or reports occurring on or after that date.

Part VI. Effective Date

Section 6. Effective July 1, 2025, except as otherwise provided.

Enacts new GS 115C-235 to create a pilot program in Cleveland County Schools beginning in the 2025-2026 school year and ending after the 2030-2031 school year. The program allows Cleveland County Schools and the Cleveland County Board of Education to exercise flexibility in class sizes for kindergarten through third grade. The program also allows a school to hire teachers who do not possess a license in compliance with the law or in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education. Up to fifty percent of teachers in a school may be unlicensed. Up to twenty-five percent of all teachers employed by the Cleveland County Board of Education may be unlicensed. Teachers of mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts must be college graduates. Unlicensed teachers must complete preservice training in identifying students with disabilities, managing student behavior, defusing and de-escalating disruptive or dangerous behavior, and the safe and appropriate use of seclusion and restraint. Individuals who qualify to be teacher assistants in kindergarten classrooms may be teacher assistants in NC Pre-K classrooms without meeting the requirements established by statute or regulation for NC Pre-K teacher assistants. Allows the transfer of funds for teacher assistants, textbooks, and digital resources.

The State Board of Education may terminate participation in the pilot. If it does, it shall submit a report on the basis and evidence for the termination to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee.

Each year of the pilot, the Cleveland County Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on employment information, including the number of licensed and unlicensed teachers and long-term substitutes, recruiting data, the number of NC Pre-K teacher assistants who meet the requirements for employment as kindergarten teacher assistants, and employee retention. The report must also include average class sizes for kindergarten through third grade, explanations of flexibility in allotment, how that flexibility contributes to student success, and recommendations for the pilot.

Allows Cleveland County Schools to submit a report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee and Superintendent of Public Instruction on initial implementation and recommended legislative changes and expresses intent to provide funding to Cleveland County Schools for a teacher compensation model and student behavior intervention program.

Applies beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

Repeals new GS 115C-235 effective December 31, 2031.

Contains NCGA findings.

Imposes a moratorium on the Environmental Management Commission’s (EMC) issuance of certificates authorizing significant new or increased surface water transfers until six months after the report required herein. Defines significant in the context of a new or increased surface water transfer.

Directs the North Carolina Collaboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Collaboratory) to study and report on the current statutory process for approval of surface water transfers and recommend any needed legislative revisions. Requires the Collaboratory to submit its findings and report to the 2027 General Assembly when it convenes.

Requires the Collaboratory to specifically review:

• The adequacy of the requirements in GS 143-215.22L for an environmental impact study to ensure that all impacts on upstream and downstream water users in the river basin are comprehensively and equitably compiled and considered.
• Whether the information EMC uses to decide final certification adequately takes into account (1) issues of economic equity for lower income and lower population communities in the source river basin whose future economic growth may be impacted by the proposed transfer; (2) negative impacts of increases in water pollutant concentration on riverine ecosystems resulting from large surface water transfers; and (3) whether the denial of a surface water transfer request would result in a substantial increase in utility rates or cause a financial hardship due to alternative infrastructure construction costs for the requesting party.
• Process changes needed to account for periods of extreme heat, drought, or flooding events impacting the State’s mainstem rivers.
• How incentives regarding land use, infrastructure, and drought resiliency policies for parties requesting surface water transfers could be built into the certification process to reduce the size of future transfers needed to meet demand.
• Any other matters deemed relevant by the Collaboratory to increase the fairness and effectiveness of surface water transfer certification requirements.

Requires the Collaboratory to consult with the Army Corps of Engineers and other entities that manage water impoundments whose ability to meet present and projected hydroelectric power generation and water supply needs are impacted by significant surface water transfers.

Contains whereas clauses.

Amends GS 67-1 by retitling the statute as “Liability for injury to livestock, fowls, domestic animals, or persons; definition of at large.” Reorganizes existing language into new subsection (a) and now specifies that the owner of any dog at large that kills or injures livestock, fowl, domestic animals, or persons, is liable for damages. Defines “at large” in new subsection (b) as a dog not under the reasonable, physical control of the owner or another person, and provides examples such as a dog escaping an inadequate enclosure or a dog being walked off-leash in a public place. Clarifies that “at large” does not include law enforcement dogs in official duties and dogs being used in a lawful hunt.

Amends GS 67-12 to make it unlawful for a person to let a dog over six months old to run at large at any time, instead of only at nighttime as currently prohibited by the statute.

Effective and applicable to actions brought or pending on or after December 1, 2025.

