Higher-Ed in the NCGA’s Long Session

This year is the North Carolina legislature’s long session. With the “crossover” deadline of May 8 just a month away, the Martin Center has collected a roundup of proposed bills that impact higher education. While it is possible that not all of these bills will remain under consideration after crossover (the date by which a bill must have been passed by one chamber to be considered by the other), many could go on to become state law. Several bills in particular deserve the public’s attention, specifically HB 7 / SB 300: REACH Act; SB 558: Eliminating DEI in Public Higher Ed; and SB 691: In-State Tuition Equity (allowing illegal immigrants in-state tuition at UNC System schools). Here is a breakdown of all the higher-ed bills currently being considered.

HB 7 / SB 300: REACH ACT

House Primary Sponsors: Kidwell (R); Moss (R); Cairns (R); Willis (R)

Senate Primary Sponsors: Sanderson (R); Hanig (R); Galey (R)

Introduced in the last long session in 2023 but stalled in the Senate, the REACH Act has been given a second chance. This bill would require all students who attend a UNC System constituent institution or any of the state’s community colleges to take at least three credit hours of American history or American government in order to graduate.

Introduced in the last long session, the REACH Act has been given a second chance. This bill mandates several required readings, including the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, excerpts from the Federalist Papers, and the Gettysburg Address. The bill allows for occasional student exemptions if predetermined specifications are met.

Additionally, the bill mandates that both the Board of Governors and the State Board of Community Colleges ensure that the new requirement does not “add to the total number of credit hours required for a degree” and does not conflict with accreditation policies. Chancellors may be removed from constituent institutions for failure to comply. Implementation of the bill, if passed, is expected no later than November 15, 2026.

SB 558 includes a lengthy definition of “divisive concepts.” SB 558: Eliminating “DEI” in Public Higher Ed

Primary Sponsors: Berger (R); Overcash (R); Corbin (R)

As the title suggests, the scope of this bill is to prohibit all forms of DEI in public higher education by recognizing the equality and rights of all persons. By creating a new article of the General Statutes, Article 39 of Chapter 116, this bill would prohibit public institutions of higher education from engaging in several DEI-related actions. Article 39 would forbid schools to require DEI statements from faculty, staff, or students; would disallow DEI offices or DEI-specific employees; would disallow DEI courses; and would prohibit institutions from creating or maintaining committees to investigate bias incidents. The bill includes a lengthy definition of “divisive concepts,” which mentions, among other notions, the ideas that

• One race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex.

• An individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.

• The United States was created by members of a particular race or sex for the purpose of oppressing members of another race or sex.

• The rule of law does not exist but instead is a series of power relationships and struggles among racial or other groups.

This bill is designed partly to ensure compliance with President Trump’s executive order so that North Carolina public institutions can continue receiving federal funding for higher education. But it is also designed to ensure that all students enrolled receive a meaningful education based on academic excellence, critical thinking, and the free exchange of ideas. The bill would require the UNC System and the Community College System to adopt a policy in compliance with Article 39.

SB 333: Prohibit Illegal Accreditation Requirements

Primary Sponsors: Galey (R); Hanig (R)

This bill would prohibit constituent institutions of the UNC System and N.C. Community College System from violating state or federal law in order to meet a requirement of an accrediting agency.

SB 691: In-State Tuition Equity

Primary Sponsors: Mohammed (D); Meyer (D); Murdock (D) 

This bill would allow certain people, including illegal immigrants, to qualify for in-state tuition at UNC System schools. In order to qualify for in-state tuition, the student in question would need to meet all of the following requirements: the student (1) graduated and received a diploma from a North Carolina school or received a high-school-equivalency diploma in NC; (2) has completed two consecutive years of school in the state prior to completing high school; (3) is enrolled in a constituent institution or community college; and (4) can submit an affidavit to the State Education Assistance Authority asserting that he or she has filed an application to legalize his or her citizenship status or that he or she intends to file an application to legalize his or her status upon becoming eligible (assuming the student in question lacks lawful citizenship). Additionally, the bill states that any information obtained in the process of applying for in-state tuition in accordance with these requirements will be confidential and not part of the public record.

