GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 507
Short Title: The Children First Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Prather, Pittman, R. Pierce, and Johnson-Hostler (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
March 26, 2025
*H507 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT PRIORITZING THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN BY EXPANDING A CCESS 2
TO AFFORDABLE, HIGH -QUALITY CHILD CARE F OR NORTH CAROLINA 3
FAMILIES; ESTABLISHING AN EMPLOYER -PROVIDED CHILD CARE CREDI T; 4
IMPLEMENTING WORKFOR CE DEVELOPMENT AND LICENSING REFORM 5
STRATEGIES TO ELIMIN ATE THE CHILD CARE W ORKFORCE SHORTAGE; 6
ENHANCING CHILD HEAL TH AND SAFETY PROTEC TIONS; ADDRESSING 7
INFANT AND FETAL MORTALITY PREVENTION; ESTABLISHING A CHILD CARE 8
INNOVATION TASK FORC E TO IMPROVE THE CHI LD CARE LANDSCAPE IN 9
NORTH CAROLINA; AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THESE PURPOSES. 10
Whereas, children in North Carolina are facing unprecedented threats to their safety, 11
privacy, education, and overall well-being, requiring a bold policy response to protect them from 12
economic insecurity, digital exploitation, harmful substances, and violence; and 13
Whereas, the cost of raising children has skyrocketed, with child care, housing, 14
healthcare, and education expenses outpacing wages, forcing many families to make impossible 15
financial choices and pushing parents—especially mothers—out of the workforce; and 16
Whereas, predatory social media platforms and digital corporations are deliberately 17
targeting children with addictive algorithms, manipulative content, and intrusive data collection, 18
exposing them to mental health crises, identity theft, and exploitation without parental consent 19
or oversight; and 20
Whereas, children are being tracked, monetized, and manipulated online, leading to 21
increased rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and social isolation, creating the urgent need 22
for strict digital privacy protections, algorithm regulations, and a ban on data mining of minors; 23
and 24
Whereas, youth vaping, cannabis exposure, and synthetic drug use have surged, with 25
over one-third of North Carolina high school students reporting vape use, and an increasing 26
number of elementary-aged children being introduced to nicotine, THC derivatives, and other 27
substances especially harmful to children; and 28
Whereas, firearm-related deaths among children have more than doubled since 2013, 29
with over seventy-nine percent (79%) of guns found on school campuses originating from 30
improperly stored firearms, making safe storage laws and firearm safety education a critical 31
public health necessity; and 32 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 507-First Edition
Whereas, youth homelessness is rising at alarming rates, with more than 28,000 1
students statewide experiencing housing instability, making it nearly impossible for these 2
children to focus on their education, well-being, and future career paths; and 3
Whereas, childhood food insecurity remains a crisis, with more than twenty percent 4
(20%) of North Carolina children living in households that cannot afford sufficient nutrition, 5
leading to lifelong negative health outcomes and academic struggles; and 6
Whereas, violent crime and exploitation targeting children are on the rise, with human 7
traffickers, gangs, and online predators increasingly preying on minors, requiring stronger law 8
enforcement collaboration and parental empowerment to protect our children; and 9
Whereas, every dollar invested in early childhood development, education, and safety 10
yields an estimated seven-dollar ($7.00) return in long-term economic benefits, including higher 11
graduation rates, increased workforce productivity, and lower crime rates, proving that protecting 12
children is not just a moral obligation but an economic necessity; and 13
Whereas, North Carolina has an opportunity to be a national leader in child safety, 14
privacy protections, and family empowerment, ensuring that our State prioritizes parental rights, 15
safeguards children from corporate and government overreach, and builds a future where every 16
child can thrive; Now, therefore, 17
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 18
19
PART I. TITLE AND PURPOSE 20
SECTION 1.1. This act shall be known as "The Children First Act." 21
SECTION 1.2. The purposes of this act are as follows: 22
(1) To expand child care affordability and access for North Carolina families. 23
(2) To increase child care workforce development activities and streamline the 24
licensing of child care workers. 25
(3) To strengthen child health and safety protections with respect to social media, 26
substance use, firearm safety, and access to early childhood mental health. 27
(4) To incentivize employer-sponsored child care initiatives. 28
(5) To reduce child care deserts in rural and underserved communities. 29
(6) To support public-private partnerships for sustainable child care solutions. 30
31
PART II. EXPANSION OF CHILD CARE AFFORDA BILITY AND ACCESS 32
33
EXPANSION OF CHILD CARE SUBSIDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND 34
ENHANCEMENT OF CHILD CARE SUBSIDY RATES 35
SECTION 2.1. Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund 36
to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early 37
Education, the sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) in recurring funds for each year of the 38
2025-2027 fiscal biennium to be allocated to the North Carolina Child Care Subsidy Program to 39
do all of the following: 40
(1) To increase the maximum gross annual income for initial eligibility under the 41
Program to eighty-five percent (85%) of State Median Income (SMI). 42
(2) To adjust the sliding scale used to determine the percentage of child care costs 43
paid by families participating in the Program. Copayments on the sliding scale 44
shall be graduated based on family size and household income, starting from 45
two hundred percent (200%) of the federal poverty level and increasing 46
through eighty-five percent (85%) of SMI. 47
(3) To increase child care subsidy rates to reflect the true cost of providing quality 48
child care in North Carolina. The increase funded pursuant to this section shall 49
be based on the most recent North Carolina child care market rate survey 50
conducted in 2023. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 507-First Edition Page 3
1
CHILD CARE FACILITY GRANTS 2
SECTION 2.2.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 3
of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), 4
the sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for each year of the 5
2025-2027 fiscal biennium to be used to provide grants for start-up costs associated with the 6
establishment of new child care facilities in rural or underserved areas of the State, particularly 7
those areas within a child care desert or low performing and high poverty district. The DCDEE 8
shall establish an application process and eligibility criteria for awarding grants under this section 9
and shall award grants under this section pursuant to criteria established by the DCDEE. 10
SECTION 2.2.(b) By December 1, 2026, and by December 1, 2027, the DCDEE 11
shall report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and the 12
Fiscal Research Division on any grants awarded pursuant to this section. The report shall include 13
at least all of the following information: 14
(1) The total number and amount of grants awarded under this section. 15
(2) For each grant, the identity and a brief description of the grantee, the amount 16
of the grant award, the grantee's stated purpose for the grant, and the location 17
of the new child care facility funded by the grant. 18
(3) A status report on the operational status of the child care facility funded by 19
the grant. 20
21
CHILD CARE FACILITIES INVESTMENT FUND AND LOAN PROGRAM 22
SECTION 2.3.(a) Fund Established; Purpose. – The Child Care Facilities 23
Investment Fund is created as a nonreverting special fund in the Department of Commerce. The 24
Fund shall operate as a revolving fund consisting of funds appropriated to, or otherwise received 25
by, the Child Care Facilities Investment Program created by subsection (b) of this section and all 26
funds received as repayment of the principal of or interest on a loan made from the Fund. The 27
State Treasurer is the custodian of the Fund and shall invest its assets in accordance with 28
G.S. 147-69.2 and G.S. 147-69.3. Moneys in the Fund shall not be used for any purpose other 29
