North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina House Bill H175 Latest Draft

Bill / Amended Version Filed 02/25/2025

                            GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA 
SESSION 2025 
H 	1 
HOUSE BILL 175 
 
 
Short Title: Const. Amend./Marriage Equality. 	(Public) 
Sponsors: Representatives Butler, Rubin, Lopez, and Belk (Primary Sponsors). 
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site. 
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House 
February 25, 2025 
*H175 -v-1* 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 
AN ACT TO AMEND THE NORTH CAROLINA CONST ITUTION AND REPEAL A 2 
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION THAT RECOGNIZES MARRIAGE BETWEEN ON E 3 
MAN AND ONE WOMAN AS THE ONLY DOMESTIC L EGAL UNION THAT IS 4 
VALID OR RECOGNIZED BY THE STATE. 5 
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6 
SECTION 1. Section 6 of Article XIV of the North Carolina Constitution reads as 7 
rewritten: 8 
"Sec. 6. Marriage. 9 
Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be 10 
valid or recognized in this State. This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into 11 
contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the 12 
rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts." 13 
SECTION 2. The amendment set out in Section 1 of this act shall be submitted to 14 
the qualified voters of the State at the general election in November 2026, which election shall 15 
be conducted under the laws then governing elections in the State. Ballots, voting systems, or 16 
both may be used in accordance with Chapter 163 of the General Statutes. The question to be 17 
used in the voting systems and ballots shall be: 18 
"[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST 19 
Constitutional amendment to repeal a constitutional provision that recognizes 20 
marriage between one man and one woman as the only domestic legal union that is valid and 21 
recognized in this State." 22 
SECTION 3. If a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment 23 
set out in Section 1 of this act, the State Board of Elections shall certify the amendment to the 24 
Secretary of State, and the amendment becomes effective January 1, 2027. The Secretary of State 25 
shall enroll the amendment so certified among the permanent records of that office. 26 
SECTION 4. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 27 
law. 28