SB 691 would allow illegal immigrants to qualify for in-state tuition at UNC System schools. SB 124: Reduce Barriers to State Employment

Primary Sponsors: Corbin (R); Lee (R); Johnson (R)

This bill would require steps to be taken to reduce barriers to state employment. Specifically, assessment of educational and other requirements for each state agency, department, and institution would need to take into account when other applicable experience (military service or an apprenticeship) or other avenues of education (trade school) are appropriate qualifications. Steps should additionally be taken to identify instances where educational, experiential, and training requirements can be reduced. Language concerning four-year-degree requirements is to be removed from job descriptions in cases where degrees are not necessary for the job.

Steps will be taken to identify instances where educational, experiential, and training requirements can be reduced. HB 154: Reclaim State Assets from NCInnovation

Primary Sponsors: Warren (R); Blust (R); Howard (R); Johnson (R)

This bill dissolves the relationship between the state and NCInnovation. NCInnovation is required to return all funds (other than excluded amounts) and all assets acquired with state funds to the general fund. This process will be facilitated by the state controller.

HB 469: Restoring Rivalries Act

Primary Sponsors: B. Jones (R); K. Hall (R); McNeely (R); Schietzelt (R) 

This bill would require North Carolina State University and UNC-Chapel Hill to regularly compete against one another in football, basketball, baseball, and softball. The bill states that “recent conference realignments driven primarily by financial incentives have disrupted traditional rivalries, diminished regional competition, and eroded the historic significance of intrastate athletic contests.” By requiring several games between the two schools in all eligible sports (football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, and softball), this bill hopes to boost students’ cultural experience by fostering school spirit and also boost the economy by generating revenue and tourism.

HB 23: Allow Stanly Comm. Coll. Culinary off Campus

Primary Sponsor: Huneycutt (R)

As its title suggests, HB 23 grants permission for Stanly Community College to operate a culinary program at a location off of its main campus.

HB 69: Military and Veterans Educational Promise Act

Primary Sponsors: Campbell (R); Chesser (R); Hastings (R); Pittman (D)

This bill’s purpose is threefold: to prohibit discriminatory admissions policies for active-duty servicemembers and veterans, to require military admissions deferments for both members of the uniformed services and their spouses at UNC System constituent institutions, and to provide in-state tuition to qualifying honorably discharged veterans.

HB 89: University Vaccination Freedom Act

Primary Sponsors: Gable (R); Almond (R); Kidwell (R); Tyson (R)

This bill is designed to repeal immunization requirements for both K-12 schools and child-care facilities. The original draft of the bill included colleges and universities, but any mention of higher-education institutions (aside from the title) has since been cut.

HB 110: National Guard Student Loan Repayment Program

Primary Sponsors: Reives (D); Loftis (R); Goodwin (R); Pittman (D)

This bill requests over $25 million in non-recurring funds to create a loan-repayment program for active members of the North Carolina National Guard, as well as $180,000 in recurring funds to staff this program. The bill incentivizes students to initiate or complete a term of service of a minimum of three years with the N.C. National Guard.

HB 110 incentivizes students to initiate or complete a term of service of at least three years with the N.C. National Guard. HB 145: Funds for Diabetes Research Institute/UNC-CH

Primary Sponsors: Lowery (R); Rhyne (R); Campbell (R); Buansi (D)

This bill is a non-recurring request of $50 million in appropriated funding from the general fund for the Board of Governors to develop a diabetes research institute at UNC-Chapel Hill.

HB 268 would authorize the funding of certain capital-improvement projects. HB 160: Joel H. Crisp SUDEP Awareness Law

Primary Sponsors: Gillespie (R); Potts (R); White (R); Cunningham (D)

This bill directs UNC School of Medicine health-education centers to gather evidence-based information on sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, with the intention of creating a standard of information to provide to all healthcare practitioners in the state.