than to finance the costs of expanding or upgrading existing child care facilities in rural or 30
underserved areas of the State, as provided in subsection (b) of this section. 31
SECTION 2.3.(b) Program Established; Purpose. – There is established the Child 32
Care Facilities Investment Program (Program) within the Department of Commerce. Within the 33
funds available in the Child Care Facilities Investment Fund created by subsection (a) of this 34
section, the Program shall provide for loans at below-market interest rates with structured 35
repayment terms to finance the costs of expanding or upgrading existing child care facilities in 36
rural or underserved areas of the State, particularly those areas in a child care desert or low 37
performing and high poverty district. 38
SECTION 2.3.(c) Administration. – The Department of Commerce shall administer 39
the Program and has the following duties and responsibilities: 40
(1) Establishing an application period and a process for submitting an application 41
for a loan under this Program. 42
(2) Assessing applications submitted by an applicant for a loan under the 43
Program. 44
(3) Evaluating an applicant's ability to repay the loan. 45
(4) Negotiating the terms of a proposed loan agreement. 46
(5) Determining the security interests necessary to enforce repayment of the loan. 47
(6) Implementing approved loan agreements, including monitoring repayment 48
and collection. 49
(7) Any other duties and responsibilities necessary to the implementation of the 50
Program and enforcement of the loan agreements under the Program. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 4 House Bill 507-First Edition
SECTION 2.3.(d) Annually by December 1, beginning December 1, 2027, the 1
Department of Commerce shall report to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental 2
Operations, the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services, and the 3
Fiscal Research Division on any loans provided under the Child Care Facilities Investment 4
Program authorized by this section. The report shall include at least all of the following 5
information with respect to the preceding fiscal year: 6
(1) The total amount of loans approved under the Program. 7
(2) For each loan approved, the identity of the borrower, the amount of the loan, 8
and the borrower's stated purpose for the loan. 9
(3) A status report on the activities funded by the loan. 10
SECTION 2.3.(e) Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated from the General 11
Fund to the Department of Commerce the sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) in 12
recurring funds for each year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to be allocated to the Child Care 13
Facilities Investment Fund created by subsection (a) of this section. 14
15
EMPLOYER-PROVIDED CHILD CARE CREDIT 16
SECTION 2.4.(a) Article 4 of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes is amended by 17
adding a new Part to read: 18
"Part 6. Employer-Provided Child Care Credit. 19
"§ 105-163.20. Employer-provided child care credit. 20
(a) Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section: 21
(1) Code. – Defined in G.S. 105-228.90. 22
(2) Qualifying business. – A business subject to income tax under this Article. 23
(b) Credit. – A qualifying business that is allowed a credit against federal income tax for 24
qualified child care expenditures under section 45F of the Code shall be allowed as a credit 25
against the tax imposed by Part 1, Part 1A, or Part 2 of this Article, as appropriate, the amount 26
allowed under section 45F of the Code. In order to claim the credit allowed by this section, the 27
taxpayer must provide with the tax return the information required by the Secretary. 28
(c) Limitations. – A nonresident or part-year resident who claims the credit allowed by 29
this section shall reduce the amount of the credit by multiplying it by the fraction calculated under 30
G.S. 105-153.4(b) or (c), as appropriate. No credit shall be allowed under this section for amounts 31
deducted in calculating North Carolina taxable income. The credit allowed by this section may 32
not exceed the amount of tax imposed by Part 1, Part 1A, or Part 2 of this Article for the taxable 33
year reduced by the sum of all credits allowable, except for payments of tax made by or on behalf 34
of the taxpayer." 35
SECTION 2.4.(b) This section is effective for taxable years beginning on or after 36
January 1, 2026. 37
38
PART III. CHILD HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTEC TIONS 39
40
MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR DOULA SERVICES 41
SECTION 3.1.(a) The Department of Health and Human Services, Division of 42
Health Benefits (DHB), shall seek approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 43
(CMS) to implement Medicaid coverage of certain healthcare services provided by a doula. DHB 44
shall develop the parameters of services to be covered, including updating applicable clinical 45
coverage policies, developing appropriate reimbursement for covered services provided by a 46
doula, and determining provider credentialing requirements for participation in the NC Medicaid 47
program. The coverage required by this section shall be implemented as soon as practicable upon 48
approval by CMS. DHB shall report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Medicaid 49
no later than March 1, 2026, regarding the details of the Medicaid coverage of healthcare services 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 507-First Edition Page 5
provided by a doula, the specific reimbursement for these services, and the estimated recurring 1
cost to the State of providing this coverage. 2
SECTION 3.1.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 3
of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Benefits, the sum of one million dollars 4
($1,000,000) in recurring funds for each year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to implement the 5
Medicaid-related changes outlined in this act. These funds shall provide a State match for one 6
million eight hundred twenty-six thousand dollars ($1,826,000) in recurring federal funds for 7
each year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, and those federal funds are appropriated to the 8
Division of Health Benefits to pay for costs associated with the Medicaid-related changes 9
outlined in this act. 10
SECTION 3.1.(c) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 11
of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of five hundred thousand 12
dollars ($500,000) in recurring funds for each year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to be used 13
to provide training, support services, and technical assistance to the doula workforce. 14
SECTION 3.1.(d) Subsections (b) and (c) of this section are effective July 1, 2025. 15
The remainder of this section is effective when it becomes law. 16
17
YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION 18
SECTION 3.2.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 19
of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education, the sum of 20
one million dollars ($1,000,000) in recurring funds for each year of the 2025-2027 fiscal 21
biennium to be used to provide mental health training for child care workers, including suicide 22
prevention strategies. 23
SECTION 3.2.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 24
of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education, the sum of 25
two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for each year of 26
the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to be used to provide for telehealth services for mental health 27
screenings in child care centers. 28
SECTION 3.2.(c) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 29
of Public Instruction the sum of sixty-five million four hundred ninety thousand seven hundred 30
six dollars ($65,490,706) in recurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to increase the School 31
Health Personnel Allotment as established in G.S. 115C-316.5. 32
SECTION 3.2.(d) This section is effective July 1, 2025. 33
34
CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY LAW REVISIONS 35
SECTION 3.3.(a) G.S. 20-137.1 reads as rewritten: 36
"§ 20-137.1. Child restraint systems required. 37
(a) Every driver who is transporting one or more passengers of less than 16 years of age 38
shall have all such passengers properly secured in a child passenger restraint system or seat belt 39
which meets federal standards applicable at the time of its manufacture. For purposes of this 40