Makes changes to GS Chapter 90D to include educational interpreters or transliterators in the licensure requirements under that Chapter. Amends GS 90D-3 to include educational interpreters or transliterators, as defined in subdivision (3), in the definition of transliterator under subdivision (9). Repeals the exemption from the Chapter for educational interpreters or transliterators in GS 90D-4(b).

Amends GS 115C-110.2 to allow continuing education hours required for licensure under GS Chapter 90D to apply toward the required 15 hours of job-related training for interpreters and transliterators under that statute.

Permits the Interpreter and Transliterator Licensing Board and the Department of Public Instruction to adopt rules to implement the act.

Effective October 1, 2026.

Amends GS 22B-20 to remove exemptions in subsection (d) from the prohibition on any deed restriction, covenant, or similar binding agreement that runs with the land and would prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting solar collectors. Amends subsection (c) to clarify that a deed restriction, covenant, or similar binding agreement that runs with the land may regulate the location or screening of solar collectors if the agreement does not have the effect of “reducing the operating efficiency” (was “preventing the reasonable use”) of a solar collector for residential property. Defines the term “reducing the operating efficiency of a solar collector” to mean that the regulation would decrease the efficiency or performance of the solar collector by more than 10% of the amount originally specified for the solar collector. Appliable to deed restrictions, covenants, or similar binding agreements that run with the land recorded on or after the date the bill becomes law.

Appropriates $20.440 million from the General Fund to the Office of State Budget and Management for 2025-26 to provide a directed grant to the Town of Davidson to be used for: (1) construction of a new fire station, (2) emergency vehicle purchases, (3) police equipment, and (4) breathing apparatus.

Appropriates $6 million from the General Fund to the Office of State Budget and Management for 2025-26 to provide a directed grant to the Town of Cornelius to be used: (1) for acquisition of property for the construction of a public safety facility, (2) to replace the fire department radios, and (3) to improve pedestrian safety at the intersection of NC 115/Catawba Ave.

Appropriates $47,683,780 from the General Fund to the Office of State Budget and Management for 2025-26 to provide a directed grant to the Town of Huntersville to be used for: (1) new firetruck apparatus, (2) breathing apparatus, (3) a new firetruck, (4)  anti-vehicle barriers, (5) 10 additional police vehicles, (6) the construction of a new fire station, and (7) the construction of a new police facility.

Effective July 1, 2025. 

Substantively identical to S 514, and filed 3/25/25.

Enacts Article 2B to GS Chapter 75 to be cited as the "Social Media Control in Information Technology Act". Includes 13 defined terms. States legislative findings and establishes State policy concerning user data on social media platforms. Defines social media platform (platform) as an electronic medium with more than one million monthly active users in the US that functions as a social media service; excludes nine specified services.

Establishes the following requirements for platforms. Specifies that the platform must provide disclosure, when the user first initializes their use or after a six-month period of inactivity and in the format described, regarding their collection and use of personal information and how users can exercise their rights and choices on the platform. Requires platforms to obtain user consent before the platform collects any user-related data on the user. Further requires platforms to provide disclosure, available upon receipt of a verifiable consumer request, detailing the categories of information collected and sources from which the information is collected; the purpose for the collection, selling, or sharing of personal information; the categories of third-party to whom the business discloses personal information; and the specific pieces of information it has collected about that user. Establishes two qualifications for using personal information in algorithmic recommendations, including that the platform reasonably determines the user is not a minor and the user is notified and expressly consents to its use. Requires platforms provide users the ability to alter, change, and delete the categories of personal information used in an algorithmic recommendation system that is modifiable at any time. Bars use of categories users intend not to be used in an algorithmic recommendation system. Prohibits discrimination against users exercising rights under the Article in provision of functionality or features of the platform unless the use of user-related data in an algorithmic recommendation system is reasonably necessary to the feature or functionality. Mandates that platforms establish comprehensive and effective controls to ensure that a minor's personal information is not used in any algorithmic recommendation system, with three exceptions listed, including recommending or presenting content from accounts that a user follows in reverse chronological order or a similar method. Deems the operator of the platform liable for violations of the statute. Provides immunity where the platform made an estimation of a user's age based on the user's self-attestation that the person was not a minor.

Requires platforms to configure all privacy settings to be available to minors and default to the highest level of privacy, unless the business can demonstrate a compelling reason that a different setting is in the best interest of minors. Includes six settings that must comply with this requirement. Requires platforms to provides users with accessible mechanisms to request correction or deletion of personal information about the user. Describes requirements and recordkeeping regarding these user requests. Establishes three rights specific to minors using platforms, as specified: right to protection from manipulative design; right to transparency; and right to protection from personalized recommendation systems. Provides the operation is potentially liable for violations of the statute.