HB 268: 2025 UNC Self-Liquidating Capital Projects

Primary Sponsors: Hastings (R); Pickett (R)

This bill would authorize the funding of certain capital-improvement projects for two UNC System schools without appropriations from the general fund or the state capital and infrastructure fund. The projects listed would be allowed to use institutional funds from gifts, grants, receipts, self-liquidating indebtedness, Medicare reimbursements for education costs, hospital receipts from patient care, or other funds, or any combination of these funds. This does not include funds from tuition or state appropriations unless previously authorized by the legislature. The projects included are electrical improvements and an addition to Fetzer Hall and campus recreation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, totaling $104,581,920. Also included are the construction of a parking deck and phase three of a student-housing project at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, totaling $83,002,458. Increases may be requested by the Board of Governors from the director of the budget, as well as via special obligation bonds for additional costs (up to an additional five percent of the previously listed amounts).

HB 346: Central Carolina CC MCC Funding

Primary Sponsor: Sauls (R)

Central Carolina Community College is requesting that the State Board of Community Colleges include its health-sciences locations in the full-time equivalent student calculation of the main campuses. Specifically, the institution requests that Harnett Main Campus and Harnett Health Sciences Center combine FTE numbers and, separately, that Chatham Main Campus and Chatham Health Sciences Center also combine FTE numbers.

HB 365: Workforce Education Act

Primary Sponsors: Reives (D); Willis (R); Campbell (R); Roberson (D)

This bill would make additions to the general statutes for community colleges by adding a subsection to the funding formula instructing the State Board of Community Colleges to review and revise the workforce-sector designations for curriculum, workforce continuing ed, and basic-skills courses by mid-January 2027, and from there every two years.

Additionally, this bill would establish an enrollment-increase reserve with the purpose of allowing the State Board to provide funds to community colleges to help make up the difference for enrollment increases that exceed the budgeted enrollment levels. These funds would be appropriated by the General Assembly and may be allocated to community colleges that meet eligibility standards as described in the bill, namely a five-percent enrollment increase in certain course categories or a total FTE enrollment increase of over 325 students. These funds will remain available in the reserve until expended.

The final portion of this bill outlines funding for the 134 Cooperative Innovative High Schools in the state based on three county development tier designations. As listed on the website: CIHSs “include early colleges and other innovative high schools, usually located on university or community college campuses.” These allocations are recurring funds for each fiscal year.

HB 373: UNC Tuition Discounts for Certain Students

Primary Sponsors: Campbell (R); Pickett (R); Chesser (R); Willis (R)

Certain students would be eligible for tuition discounts, and some personnel would be eligible for free tuition, should this bill pass both the House and Senate. Personnel may enroll in the University of North Carolina free of charge for tuition and fees so long as enrollment does not interfere with their job obligations, and enrollments are not to be counted for the purpose of receiving appropriated funds. A full-time faculty member with the rank of full-time instructor or above may enroll in a maximum of three courses per year; full-time staff members may enroll in more than three courses per year; and full- or part-time campus law-enforcement officers may enroll in some number of courses per year as determined by regulation (not specified here).

The next section allows constituent institutions to use their discretion in providing discounted tuition to qualifying military students, of an amount up to the difference between military tuition-assistance funds and applicable tuition. In order to qualify, the student must be a resident for tuition purposes and must receive either federal military tuition-assistance funds or military tuition assistance for members of the National Guard.

Finally, this bill would allow constituent institutions, using their own discretion, to provide discount tuition to students enrolled in an employer-sponsored financial-support program. The discount can be up to the difference between the amount provided by the employer and the applicable tuition.

HB 378: Leon’s Law (Dual Enrollment Info Parents)

Primary Sponsors: Pickett (R); Cotham (R); Liu (D); Hawkins (D)

Should this bill become law, each community college would be required to make educational records of minor students available to their parents or guardians. Minor students would be required to fill out a form prior to course registration acknowledging that their parents or guardians have access to their educational records.

HB 414: 1-to-1 Credit for Career and College Promise

Primary Sponsors: Willis (R); Cotham (R); Biggs (R); Pickett (R)

In an effort to further streamline the state’s dual-enrollment process, this bill would instruct the State Board of Community Colleges, in collaboration with the State Board of Education, to develop a series of courses to be offered at community colleges that would, upon completion, fulfill the following high-school graduation requirements: English, science, social studies, and mathematics. The goal of this course series is that one community-college course completion equals one full high-school credit to satisfy high-school graduation requirements while continuing to align with the Career and College Promise program. Completion of these courses, however, will not constitute completion of any end-of-course tests required to graduate.