section, a "child passenger restraint system" means any device designed to restrain or position a 41
child in a motor vehicle, including a booster seat. 42
(a1) A child less than eight years of age and less than 80 pounds in weight 57 inches in 43
height shall be properly secured in a weight-appropriate height and weight appropriate child 44
passenger restraint system. In vehicles equipped with an active passenger-side front air bag, if 45
the vehicle has a rear seat, a child less than five years of age and less than 40 pounds in weight 46
shall be properly secured in a rear seat, unless the child restraint system is designed for use with 47
air bags. If system as follows: 48
(1) Beginning as a newborn, a child shall be properly secured in a rear-facing 49
child passenger restraint system with transition to a forward-facing system 50
according to the manufacturer's instructions related to the child's height and 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 6 House Bill 507-First Edition
weight requirements for use of the system as indicated by the federally 1
required label on the car seat which states those requirements. 2
(2) The child shall be properly secured in a child passenger restraint system in a 3
rear seat unless at least one of the following exceptions applies: 4
a. The vehicle does not have a rear seat. This exception shall not apply 5
to a rear-facing child passenger restraint system being used in the front 6
seat of a motor vehicle that has an active front air bag. 7
b. The vehicle is not equipped with an active passenger-side front air bag. 8
c. The child passenger restraint system is designed for use with front air 9
bags. 10
(a2) A driver may satisfy the requirements of this this section by properly securing a child 11
passenger with a seat belt as follows: 12
(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a1) of this section, if no seating position 13
equipped with a lap and shoulder belt to properly secure the 14
weight-appropriate child passenger restraint system is available, a child less 15
than eight years of age and between at least 40 and 80 pounds may be 16
restrained by a properly fitted lap belt only. 17
(2) A child who is at least 8 years of age or 57 inches in height may be restrained 18
by a properly secured lap and shoulder belt. For purposes of this subdivision, 19
a lap and shoulder belt are properly secured if, when fastened, all of the 20
following apply: 21
a. The lap belt fits across the child's thighs and hips and not across the 22
child's abdomen. 23
b. The shoulder belt crosses the child's body diagonally at approximately 24
the mid-point of the child's shoulder and the center of the child's chest. 25
c. The child is able to sit with the child's back straight against the 26
vehicle's seat back cushion and with the child's knees bent over the 27
vehicle's seat edge without slouching. 28
…." 29
SECTION 3.3.(b) This act becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to 30
offenses committed on or after that date. 31
32
FIREARM SAFE STORAGE AWARENESS 33
SECTION 3.4.(a) G.S. 14-315.1 reads as rewritten: 34
"§ 14-315.1. Storage of firearms to protect minors. 35
(a) Any person who resides in the same premises as a minor, owns or possesses a firearm, 36
and stores or leaves the firearm (i) in a condition that the firearm can be discharged and (ii) in a 37
manner that the person knew or should have known that an unsupervised minor would be able to 38
gain access to the firearm, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor if a minor gains access to the 39
firearm without the lawful permission of the minor's parents or a person having charge of the 40
minor and the minor:minor does any of the following: 41
(1) Possesses it in violation of G.S. 14-269.2(b);G.S. 14-269.2(b). 42
(2) Exhibits it in a public place in a careless, angry, or threatening 43
manner;manner. 44
(3) Causes personal injury or death with it not in self defense; ordefense. 45
(4) Uses it in the commission of a crime. 46
…." 47
SECTION 3.4.(b) G.S. 110-102 reads as rewritten: 48
"§ 110-102. Information for parents. 49
The Secretary shall provide to each operator of a child care facility a summary of this Article 50
and G.S. 14-315.1 for the parents, guardian, or full-time custodian of each child receiving child 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 507-First Edition Page 7
care in the facility to be distributed by the operator. Operators of child care facilities shall provide 1
a copy of the summary to each child's parent, guardian, or full-time custodian before the child is 2
enrolled in the child care facility. The child's parent, guardian, or full-time custodian shall sign a 3
statement attesting that he or she received a copy of the summary before the child's enrollment. 4
The summary shall include the name and address of the Secretary and the address of the 5
Commission. The summary shall explain how parents may obtain information on individual child 6
care facilities maintained in public files by the Division of Child Development. The summary 7
shall also include a statement regarding the mandatory duty prescribed in G.S. 7B-301 of any 8
person suspecting child abuse or neglect has taken place in child care, or elsewhere, to report to 9
the county Department of Social Services. The statement shall include the definitions of child 10
abuse and neglect described in the Juvenile Code in G.S. 7B-101 and of child abuse described in 11
the Criminal Code in G.S. 14-318.2 and G.S. 14-318.4. The statement shall stress that this 12
reporting law does not require that the person reporting reveal the person's identity. The summary 13
shall also include a statement that the Department of Public Safety has additional resources on 14
best practices for firearm storage and safety. 15
The summary of this Article and G.S. 14-315.1 shall be posted with the facility's license in 16
accordance with G.S. 110-99. Religious-sponsored programs operating pursuant to G.S. 110-106 17
shall post the summary in a prominent place at all times so that it is easily reviewed by parents." 18
SECTION 3.4.(c) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 19
of Public Safety the sum of two million one hundred sixty thousand dollars ($2,160,000) in 20
recurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to be used for costs associated with maintaining the 21
NC SAFE (Secure All Firearms Effectively) initiative. 22
SECTION 3.4.(d) Subsection (a) of this section becomes effective December 1, 23
2025, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date. Subsection (b) of this section 24
becomes effective December 1, 2025. The remainder of this section becomes effective July 1, 25
2025. 26
27
RAISING OF MINIMUM AGE TO ACCESS TOBACCO AND VAPOR PRODUCTS TO 28
ALIGN WITH FEDERAL LAW 29
SECTION 3.5.(a) G.S. 14-313 reads as rewritten: 30
"§ 14-313. Youth access to tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, vapor products, 31
and cigarette wrapping papers. 32
(a) Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section: 33
… 34
(2) Proof of age. – A drivers license or other photographic identification that 35
includes the bearer's date of birth that purports to establish that the person is 36
18 21 years of age or older. 37
… 38
(b) Sale or Distribution to Persons Under the Age of 18 21 Years. – If any person shall 39
distribute, or aid, assist, or abet any other person in distributing tobacco products or cigarette 40
wrapping papers to any person under the age of 18 21 years, or if any person shall purchase 41
tobacco products or cigarette wrapping papers on behalf of a person under the age of 18 21 years, 42
the person shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor; provided, however, that it shall not be 43
unlawful to distribute tobacco products or cigarette wrapping papers to an employee when 44
required in the performance of the employee's duties. Retail distributors of tobacco products shall 45
prominently display near the point of sale a sign in letters at least five-eighths of an inch high 46
which states the following: 47
N.C. LAW STRICTLY PROHIBITS 48
THE PURCHASE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS, ALTERNATIVE NICOTINE PRODUCTS, 49
VAPOR PRODUCTS, AND CIGARETTE WRAPPING PAPERS 50
BY PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 18.21. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 8 House Bill 507-First Edition
PROOF OF AGE REQUIRED. 1
Failure to post the required sign shall be an infraction punishable by a fine of twenty-five dollars 2
($25.00) for the first offense and seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for each succeeding offense. 3
A person engaged in the sale of tobacco products or cigarette wrapping papers shall demand 4
proof of age from a prospective purchaser if the person has reasonable grounds to believe that 5
the prospective purchaser is under 18 21 years of age. Failure to demand proof of age as required 6
by this subsection is a Class 2 misdemeanor if in fact the prospective purchaser is under 18 21 7
years of age. Retail distributors of tobacco products or cigarette wrapping papers shall train their 8
sales employees in the requirements of this law. Proof of any of the following shall be a defense 9
to any action brought under this subsection: 10
(1) The defendant demanded, was shown, and reasonably relied upon proof of age 11
in the case of a retailer, or any other documentary or written evidence of age 12
in the case of a nonretailer. 13
(2) The defendant relied on the electronic system established and operated by the 14
Division of Motor Vehicles pursuant to G.S. 20-37.02. 15
(3) The defendant relied on a biometric identification system that demonstrated 16
(i) the purchaser's age to be at least the required age for the purchase and (ii) 17
the purchaser had previously registered with the seller or seller's agent a 18
drivers license, a special identification card issued under G.S. 20-37.7, a 19
military identification card, or a passport showing the purchaser's date of birth 20
and bearing a physical description of the person named on the card. 21
(b1) Distribution of Tobacco Products. – Tobacco products shall not be distributed in 22
vending machines; provided, however, vending machines distributing tobacco products are 23
permitted (i) in any establishment which is open only to persons 18 21 years of age and older; or 24
(ii) in any establishment if the vending machine is under the continuous control of the owner or 25
licensee of the premises or an employee thereof and can be operated only upon activation by the 26
owner, licensee, or employee prior to each purchase and the vending machine is not accessible 27
to the public when the establishment is closed. The owner, licensee, or employee shall demand 28
proof of age from a prospective purchaser if the person has reasonable grounds to believe that 29
the prospective purchaser is under 18 21 years of age. Failure to demand proof of age as required 30
by this subsection is a Class 2 misdemeanor if in fact the prospective purchaser is under 18 21 31
years of age. Proof that the defendant demanded, was shown, and reasonably relied upon proof 32
of age shall be a defense to any action brought under this subsection. Any person distributing 33
tobacco products through vending machines in violation of this subsection shall be guilty of a 34
Class 2 misdemeanor. 35
(b2) Internet Distribution of Tobacco Products. – A person engaged in the distribution of 36
tobacco products through the Internet or other remote sales methods shall perform an age 37
verification through an independent, third-party age verification service that compares 38
information available from public records to the personal information entered by the individual 39
during the ordering process to establish that the individual ordering the tobacco products is 18 40
21 years of age or older. 41
(c) Purchase By Persons Under the Age of 18 21 Years. – If any person under the age of 42
18 21 years purchases or accepts receipt, or attempts to purchase or accept receipt, of tobacco 43
products or cigarette wrapping papers, or presents or offers to any person any purported proof of 44
age which is false, fraudulent, or not actually his or her own, for the purpose of purchasing or 45
receiving any tobacco product or cigarette wrapping papers, the person shall be guilty of a Class 46
2 misdemeanor; provided, however, that it shall not be unlawful for an employee to purchase or 47
accept receipt of tobacco products or cigarette wrapping papers when required in the performance 48
of the employee's duties. 49
(d) Sending or Assisting a Person [Less Than] 18 21 Years to Purchase or Receive 50
Tobacco Products or Cigarette Wrapping Papers. – If any person shall send a person less than 18 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 507-First Edition Page 9
21 years of age to purchase, acquire, receive, or attempt to purchase, acquire, or receive tobacco 1
products or cigarette wrapping papers, or if any person shall aid or abet a person who is less than 2
18 21 years of age in purchasing, acquiring, or receiving or attempting to purchase, acquire, or 3
receive tobacco products or cigarette wrapping papers, the person shall be guilty of a Class 2 4
misdemeanor; provided, however, persons under the age of 18 21 may be enlisted by police or 5
local sheriffs' departments to test compliance if the testing is under the direct supervision of that 6
law enforcement department and written parental consent is provided; provided further, that the 7
Department of Health and Human Services shall have the authority, pursuant to a written plan 8
prepared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to use persons under 18 21 years of 9
age in annual, random, unannounced inspections, provided that prior written parental consent is 10
given for the involvement of these persons and that the inspections are conducted for the sole 11
purpose of preparing a scientifically and methodologically valid statistical study of the extent of 12
success the State has achieved in reducing the availability of tobacco products to persons under 13
the age of 18, 21, and preparing any report to the extent required by section 1926 of the federal 14
Public Health Service Act (42 USC § 300x-26). 15
…." 16
SECTION 3.5.(b) This section becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to 17
offenses committed on or after that date. 18
19
LICENSING REQUIREMENT FOR RETAIL DEALERS OF VAPOR PRODUCTS 20
SECTION 3.6.(a) G.S. 105-113.39A(a2) reads as rewritten: 21
"(a2) Vapor Products License. – A wholesale dealer or a retail dealer must obtain a vapor 22
products license for all of the following locations: 23
(1) Each location where a wholesale dealer makes vapor products. 24
(2) Each location where a wholesale dealer or a retail dealer receives or stores 25
non-tax-paid vapor products. 26
(3) Each location from where a retail dealer that is a delivery seller or a remote 27
seller receives or stores non-tax-paid vapor products for delivery sales if the 28
location is a location other than the location described in subdivision (2) of 29
this subsection. 30
(4) Each location from where a retail dealer receives or stores tax-paid vapor 31
products if the location is a location other than the location described in 32
subdivision (2) of this subsection." 33
SECTION 3.6.(b) This section becomes effective December 1, 2025. 34
35
REGULATION OF INTOXICATING CANNABIS PRODUCT SALES 36
SECTION 3.7.(a) Article 39 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by 37
adding a new section to read: 38
"§ 14-313.5. Youth access to cannabis products. 39
(a) Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section: 40
(1) Cannabis product. – Hemp, hemp products, or marijuana, as defined in 41
G.S. 90-87, legal to be sold or distributed in this State. 42
(2) Distribute. – To sell, furnish, give, or provide cannabis products to the 43
ultimate consumer. 44
(3) Proof of age. – A drivers license or other photographic identification that 45
includes the bearer's date of birth that purports to establish that the person is 46
21 years of age or older. 47
(b) Sale or Distribution to Persons Under the Age of 21 Years. – If any person shall 48
distribute, or aid, assist, or abet any other person in distributing cannabis products to any person 49
under the age of 21 years, or if any person shall purchase cannabis products on behalf of a person 50
under the age of 21 years, the person shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. Retail distributors 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 10 House Bill 507-First Edition
of cannabis products shall prominently display near the point of sale a sign in letters at least 1
five-eighths of an inch which states the following: 2
"N.C. LAW STRICTLY PROHIBITS 3
THE PURCHASE OF CANNABIS PRODUCTS 4
BY PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 21. 5
PROOF OF AGE REQUIRED." 6
Failure to post the required sign shall be an infraction punishable by a fine of twenty-five dollars 7
($25.00) for the first offense and seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for each succeeding offense. 8
(c) A person engaged in the sale of cannabis products shall demand proof of age from a 9
prospective purchaser if the person has reasonable grounds to believe that the prospective 10
purchaser is under 21 years of age. Failure to demand proof of age as required by this subsection 11
is a Class 2 misdemeanor if in fact the prospective purchaser is under 21 years of age. Retail 12
distributors of cannabis products shall train their sales employees in the requirements of this law. 13
Proof of any of the following shall be a defense to any action brought under this subsection: 14
(1) The defendant demanded, was shown, and reasonably relied upon proof of age 15
in the case of a retailer, or any other documentary or written evidence of age 16
in the case of a nonretailer. 17
(2) The defendant relied on the electronic system established and operated by the 18
Division of Motor Vehicles pursuant to G.S. 20-37.02. 19
(3) The defendant relied on a biometric identification system that demonstrated 20
(i) the purchaser's age to be at least the required age for the purchase and (ii) 21
the purchaser had previously registered with the seller or seller's agent a 22
drivers license, a special identification card issued under G.S. 20-37.7, a 23
military identification card, or a passport showing the purchaser's date of birth 24
and bearing a physical description of the person named on the card. 25
(d) Distribution of Cannabis Products. – Cannabis products shall not be distributed in 26
vending machines; provided, however, vending machines distributing cannabis products are 27
permitted (i) in any establishment which is open only to persons 21 years of age and older or (ii) 28
in any establishment if the vending machine is under the continuous control of the owner or 29
licensee of the premises or an employee thereof and can be operated only upon activation by the 30
owner, licensee, or employee prior to each purchase and the vending machine is not accessible 31
to the public when the establishment is closed. The owner, licensee, or employee shall demand 32
proof of age from a prospective purchaser if the person has reasonable grounds to believe that 33
the prospective purchaser is under 21 years of age. Failure to demand proof of age as required by 34
this subsection is a Class 2 misdemeanor if in fact the prospective purchaser is under 21 years of 35
age. Proof that the defendant demanded, was shown, and reasonably relied upon proof of age 36
shall be a defense to any action brought under this subsection. Any person distributing cannabis 37
products through vending machines in violation of this subsection shall be guilty of a Class 2 38
misdemeanor. 39
(e) Internet Distribution of Cannabis Products. – A person engaged in the distribution of 40
cannabis products through the internet or other remote sales methods shall perform an age 41
verification through an independent, third-party age verification service that compares 42
information available from public records to the personal information entered by the individual 43
during the ordering process to establish that the individual ordering the cannabis products is 21 44
years of age or older. 45
(f) Purchase By Persons Under the Age of 21 Years. – If any person under the age of 21 46
years purchases or accepts receipt, or attempts to purchase or accept receipt, of cannabis products, 47
or presents or offers to any person any purported proof of age which is false, fraudulent, or not 48
actually his or her own, for the purpose of purchasing or receiving any cannabis product, the 49
person shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor; provided, however, that it shall not be unlawful 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 507-First Edition Page 11
for an employee to purchase or accept receipt of cannabis products when required in the 1
performance of the employee's duties. 2
(g) Deferred Prosecution or Conditional Discharge. – Notwithstanding 3
G.S. 15A-1341(a1) or G.S. 15A-1341(a4), any person charged with a misdemeanor under this 4
section shall be qualified for deferred prosecution or a conditional discharge pursuant to Article 5
82 of Chapter 15A of the General Statutes provided the defendant has not previously been placed 6
on probation for a violation of this section and so states under oath." 7
SECTION 3.7.(b) Subsection (a) of this section is effective December 1, 2025, and 8
applies to offenses committed on or after that date. 9
SECTION 3.8.(a) Article 39 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by 10
adding a new section to read: 11
"§ 14-313.6. Special packaging of cannabis products. 12
Cannabis products, as defined in G.S. 14-314, sold or distributed in this State must be sold or 13
distributed in child-resistant packaging, which must be designed or constructed to be significantly 14
difficult for children under 5 years of age to open and not difficult for normal adults to use 15
properly as defined by 16 C.F.R. § 1700.20." 16
SECTION 3.8.(b) Subsection (a) of this section is effective October 1, 2025, and 17
applies to products sold on or after that date. 18
SECTION 3.9.(a) Article 39 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by 19
adding a new section to read: 20
"§ 14-313.7. Sale of cannabis products near schools or child care centers. 21
No retail store selling cannabis products may operate within 1,000 yards of a public school 22
or a nonpublic school as defined in Part 1 or Part 2 of Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the General 23
Statutes or a child care center as defined in G.S. 110-86." 24
SECTION 3.9.(b) Subsection (a) of this section is effective when it becomes law 25
and applies to retail stores that open on or after that date. 26
27
ONLINE CHILD SAFETY PROTECTIONS 28
SECTION 3.10.(a) Chapter 66 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new 29
Article to read: 30
"Article 51A. 31
"Child Safety Online. 32
"§ 66-504. Definition; findings. 33
(a) For the purposes of this Article, "social media platform" means an online service or 34
website with users in this State that enables users to create, share, and interact with content and 35
to participate in social networking by connecting with other users. 36
(b) The General Assembly finds that: 37
(1) Predatory social media platforms and digital corporations are deliberately 38
targeting children with addictive algorithms, manipulative content, and 39
intrusive data collection, exposing them to mental health crises, identity theft, 40
and exploitation without parental consent or oversight. 41
(2) Children are being tracked, monetized, and manipulated online, leading to 42
increased rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and social isolation, creating 43
the urgent need for strict digital privacy protections, algorithm regulations, 44
and a ban on data mining of minors. 45
"§ 66-505. Online child safety protections. 46
(a) No person operating a social media platform shall knowingly employ or implement 47
algorithmic features, notification systems, or interface designs specifically engineered to promote 48
compulsive usage patterns among users in this State who are under 18 years of age. 49
(b) All of the following are unlawful when employed or implemented by a person 50
operating a social media platform for any user in this State under 18 years of age: 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 12 House Bill 507-First Edition
(1) Infinite scroll mechanisms that continuously load content without 1
user-initiated action. 2
(2) Autoplay features that present successive content without explicit user 3
request. 4
(3) Variable reward mechanisms designed to increase engagement through 5
unpredictable content delivery. 6
(4) Quantified social validation indicators that encourage compulsive checking 7
behaviors. 8
(c) It is unlawful for a social media platform to do any of the following to any user in this 9
State under 18 years of age: 10
(1) Collect, process, or store personal data of users under 18 years of age for 11
behavioral profiling, targeted advertising, or commercial purposes without 12
express, informed parental consent. 13
(2) Transfer or sell such data to third parties without explicit disclosure of the 14
specific purposes and recipients or retain such data beyond the period 15
necessary for the explicitly authorized purpose. 16
(3) Publish an annual Child Safety Transparency Report detailing the following: 17
a. Measures implemented to protect minors from harmful content. 18
b. Statistics on content moderation actions related to child safety. 19
c. Resources allocated to child protection efforts. 20
d. Response metrics for reports of harmful content targeting minors. 21
e. Independent audit results of child safety measures. 22
(4) Submit such reports to the Department of Justice by January 31 of each year. 23
(5) Make such reports publicly accessible in a clear, conspicuous manner on the 24
platform's website. 25
(d) Every social media platform shall do all of the following: 26
(1) Implement robust, age-appropriate parental control systems allowing parents 27
or legal guardians to monitor and limit screen time, restrict access during 28
specified hours, review connections and communications, and receive regular 29
activity reports. These controls must be clearly accessible, understandable, 30
and enabled by default for accounts of users under 18 years of age. 31
(2) Publish an annual Child Safety Transparency Report containing details on the 32
following: 33
a. Measures implemented to protect minors from harmful content. 34
b. Statistics on content moderation actions related to child safety. 35
c. Resources allocated to child protection efforts. 36
d. Response metrics for reports of harmful content targeting minors. 37
e. Independent audit results of child safety measures. 38
(3) Beginning January 1, 2027, submit these reports to the Department of Justice 39
by January 31 of each year. 40
(4) Make such reports publicly accessible in a clear, conspicuous manner on the 41
platform's website. 42
"§ 66-507. Protection from artificial intelligence and deep fakes for exploitative purposes. 43
No person shall knowingly do any of the following: 44
(1) Create, produce, or generate using artificial intelligence or digital 45
manipulation technologies any image, video, or audio recording that depicts a 46
person under 18 years of age in a sexually explicit manner, a violent or abusive 47
context, or in any situation intended to cause reputational harm. 48
(2) Distribute, publish, share, or transfer such content through any medium or 49
platform. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 507-First Edition Page 13
(3) Modify existing content depicting an actual minor through artificial 1
intelligence or digital manipulation to create a substantially altered 2
representation of that minor. 3
"§ 66-508. Violations of this Article. 4
(a) Any who person violates G.S. 66-505 or G.S. 66-506 shall be guilty of a Class 1 5
misdemeanor. 6
(b) Any person who violates G.S. 66-507 shall be guilty of a: 7
(1) Class H felony, if the violation involves creation or distribution of sexually 8
explicit deep fake content depicting a minor. 9
(2) Class I felony, if the violation involves possession of such content with intent 10
to distribute. 11
(c) Each item of prohibited content shall constitute a separate violation under this section. 12
(d) The penalties under this Article shall be in addition to any remedies available under 13
federal law or other provisions of State law. 14
"§ 66-509. Severability. 15
If any provision of this Article is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the validity and 16
enforceability of the remaining provisions shall remain valid and enforceable." 17
SECTION 3.10.(b) This section becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies 18
to acts and omissions committed on or after that date. 19
20
PART IV. FETAL & INFANT MORTALITY PREVEN TION 21
22
CREATION OF FETAL AND INFANT MORTALITY REVIEW TEAM 23
SECTION 4.1.(a) Article 5 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes is amended by 24
adding a new Part to read: 25
"Part 2A. Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team. 26
"§ 130A-128.5. Scope. 27
This part does not apply to the review of a fetal death that is the result of a voluntary or 28
therapeutic termination of pregnancy. 29
"§ 130A-128.6. Definitions. 30
The following definitions apply in this Part: 31
(1) Fetal death. – Death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its 32
mother of a product of human conception, regardless of the duration of 33
pregnancy. Death is indicated by the fact that after expulsion or extraction the 34
fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life such as beating of 35
the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary 36
muscles. 37
(2) Infant. – Any child under the age of 18 months. 38
(3) Team. – The Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team created by 39
G.S. 130A-128.7. 40
"§ 130A-128.7. Statewide Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team; creation; purpose; 41
composition. 42
(a) There is established a statewide Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team within the 43
Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health. The purpose of the Team 44
is to ensure that certain fetal and infant deaths occurring in the State are analyzed in a systematic 45
way, with the specific goal of decreasing the incidence of preventable fetal and infant deaths. 46
(b) The Team shall consist of the following persons or their designees: 47
(1) The Chief Medical Examiner. 48
(2) The Director of the Division of Child and Family Well-Being. 49
(3) The Director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, 50
and Substance Use Services. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 14 House Bill 507-First Edition
(4) The Director of the Division of Public Health. 1
(5) The Director of the Division of Social Services. 2
(6) The State Registrar of Vital Records. 3
(7) The following seven members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 4
Representatives: 5
a. A representative of local law enforcement officers. 6
b. A representative of local fire departments. 7
c. A representative of local emergency medical services providers. 8
d. A representative of county departments of social services. 9
e. A representative of the North Carolina Medical Society. 10
f. A representative of the North Carolina Hospital Association. 11
g. A public member. 12
(8) The following seven members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the 13
Senate: 14
a. A representative of the North Carolina College of Emergency 15
Physicians. 16
b. A representative of the North Carolina Section of the American 17
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 18
c. A representative of the North Carolina Affiliate of the American 19
College of Nurse-Midwives. 20
d. A representative of the North Carolina Chapter of the Association of 21
Women's Health. 22
e. A representative of Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. 23
f. A representative of the North Carolina Neonatal Perinatal 24
Collaborative. 25
g. A public member. 26
(9) The following seven members appointed by the Governor: 27
a. A representative of the North Carolina Midwives Alliance. 28
b. A representative of the North Carolina Academy of Nutrition and 29
Dietetics. 30
c. Four members representing community-based organizations or 31
nonprofit organizations that work directly with marginalized 32
communities and communities of color on issues of fetal and infant 33
mortality, at least one of whom shall be a doula and at least one of 34
whom shall be a midwife. 35
d. One member of the public. 36
(c) The Chief Medical Examiner and the Director of the Division of Public Health shall 37
serve as cochairs of the Team and a majority of the Team members specified in subsection (b) of 38
this section may invite additional individuals to serve on the Team. 39
(d) Ex officio members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. After the 40
initial staggering of terms, other members shall be appointed for a term of four years. 41
(e) Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the 42
unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All 43
members except the eight community representatives may be reappointed. 44
"§ 130A-128.8. Statewide Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team; powers and duties. 45
The Team has the following powers and duties: 46
(1) To develop or revise as necessary operating procedures for fetal and infant 47
death reviews conducted under this Part, including procedures for identifying 48
appropriate cases to be reviewed and procedures for ensuring coordination 49
among the State agencies and professionals involved in the review. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 507-First Edition Page 15
(2) To improve the identification of, and data collection and recordkeeping related 1
to, causes of fetal and infant deaths. 2
(3) To recommend components of programs to increase awareness and prevention 3
of and education about fetal and infant deaths. 4
(4) To recommend training to improve the review of fetal and infant deaths. 5
(5) To develop recommendations to assess the service systems and community 6
resources that support and promote the health and well-being of women, 7
infants, and families. 8
(6) To provide technical support to any established local fetal and infant mortality 9
review teams and local child fatality review teams. 10
(7) To develop and recommend plans for implementing changes to existing State 11
services, State programs, and organizations that serve families, children, and 12
pregnant women. 13
(8) To select a number of cases for in-depth review and interviews of parents, 14
families, and medical personnel to develop a full picture of the causes of fetal 15
or infant death, to evaluate gaps in services or access that may have played a 16
part in the death, and to evaluate the supports available to families before and 17
after the death. 18
(9) To provide evidence-based policy recommendations to both reduce the rate of 19
preventable fetal and infant deaths and to ensure that families receive 20
necessary support pre-fetal or infant death and post-fetal or infant death. 21
(10) In cases where the Team conducts in-depth interviews and reviews of specific 22
cases, to ensure that the families involved in these cases have access to grief 23
counseling and other necessary resources to be determined by the Team. 24
"§ 130A-128.9. Statewide Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team; case reviews; 25
coordination with Local Teams. 26
(a) In conducting case reviews, the statewide Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team 27
shall coordinate with the Local Teams described in G.S. 7B-1406.5 to avoid duplicative work. 28
(b) The Team shall review every reported fetal and infant death in the State, excluding 29
those resulting from a voluntary or therapeutic termination of pregnancy. 30
(c) The Team shall not initiate a fetal or infant death review until the conclusion of any 31
law enforcement investigation or criminal prosecution. 32
(d) Upon the request of the Chief Medical Examiner in his or her capacity as a cochair of 33
the Team, made after the conclusion of any law enforcement investigation or prosecution, the 34
Chief Medical Examiner or a designee may inspect and copy information and records regarding 35
a fetal or infant death, including (i) any report of the circumstances of the death maintained by 36
any State or local law enforcement agency or medical examiner and (ii) information or records 37
about the mother and family maintained by any county department of social services or court. 38
"§ 130A-128.10. Statewide Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team; access to confidential 39
records. 40
(a) Information, records, or reports maintained by any district attorney shall be made 41
available for inspection and copying by the Chief Medical Examiner or the Chief Medical 42
Examiner's designee. 43
(b) Any presentence report prepared pursuant to G.S. 15A-1332 for any person convicted 44
of a crime that led to the death of a fetus or infant shall be made available for inspection and 45
copying by the Chief Medical Examiner or the Chief Medical Examiner's designee. In addition, 46
the Chief Medical Examiner or the Chief Medical Examiner's designee may inspect and copy 47
from any healthcare provider licensed to practice in North Carolina, on behalf of the Team, the 48
following information: 49
(1) Without obtaining consent, subject to any limitations on disclosure under 50
applicable federal and State law, the health and mental health records of the 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 16 House Bill 507-First Edition
fetus or infant and mother and those prenatal medical records regarding the 1
infant or fetus. 2
(2) Upon obtaining consent, from each adult regarding that adult's records. With 3
the consent of the mother and other relevant adults, when deemed appropriate, 4
designated members of the Team or Team designees may conduct interviews 5
of any person deemed necessary to the investigative work of the Team. Any 6
record of the interview or interviews shall be treated the same as any other 7
record related to the work of the Team. 8
(c) The Commission for Public Health and the Attorney General shall adopt rules to 9
implement this subsection. 10
"§ 130A-128.11. Statewide Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team; confidentiality of 11
information and records obtained or created by or on behalf of the Team. 12
(a) All information and records obtained or created by or on behalf of the Team regarding 13
a review are confidential and shall be excluded from the North Carolina Freedom of Information 14
Act. All such information and records shall be used by the Team only in the exercise of its proper 15
purpose and function and shall not be disclosed. In preparing information and records for review 16
by the Team, the Department shall remove any individually identifiable information or 17
information identifying a healthcare provider. Such information shall not be subject to subpoena, 18
subpoena duces tecum, or discovery; be admissible in any civil or criminal proceeding; or be 19
used as evidence in any disciplinary proceeding or regulatory or licensure action of the 20
Department of Health Professions or any health regulatory board. If available from other sources, 21
however, such information and records shall not be immune from subpoena, discovery, or 22
introduction into evidence when obtained through such other sources solely because the 23
information and records were presented to the Team during a fetal or infant death review. 24
(b) The findings of the Team may be disclosed or published in statistical or other form 25
but shall not identify any individual. 26
(c) Upon conclusion of the fetal or infant death review, all information and records 27
concerning the family shall be shredded or otherwise destroyed by the Office of the Chief 28
Medical Examiner in order to ensure confidentiality. 29
(d) The portions of meetings in which individual fetal or infant deaths are discussed by 30
the Team are not subject to Article 33C of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes. In addition, all 31
Team members and other persons attending closed Team meetings, including any persons 32
presenting information or records on specific fetal or infant deaths to the Team during closed 33
meetings, shall execute a sworn statement to (i) honor the confidentiality of the information, 34
records, discussions, and opinions disclosed during meetings at which the Team reviews a 35
specific fetal or infant death and (ii) not use any such information, records, discussions, or 36
opinions disclosed during meetings at which the Team reviews a specific fetal or infant death for 37
any purpose other than the exercise of the proper purpose and function of the Team. Violations 38
of this subsection are punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor. 39
"§ 130A-128.12. Statewide Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team; preservation of 40
records related to fetal or infant death. 41
Upon notification of a fetal or infant death, any State or local government agency maintaining 42
records on the fetus or infant or the fetus or infant's family that are periodically purged shall 43
retain the records for the longer of 12 months or until the Team has completed its review of the 44
case. 45
"§ 130A-128.13. Statewide Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team; triennial statistical 46
data collection; considered a public record. 47
(a) The Team shall compile triennial statistical data on fetal or infant death and make it 48
available to the General Assembly, the Governor, and divisions of the Department of Health and 49
Human Services. Prior to sharing any statistical data compiled pursuant to this section, the Team 50
shall redact any personal identifying information in a manner consistent with the standards 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 507-First Edition Page 17
specified for de-identification of health information under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, 45 C.F.R. § 1
164.514, as amended. The Team shall include policy recommendations with the statistical data 2
compilations to fulfill the purpose of the Team as specified in G.S. 130A-128.7. 3
(b) Any statistical compilations or policy recommendations prepared by the Team 4
pursuant to this section shall be considered a public record as that term is defined in G.S. 132-1. 5
"§ 130A-128.14. Statewide Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team; immunity from civil 6
liability. 7
(a) Members of the statewide Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team, as well as their 8
agents and employees, are immune from civil liability for any act or omission made in connection 9
with their participation in a review conducted under this Part, unless that act or omission was the 10
result of gross negligence or willful misconduct. 11
(b) Any organization, institution, or person that furnishes information, data, testimony, 12
reports, or records to the Team as part of a review conducted under this Part is immune from civil 13
liability for any act or omission in furnishing that information, unless the act or omission was the 14
result of gross negligence or willful misconduct." 15
SECTION 4.1.(b) This section becomes effective December 1, 2025. 16
17
STATEWIDE ADOPTION OF INFANT SAFE SLEEP PRACTICES 18
SECTION 4.2. Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund 19
to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of two 20
hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) in nonrecurring funds for each year of the 2025-2027 21
fiscal biennium to fund expansion of the Safe Sleep North Carolina Campaign administered by 22
the University of North Carolina Collaborative for Maternal and Infant Health, with the goal of 23
strengthening the adoption of infant safe sleep practices across the State that reduce the risk of 24
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other infant sleep-related deaths. 25
26
PART V. WORKFORCE DE VELOPMENT & LICENSIN G REFORMS 27
28
FAST-TRACK LICENSING FOR EXPERIENCED CHILD CARE WORKERS & 29
STATEWIDE EXPANSION OF THE BUILDING BRIGHT FUTURES 30
APPRENTICESHIP PILOT PROGRAM 31
SECTION 5.1. Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund 32
to the Department of Health and Human Services the sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) in 33
recurring funds for each year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to be used as follows: 34
(1) To establish and administer a fast-track licensing program for experienced 35
child care workers that utilizes competency-based assessments for accelerated 36
certification. To increase the number of licensed child care workers in the 37
State, the Department shall offer this program free of charge to experienced 38
child care workers regardless of whether they are residents of North Carolina. 39
(2) To fund statewide expansion of the Building Bright Futures Apprenticeship 40
Pilot Program, a pilot program designed to strengthen the early child care 41
workforce through pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships. In expanding this 42
pilot program statewide, the Department of Health and Human Services shall 43
partner with the North Carolina Business Committee for Education, a 44
nonprofit corporation operating out of the Governor's Office, to continue to 45
work towards the primary purpose of creating supportive pathways for high 46
school and postsecondary students to enter the early childhood workforce by 47
allowing them to earn credentials, while also obtaining hands-on, work-based 48
learning experiences, in the early childhood education field. 49
50
CHILD CARE WORKFORCE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 18 House Bill 507-First Edition
SECTION 5.2. Article 3 of Chapter 115D of the General Statutes is amended by 1
adding a new section to read: 2
"§ 115D-40.7. Child Care Workforce Apprenticeship Program. 3
The Community Colleges System Office shall establish and administer a program to provide 4
stipends to any student attending a community college who is participating in an apprenticeship 5
related to child care. The purpose of the program is to provide financial assistance to allow high 6
school and college students to gain hands-on training in child care. The System Office shall 7
develop an application for students to apply for stipends pursuant to this section. When selecting 8
students to receive stipends, the System Office shall prioritize those applications demonstrating 9
the most need. To the extent funds are made available for this purpose, the System Office shall 10
provide tuition stipends of up to two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) to students for a 11
single academic year. Students may receive a stipend pursuant to this section for up to two years 12
but no more." 13
14
PART VI. PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS 15
SECTION 6.1. To the greatest extent feasible, the Department of Health and Human 16
Services and the Department of Public Instruction shall establish and utilize public-private 17
partnerships to implement the programs and activities authorized by this act. 18
19
PART VII. OVERSIGHT AND REPORTING 20
21
CHILD CARE INNOVATION TASK FORCE 22
SECTION 7.1.(a) There is established the Child Care Innovation Task Force (Task 23
Force) within the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development 24
and Early Education, for budgetary purposes only. The purpose of the Task Force is to monitor 25
the State's progress in implementing the programs, strategies, and initiatives authorized and 26
funded by this act and to advise the General Assembly on strategies for improving the child care 27
landscape in North Carolina. The Task Force shall be composed of the following 11 members: 28
(1) The Director of the Division of Child Development and Early Education or 29
the Director's designee. 30
(2) The Superintendent of Public Instruction or the Superintendent's designee. 31
(3) Three members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, one of 32
whom shall be a representative of the NC Licensed Child Care Association; 33
one of whom shall be a representative of Early Years, formerly Child Care 34
Services Association; and one of whom shall be an expert in the child care 35
industry. 36
(4) Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 37
one of whom shall be a representative of the North Carolina Child Care 38
Resource and Referral Council; one of whom shall be a representative of Child 39
Care for NC; and one of whom shall be an expert in the child care industry. 40
(5) Three public members, one each appointed by the President Pro Tempore of 41
the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Governor. 42
In making appointments or designating representatives, appointing authorities shall 43
use best efforts to select members or representatives with sufficient knowledge and experience 44
to effectively contribute to the issues examined by the Task Force. All members of the Task 45
Force are voting members. Any vacancies that occur for any membership positions that are not 46
held as a function of office shall be filled by the appointing authority upon vacancy. The Director 47
of the Division of Child Development and Early Education, or the Director's designee, shall serve 48
as the chair of the Task Force. 49
SECTION 7.1.(b) The Task Force established under subsection (a) of this section 50
has the following powers and duties: 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 507-First Edition Page 19
(1) To examine the State's progress in implementing the programs, strategies, and 1
initiatives authorized and funded by this act. 2
(2) To study and make recommendations for reducing child care deserts, 3
eliminating the child care workforce shortage, increasing the number of child 4
care facilities and child care workers, and improving the quality of child care. 5
(3) To review innovative child care strategies in other states and make 6
recommendations about which strategies North Carolina should consider 7
implementing. 8
(4) To collect and summarize data on employer-sponsored child care and the rates 9
of participation by employees. 10
(5) To perform any other studies, evaluations, or determinations the Task Force 11
considers necessary in improving the child care landscape in North Carolina. 12
SECTION 7.1.(c) Annually by April 1, beginning April 1, 2027, the Task Force shall 13
submit a written report of its activities, findings, and recommendations to the Joint Legislative 14
Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services, the Joint Legislative Education Oversight 15
Committee, and the Fiscal Research Division. 16
17
PART VIII. SEVERABILITY 18
SECTION 8.1. If any section or provision of this act is declared unconstitutional or 19
invalid by the courts, it does not affect the validity of this act as a whole or any part other than 20
the part declared to be unconstitutional or invalid. 21
22
PART IX. EFFECTIVE DATE 23
SECTION 9.1. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 24
law. 25