Deems violations of the Article an unfair or deceptive act or practice under state law, effective January 1, 2026. Charges the Attorney General with monitoring compliance. Permits users to make compliance complaints and authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action where it is believed the noncompliance has or threatens the interest of State residents. Allows minors to file a civil action if they are affected by any covered platform found to be in violation of the Article. Where the Attorney General brings an action and prevails where a minor is affected, provides specific relief available to the court.

Establishes the 21-member Data Privacy Task Force (Task Force) within the Department of Justice. Details membership, appointment, meetings, and vacancies. Sets member terms to two years. Directs the Task Force to annually report to the NCGA on its work as specified, beginning March 15, 2025. 

Effective October 1, 2026.

Appropriates $100,000 to the Department of Justice for each year of 2025-27 to develop the registry created by the act. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends GS 7A-191.1 to require electronic or mechanical recording of all criminal proceedings and infraction hearings in district court, including pre- and post-trial motions, pleas, plea bargains, explanations of reductions or dismissals in impaired driving cases, taking of evidence, sentencing, and requests for limited driving privileges. The clerk of superior court has responsibility to operate the recording device and preserve the recording. Making the recording available online is allowed and complies with public records law. The retention schedule of the Administrative Office of the Courts applies. Effective December 1, 2025.

Amends GS 7A-109.2 to require the clerk of superior court to include the disposition of the charge in the electronic record. For sentencing after impaired driving convictions, the clerk shall include aggravating factors, grossly aggravating factors, mitigating factors, and the level of punishment imposed. Requires the Administrative Office of the Courts to publish an annual report of statewide and countywide summaries of charges, dispositions, and sentencing information. Corrects a typographical error. Effective December 1, 2025.

Amends SL 2006-253 to change the act’s effective date to April 1, 2026, for the requirement that the clerk make a record of electronic data about explanations of reductions or dismissals in impaired driving cases.

Directs the first annual report to include information from December 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, and to be published by September 1, 2026.

Amends GS 20-141(h) to prohibit the operation of a motor vehicle in the left lane of a multi-lane highway at a speed that impedes traffic. Amends GS 20-141(c) to increase the minimum operating speed on interstate and primary highways to forty-five miles per hour in a fifty-five mile-per-hour zone and fifty miles per hour in a sixty mile-per-hour or greater zone. Amends GS 20-146 to add that motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more shall not operate in the left lane of a controlled-access highway with six or more lanes. Effective December 1, 2025.

Amends GS 20-63(b1) to add Collegiate Insignia Plate as a special registration plate. Amends GS 20-81.12(b30) to specify that 300 applications for a college insignia plate are required before the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) can issue a standard-background plate and 500 are required before the DMV can develop a full-color background plate. Collegiate insignia plates for a public military college or university require 100 applications. The requestor is responsible for submitting to the DMV the required paid applications and artwork. Authorizes the Revisor of Statutes to alphabetize and renumber the special registration plates in GS 20-63(b1). Allows a college or university with a collegiate insignia plate on a standard background in production to apply to the DMV for a full-color background plate. Requires the DMV to discontinue the standard background plate and issue a full-color background plate upon after approval of artwork by the DMV and the alumni or alumnae association of the college and university, even if the required number of paid applications required by GS 20-63(b1) has not been met. Vehicle owners with collegiate insignia plates on a standard background may request a full-color background plate or keep their plates until surrendered, canceled, revoked, or replaced. Effective October 1, 2025.

Enacts GS 50-23 (Automatic order for equitable distribution claims), which creates a standing order to prevent waste of assets or increasing of debt when an equitable distribution claim is filed. Requires the court to enter the form order created by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). Lays out the automatic order provisions, which include specifying that neither party may, without written consent of the other party or order of the court, transfer or dispose of property, withdraw or claim benefits from retirement accounts, or remove the other as beneficiary for any accounts, life insurance, or coverage for medical or dental insurance. Specifies that the automatic order must be served by the plaintiff along with the summons and complaint. Makes the order binding and in effect until the court terminates or modifies it.

Directs the AOC to develop a form for the automatic order with the case caption, finding that the claim has been filed, and the requirements from GS 50-23. Requires AOC to provide this form on its website by October 1, 2025.

Amends GS 50-20(c) to include being held in contempt of court for violating the automatic order under GS 50-23 as a factor for the court to consider when making an equitable division of property.

Amends GS 50-21(a) to require entry of the automatic order upon filing of the initial claim for equitable distribution and makes corresponding changes to the statute.

Effective and applicable to claims filed on or after October 1, 2025.

Contains whereas clauses.

Amends GS 90-95 to make the use of colorimetric field drug tests alone insufficient to support probable cause for arrest. Enacts subsection (f1), which defines “colorimetric field drug test” as a kit of color test reagents for the preliminary identification of narcotic drugs, excluding thin layer chromatography, and defines “corroborating chemical analysis” as a chemical analysis subsequent to a colorimetric field drug test performed by the state crime lab or another lab meeting the standards of scientific testing and court-related evidence preparation. Enacts subsection (f2), which requires all law enforcement agencies and prosecutorial districts to adopt policies regarding arrests that ensure reliable identification of controlled substances. The policies must include (1) that prior to corroborating chemical analysis, a colorimetric field drug test is not sufficient by itself for probable cause to arrest, initiating charges, conviction, or sentencing; (2) when no corroborating chemical analysis has been performed, an individual may be cited and released, or released on a written promise to appear in court, and (3) an individual may plead to the charges and subsequently withdraw the plea and move to dismiss if a corroborating chemical analysis finds no controlled substances. Clarifies that these procedures apply only to the controlled substance crimes charged under GS 90-95(a)(3) and not other crimes an individual may be charged with in the same transaction.

Enacts GS 15A-534.9, requiring conditions of pretrial release for a violation of GS 90-95(a)(3) to comply with the new subsection (f2).

Effective and applicable to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2025.

Section 1.

Enacts GS 143B-279.4B requiring NCGA approval of memorandums of agreement between the EPA and the Department of Environmental Quality (Department), the Environmental Management Commission, the Coastal Resources Commission, the Sedimentation Control Commission, and any other board or commission charged with implementation of State or federal environmental law. Prohibits implementing the terms of such agreements without NCGA confirmation. Applies to memorandums of agreement, or modifications to such agreements, proposed for execution on or after the act becomes law.

Section 2.

Requires the Department, by October 1, 2025, to notify the EPA of its intent to initiate discussions to revise the NPDES Memorandum of Agreement between the State and US EPA Region 4, and any other agreement with EPA governing the State's Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of 1973 (Act) and its implementation of NCG01 to streamline the regulatory requirements of the Act and NCG01 for the purpose of eliminating program redundancies to minimize (1) unnecessary costs to, and duplication of efforts by, persons initiating land-disturbing activities; (2) unnecessary delays in project development; and (3) inefficient use of Department personnel and staff of local governments that administer delegated erosion and sedimentation control programs. Provides for appointments to the negotiations by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, as described. Requires the Department to report quarterly to the Environmental Policy Council on the status of these activities beginning January 1, 2026, until this reporting requirement is repealed. 

Section 3.

Requires the Department, by October 1, 2025, to request that the EPA consult with the Department on any proposed changes to federal regulations that would impact the State's administration of federal environmental programs in North Carolina, before the EPA notices the proposed changes in the Federal Register, so that the State can have meaningful collaborative input on development of regulations that it may be charged with administering. Requires the Department to report quarterly to the Environmental Policy Council on the status of these activities beginning January 1, 2026, until this reporting requirement is repealed. 

Section 4.

Requires the Department, by October 1, 2025, to submit copies of any agreements executed between the Department and the EPA governing the State's administration of programs under the Clean Water Act to the specified NCGA committee. Also requires the Department to give that committee information on any federal funds received by the State in connection with administration of such programs, and all federal requirements for receipt of such funds as well as the adequacy of funding from all sources to fully implement the agreement requirements.

Section 5.

Includes a severability clause.

Amends GS 115C-390.3 to create the presumption in investigative, administrative, and adversarial proceedings that the use of force by school personnel is reasonable. That presumption may be overcome if the local board of education, the State Board of Education, their designees, or a court of competent jurisdiction determines by the preponderance of the evidence that the use of force was not reasonable. Prohibits the governing body of a public school unit from retaliating against or dismissing school personnel for using reasonable force but does not prohibit investigation of the allegations. Does not prohibit suspension or appropriate leave during investigation or adjudication. Prohibits the State Board of Education from revoking or refusing to renew a license based on a licensee using reasonable force. Prohibits school personnel from being reprimanded, dismissed, disciplined, or having a licensed revoked or renewal denied as a result of criminal allegations for assault or a similar crime if the force that led to the allegation was in accord with this section and does not result in a conviction or plea of no contest. Applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

Includes whereas clauses.

Amends GS 115C-264.6 to prohibit local boards of education from allowing school food authorities and third parties to serve or sell ultra-processed food on school grounds during the school day. Requires the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to create a form so that local boards of education can certify that no ultra-processed foods are being served or sold and requires DPI to publish on its website a list of all public schools are certified. Defines ultra-processed food as containing any of a list of eleven ingredients.

Amends GS 115C-150.12C to require nutrition services provided by the board of trustees of a school for deaf and blind students to comply with GS 115C-264.6. Amends GS 115C-238.66 to require nutrition services provided by a regional school to comply with GS 115C-264.6. Amends 115C-218.75 to require nutrition services provided by a charter school to comply with GS 115C-264.6. Amends GS 116-239.8 to require that a laboratory school comply with the School Nutrition provisions of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes upon request.

Applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

Adds a new GS 160D-402.1 to require local governments, within two business days of receiving an application for development approval, to complete an administrative review of the application and either (1) notify the developer in writing that the application is complete and no further information is required for the local government to make a determination on the application; or (2) notify the developer in writing that the application is deficient and provide a written deficiency list that identifies each deficiency; the specific law, ordinance, policy, or procedure used as the basis for each deficiency; and a description of the action the local government would deem corrective for each deficiency. Such a deficiency notice may provide recommendations, but those must be clearly designated as recommended or advisory only and may not be required as a condition of development approval.

In response to a deficiency list, a developer may correct the application and resubmit the corrected application to the local government, submit a written explanation for each deficiency and request another administrative review within two business days, or appeal the administrative decision as provided by GS 160D-405.

If a developer submits a corrected application, within two business days of receiving a corrected application the local government must notify the applicant in writing that (i) the application is complete and no further information is required or (ii) the revised application does not correct all of the deficiencies identified in the deficiency notice. If the corrected application was amended or altered in a way not related to the identified deficiencies, the local government must consider the corrected application to be a new application.

Local governments may contract with the Department of Insurance and its marketplace pool of qualified code-enforcement officials or contract with a licensed professional engineer or licensed architect to perform independent third-party plan reviews.

If the local government does not issue a decision or determines that it is unable to complete review within the two-business-day time frame, the permit applicant may contract with the Department of Insurance and its marketplace pool of qualified code-enforcement officials or contract with a licensed professional engineer or licensed architect to perform independent third-party plan reviews. If the applicant does so, the applicant must submit to the local government a written certification by the independent plan reviewer that plans comply with applicable building codes and other state and local laws. Upon accepting such a certification, the local government must issue applicable permits within two business days and refund or waive applicable plan review and permit fees.

Third-party plan reviewers must avoid conflicts of interest in conducting reviews under this section. Conflicts include when a plan reviewer has any financial interest in—or is employed (other than as a third-party plan reviewer) by a business that has a financial interest in—providing labor, material, or appliances for construction, alteration, maintenance of, or an involvement in making of plans or specifications for the project subject to review.

GS 160D-402.1 would not apply to permit applications submitted pursuant to GS 160D-1110.1.

Amends GS 160D-1110(b) to require that, if a local government chooses to review residential building plans for structures subject to the North Carolina Residential Code, the local government must meet the initial review deadline of GS 160D-402.1.

Amends GS 160D-1104 to add a requirement that inspection departments make inspections within two business days of the first request for an inspection or notify the permit holder if an inspection cannot be completed within two business days of the first request for an inspection.

Makes the following conforming changes to statutes regarding North Carolina Code Officials Qualification Board (the Board): amends the definition of “code enforcement” in GS 143-151.8(a)(3) to add persons contracting with a local government or permit applicant to perform third-party plan reviews under GS 160D-402.1; amends GS 143-151.12 to allow the Board to establish a marketplace pool of qualified code enforcement officials when requested by a permit applicant under GS 160D-402.1; and amends GS 143-151.13 to permit a licensed architect or licensed professional engineer who possesses a valid certificate but is not employed by the State or a local government to use that certificate for the limited purpose of performing independent plan reviews under GS 160D-402.1.

Becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to applications submitted on or after that date.

Enacts new Part 7, Academic Transparency, in GS Chapter 115, consisting of new GS 115C-76.75. Requires a public school’s governing board to make sure the following is prominently displayed on the school website, organized at least by subject area and grade level: (1) all lesson plans, as defined, used must be posted online no later than 10 days after the lesson was given; (2) for all public school units, any procedures for the documentation, review, or approval of the lesson plans, including course materials identified in those plans, by the principal, curriculum administrators, or other teachers; (3) for all public school units, the procedure established by the governing board for requesting an in-person review of course material not publicly available on the internet; and (4) for all public school units, a list of teacher and staff training materials and activities used at each school during the current school year. Requires that access from the website of the public school unit to the required information be available at all times. Requires maintaining public access to the information for two calendar years from the date the material is posted. Requires the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to make templates available to schools. Allows public school units to exercise flexibility in meeting the website requirements, including by those four methods described. Excludes from these requirements a governing body responsible for the operation of schools with fewer than 30 students cumulatively. Allows a teacher or staff member to request that their personal title and last initial be used instead of their full name when posting publicly available material.

Defines lesson plan as an outline of: (1) the instruction provided by a teacher for a course that includes a list of (i) all course materials assigned, distributed, or otherwise presented in the course and (ii) when students must select course materials from a defined list, all course materials on that list and (2) each grade- or school-wide presentation, assembly, lecture, or other activity or event facilitated by the school during instructional hours outside of an individual teacher's classroom, excluding student presentations (including a list of each presenter by name and organization and any course material used or presented). Also defines the terms action-oriented civics learning assignments or projects (as used in the definition of supplemental materials), course materials, instructional materials, and supplemental materials.

Enacts new GS 116-69.3 requiring the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts to ensure that information about course materials is prominently displayed on the school's website for all elementary, middle, and high school programs.

Amends GS 116-235 by requiring the information about course materials be prominently displayed on the website of a laboratory school.

Applies beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

Appropriates $1 million for 2025-26 in recurring funds from the General Fund to the UNC Board of Governors to be allocated to the North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University to be used as title indicates. 

Effective July 1, 2025.

Part I

Adds new Part 2K, Extended Producer Responsibility, in Article 9 of GS Chapter 130A, providing as follows. Sets out and defines the terms collector, packaging material, postconsumer waste material, producer responsibility fund, fulfillment service provider, producer responsibility organization or organization, readily-recyclable, recycling rate, responsible producer or producer, reusable, and stewardship plan.

Requires responsible producers (as defined) to register with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) before selling, offering for sale, or distributing in North Carolina a product contained, protected, delivered, presented, or distributed in or using packaging materials. Also prohibits responsible producers from selling, offering for sale, or distributing in the state a product that is contained, protected, delivered, presented, or distributed in or using packaging materials unless the producer participates as a member of a producer responsibility organization for which a stewardship plan is approved by DEQ and through that participation, meets the following requirements of the statute, effective October 1, 2025. Requires responsible producers to reduce the total amount of non-reusable packaging material used for containing, protecting, delivering, presenting, and distributing products sold, offered for sale, or distributed in North Carolina according to the specified schedule which first requires a reduction of 10% after two years following approval of the stewardship plan and builds up to 40% reduction after eight years following the approval of the stewardship plan. Requires responsible producers to ensure that all of their non-reusable packaging material in the aggregate, used for containing, protecting, delivering, presenting, and distributing the products it sold, offered for sale, or distributed in North Carolina is recycled at a rate set out in the specified schedule, under which 50% is to be recycled after five years following approval of the stewardship plan, building up to 90% after 12 years following approval of the stewardship plan. Requires responsible producers to ensure that all non-reusable packaging material used for containing, protecting, delivering, presenting, and distributing the products it sold, offered for sale, or distributed in North Carolina to incorporate, on average and in the aggregate, amounts of postconsumer waste materials at the rate set out in the specified schedule, under which 50% must be postconsumer waste material after five years following approval of the stewardship plan, building up to 90% after 12 years after the approval of the stewardship plan. 

Requires responsible producers to establish or join a producer responsibility organization (organization) to act as an agent on behalf of the producer for purposes of satisfying obligations under this Part. Requires the organization to have participation fees and sets out guidelines for those fees including requiring that fees provide producers with financial incentives to reward waste reduction and recycling compatibility innovations and practices and to discourage designs or practices that increase product management costs. Requires the organization to maintain a producer responsibility fund consisting of the payments received from responsible producers, to be used to reimburse participating collectors as required by statute; fund collection and convenience obligations; fund required outreach and education programs; fund the actual operating costs of the organization; and pay fees assessed by DEQ for implementing this Part. Sets out the schedule for paying participation fees. Requires responsible producers to provide the organization with all information necessary for determining the producer's compliance with the stewardship plan and for calculating the participation fees.

Requires each organization to develop and submit a stewardship plan to DEQ, to be updated every five years, or sooner if requirements are not being met or followed by the responsible producer or organization, or if circumstances have changed. Sets out 12 categories of information that must be included in the stewardship plan, including a comprehensive list of the packaging material products for which the producer or organization is responsible for under the plan, a description of how the packaging materials covered under the plan will be collected and managed using environmentally sound management practices, a proposal for implementing the outreach and education program in a manner that increases access to recycling throughout North Carolina, and a description of the process for collectors to recoup all reasonable activity-based costs from the organization for collecting, transporting, or sorting packaging materials covered under the plan. Requires the organization to give stakeholders and members of the public an opportunity to review and comment on the draft plan before it is submitted to DEQ. Allows the organization to prepare a revised plan and submit it to DEQ in response to changed circumstances. 

Requires DEQ to make a determination on the plan within 90 days. Sets out 10 factors that DEQ must consider in reviewing the plan. Requires the organization and its members to implement the approved plan no later than six months after it is approved.

Makes organizations responsible for calculating and dispersing funds for collectors that elect to be compensated by the organization for the recovery, recycling, and processing of packaging material. Requires collectors to provide for recycling of all recyclable packing material listed under a stewardship plan in order to be eligible for reimbursement. Sets out provisions for calculating the reimbursement rate.  Requires participating collectors to annually report to the organization on information necessary to determine the collector's incurred net costs. Prohibits participating collectors from charging fees to customers for reimbursable costs. Effective October 1, 2026.

Requires organizations to provide for widespread, convenient, and equitable access to collection opportunities for the packaging materials identified in the stewardship plans. Sets out conditions under which the organization must provide for curbside or multifamily recycling collection. Requires responsible producers to indicate on packaging material sold, offered for sale, or distributed for sale in North Carolina: (1) the percentage of postconsumer waste material content, (2) whether the packaging material is readily recyclable, and (3) whether the packaging material is compostable. Effective October 1, 2026.

Requires organizations to provide effective outreach, education, and communications to consumers in North Carolina on: (1) proper end-of-life management of packaging materials; (2) the location and availability of curbside and drop-off collection opportunities; (3) recycling and composting instructions that are consistent statewide, except as necessary to take into account differences among local ordinances and processing capabilities; easy to understand, and easily accessible. Sets out additional requirements for the outreach and education's design and content. Requires DEQ to evaluate these efforts and determine if changes are necessary. Effective October 1, 2026.

Requires organizations to report annually to DEQ on evaluating progress toward meeting the Part's requirements for the immediately preceding year; sets out information that must be included in the report. Sets out confidentiality requirements. Requires DEQ to publish on its website a list of responsible producers and organizations that are out of compliance.

Allows the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) to adopt rules setting fees for responsible producers and organizations to defray DEQ's administration costs.

Provides for enforcement of the part, including holding each responsible producer jointly and severally liable for payment of any penalty imposed on an organization.

Exempts the following responsible producers, except as otherwise provided, from this Part: (1) producers generating less than $2 million in gross revenue during the immediately preceding calendar year; (2)  producers selling, offering for sale, or distributing for sale in this state during the immediately preceding calendar year less than 1 ton of packaging material; and (3) producers conducting all of the packaging material sales in this state during the immediately preceding calendar year at a single point of retail sale that was not supplied or operated as part of a franchise.

Allows the EMC to adopt rules to implement this Part.

Unless otherwise specified, effective October 1, 2025.

Part II.

Adds new Part 2L, Ban Manufacture and Distribution of Certain Toxic Substances in Packaging Materials, in Article 9 of GS Chapter 130A, providing as follows.

Prohibits knowingly (1) manufacturing packaging material containing a covered toxic substance or (2) distributing, selling, or offering for sale, for use within North Carolina or for export from the state, any packaging material containing a covered toxic substance. Defines covered toxic substance as: ortho-phthalates, bisphenols, PFAS, lead and lead compounds, hexavalent chromium and compounds, cadmium and cadmium compounds, mercury and mercury compounds, benzophenone and its derivatives, halogenated flame retardants, perchlorate, formaldehyde, toluene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and polycarbonate.

Allows the Secretary of Environmental Quality to assess a civil penalty of no more than $5,000 for violations involving a hazardous waste and of up to $25,000 against a person who violates this Part. Sets out penalties for repeat offenses. Sets out procedures for determining the penalty amount and for notifying the person assessed a penalty. Allows for the filing of contested case petitions within 30 days of receipt of the notice. Sets out the process for filing a request for remission of civil penalties. Provides that if the penalty has not been paid within 30 days, the Secretary is to request the Attorney General to institute a civil action, which must be filed within three years of the date the final agency decision or court order was served on the violator.  Effective October 1, 2025.

Part III.

Adds new Part 8 to GS Chapter 143, Article 21A, consisting of the following. Enacts new GS 143-215.104BB prohibiting a person from knowingly manufacturing, selling, or offering for sale any covered product that contains intentionally added PFAS in this state. Defines a covered product as any product subject to the requirements of this Part, including food packaging. Defines product as an item manufactured, assembled, packaged, or otherwise prepared for sale to consumers, including its product components, sold or distributed for personal, residential, commercial, or industrial use, including for use in making other products. Requires manufacturers of covered products to give people selling the product in this state a certificate of compliance stating that the product is in compliance with the Part and does not contain any intentionally added PFAS. Defines intentionally added PFAS as: (1) PFAS added to a product or one of the product's components that have a function or technical effect in the product, including the PFAS components of products that constitute added chemicals or products thereof; or (2) PFAS used or produced during the manufacture or processing of a product introduced into or onto the product, including any source of PFAS that is reasonably known to be present, such as using processing agents, mold release agents, or fluorination. Specifies that the Part does not apply to the sale or resale of used products.

Appropriates $100,000 for 2025-26 from the General Fund to DEQ to implement the above. Effective July 1, 2025.

Unless otherwise specified, this act is effective October 1, 2025.

Modifies the definition of an artisan bakery that is exempt from sales tax in GS 105-164.13B(a)(4) to be a bakery that (1) derives over 80% of its gross receipts from bakery items and (2) has annual gross receipts, combined with the gross receipts of all related persons (defined within) not exceeding $2.4 million (was, $1.8 million).

Effective October 1, 2025 and applies to sales made on or after that date.

Enacts GS 115C-12(50) to require the State Board of Education (State Board) to adopt rules for the installation, use, and maintenance of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) in public school units. Lists five required components of the rules, including placement of at least one AED in each school and implementation of an appropriate training course for school personnel in the use of AEDs, as specified. 

Amends GS 115C-47, GS 115C-150.12C, GS 115C-218.75, GS 115C-238.66, GS 116-11, and GS 115C-562.5  requiring local boards of education, schools for deaf and blind students, charter schools, regional schools, the UNC Board of Governors for all public secondary schools under their instruction, and nonpublic schools accepting eligible students receiving scholarship grants who have facilities where students attend in-person classes, to develop policies for the installation, maintenance, and use of AEDs pursuant to the rules adopted by the State Board under the new GS 115C-12(50).

Appropriates $4.1 million from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction for 2025-26 to be allocated by the Superintendent of Public Instruction on a first-come, first-served basis to governing bodies of public school units in an amount sufficient to purchase and install one AED per school and train personnel on the proper use of the AED as required by this act.

Effective July 1, 2025. Applies beginning with the 2025-26 school year. 

Appropriates $1 million for 2025-26 from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health to be allocated as a directed grant to the North Carolina Community Health Worker Association to fund continued mobilization, training, and certification of community health workers. 

Effective July 1, 2025.

Enacts GS 115C-23 (Emergency Internet Service Plan and Fund), directing the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to develop and maintain an emergency internet service plan for temporary internet for public schools during a state of emergency. Requires DPI to consult with the Department of Information Technology, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management when preparing the emergency plan. Specifies that the plan must include (1) how many months internet service can be provided, (2) conditions necessary to activate the plan, (3) public schools are not required to provide funds to initiate service under the plan, (4) equipment necessary for the plan at each public school, (5) third-party relationships necessary to support the plan, and who will establish and maintain the accounts, and (6) how to protect sensitive data. Establishes the Emergency Internet Service Fund, which is nonreverting and may be used for purchase of equipment or maintaining contracts and accounts for service. Requires the superintendent of DPI to report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by February 15 of each year on if there are any changes to the plan, including a copy of the plan, an accounting of the services provided under the plan since the last report, the balance of the service fund and funds expended from it, and any other relevant information.

Appropriates $3,927,380 in nonrecurring funds from the General Fund for the 2025-2026 school year to DPI to establish the Emergency Internet Service Fund.

Effective and applicable July 1, 2025, for the 2025-2026 school year.

Requires the Department of Commerce (DOC) to establish a grant program to encourage and facilitate residents of Western North Carolina who were impacted by Hurricane Helene to obtain commercial drivers licenses (CDLs), by give CLD training providers funds to cover the costs of CDL training programs and providing stipends for temporary accommodations for trainees. Requires a qualifying CDL training provider to: (1) offer a four-week accelerated CDL training program; (2) be authorized to conduct on-site CDL testing to streamline licensing; and (3) have enrollment and training facilities within a 75-mile radius of Asheville. Provides grants of $4,000 per trainee, paid upon the trainee’s successful completion of the program and obtaining a CDL. Caps accommodation grants at $1,500 for trainees that meet certain needs and caps the amount of the program’s funds that may be used for these grants at $277,500. Requires trainees to be NC residents and gives priority to residents of affected counties. Requires DOC to establish the application process and organize partnerships with hotels and motels for the accommodations stipends and with local employers and construction firms to assist grads of the CDL training program in securing employment linked to disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts.

Appropriates $2.5 million for 2025-26 from the General Fund to DOC for the grant program.

Effective July 1, 2025.