HB 420: Sound Basic Education for Every Child (NC Educator Licensure)

Primary Sponsors: von Haefen (D); Ball (D); Hawkins (D); Prather (D)

While this bill is packed with information regarding several K-12 education topics, including appropriating funds, requiring an annual educator diversity report, and establishing an Office of Equity Affairs within the Department of Public Instruction, there is a small portion that pertains to higher education.

Section 1.3(a) would require the State Board of Education to collaborate with the UNC System Office to identify the logistics for UNC System educator-prep programs to increase capacity in order to “recruit, prepare, support, and graduate at least 5,000 in-state trained teachers annually,” as well as graduate “more educators of color annually.”

HB 422: Beyond the Choice Act

Primary Sponsors: Charles Smith (D); Goodwin (R); Loftis (R); Campbell (R)

This bill adds to the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act the specification that covered individuals (under “The Choice Act”), in addition to veterans and their dependents, are eligible to be charged in-state tuition and fees for enrollment without having met the 12-month residency requirement.

SB 104: Senate BOG Elections (Resolution)

Primary Sponsor: Rabon (R)

Per North Carolina general statutes, both the Senate and the House are responsible for the nominations of the 12 members of the UNC System Board of Governors. They each elect six members every two years, as a full term for BOG members is four years. The Senate has passed a resolution to re-appoint six members to the UNC System Board of Governors. BOG members are only able to serve three full four-year terms, with partial terms not counting towards the term limit. Here are the six re-appointments made by the Senate:

• Kirk Bradley, second term
• Jimmy Clark, second full term after serving a partial term
• Kathryn Greeley, first full term after serving a partial term
• Sonja Nichols, second term
• Art Pope, second term
• Randy Ramsey, third and final term

SB 125: Reorganization of Chapter 115D

Primary Sponsors: Lee (R); Corbin (R); Jones (R)

This bill is largely a reorganization of part of chapter 115 of the General Statutes on Community Colleges; however, it does also include several additions to this chapter. Here are a few of them:

• Community Colleges do not need State Board approval for new programs so long as tuition for the program will fully cover the cost of the program.
• The State Board of Community Colleges is to establish training programs at 15 community colleges to provide credentials for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) that lead to increased employment outcomes.
• Community Colleges cannot receive accreditation by an accrediting agency for consecutive accrediting cycles.
• An NC Career Coach Program is to be established to place community-college career coaches at high schools to help students determine career goals and identify community-college programs that would help them achieve those goals.

SB 133: NCCCS Learning Management System

Primary Sponsors: Lee (R); Overcash (R); Corbin (R)

This bill would require the State Board of Community Colleges to conduct a competitive solicitation to provide a learning-management system to all community colleges and to report on how this learning-management system could be integrated to work with those of the Department of Public Instruction and the constituent institutions of the UNC System.

Additionally, this bill would rewrite General Statute 143B-1320 to add the Community College System Office to the list of exempt entities.

SB 229: Authorize NIL Agency Contracts

Primary Sponsors: Galey (R); Brinson (R); Corbin (R)

This bill would authorize name, image, and likeness (NIL) agency contracts and exempt certain NIL contracts from public-records requirements.

A boldface warning would henceforth be included in professional sports-services agency contracts in an obvious manner, near the student-athlete signature line, warning student athletes to consult with their school prior to entering into any NIL contracts, because in doing so they could be acting in conflict with state law or institutional policies, thus compromising their athletic eligibility. Additionally, NIL contracts can be canceled within 14 days after signing.

Included is a quasi-“non-compete” section that prohibits agents who currently are, or in the prior two years have been, employed by an educational institution from entering into an NIL agency contract with a student athlete at that institution. The bill further voids NIL agency contracts should a student enroll in that institution after entering in said contract.

Finally, this bill would exempt certain NIL contract information from being disclosed via public-records requests, specifically if NIL contract information is acquired for the purpose of reviewing it for compliance with federal law, state law, institutional policies, or policies of an intercollegiate sports association, organization, or conference.

Ashlynn Warta is the North Carolina reporter for the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal.