North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina Senate Bill S323 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	S 1
4		-	SENATE BILL 323
	3	+	S D
	4	+	SENATE BILL DRS45157-MTa-76
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: Student Health and Responsibility Act. (Public)
8	9		Sponsors: Senators Applewhite and Robinson (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	Referred to: ~~Rules and Operations of the Senate~~
10		-	~~March 19, 2025~~
11		-	~~S323 -v-1~~
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRS45157 -MTa-76
12	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
13	14		AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO ESTABLISH THE SAFER SEX SUPPLIES 2
14	15		GRANT PROGRAM. 3
15	16		Whereas, North Carolina experiences significant costs related to treating sexually 4
16	17		transmitted infections (STIs), which impact the public health system and the economy of the 5
17	18		State; and 6
18	19		Whereas, investing in preventive health measures is proven to reduce taxpayer 7
19	20		burdens by lowering emergency medical costs and Medicaid expenses and by avoiding lost 8
20	21		productivity due to illness; and 9
21	22		Whereas, ensuring students remain in school and complete their education contributes 10
22	23		to North Carolina's workforce development, economic growth, and global competitiveness; and 11
23	24		Whereas, businesses benefit from a healthier, more-educated workforce, and 12
24	25		economic studies indicate that states with strong public health initiatives see increased workforce 13
25	26		participation; and 14
26	27		Whereas, programs that promote personal responsibility and preventive care align 15
27	28		with fiscally responsible governance by mitigating future public health care expenditures; and 16
28	29		Whereas, empowering students with the knowledge and resources to make informed 17
29	30		health decisions ensures their ability to protect their futures and pursue academic and professional 18
30	31		success without unnecessary health-related setbacks; and 19
31	32		Whereas, targeted data collection and analysis will ensure that (i) rural, suburban, and 20
32	33		urban communities receive equitable access to resources and (ii) program implementation is 21
33	34		based on effectiveness and efficiency; Now, therefore, 22
34	35		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 23
35	36		24
36	37		PART I. TITLE 25
37	38		SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Student Health and 26
38	39		Responsibility Act." 27
39	40		28
40	41		PART II. SAFER SEX SUPPLIES GRANT PROGRAM 29
41	42		SECTION 2.(a) Definitions. – The following definitions shall apply in this section: 30
42	43		(1) Applicable administering entity. – As follows: 31
43	44		a. For constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina, the 32
44	45		Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina. 33
45	46		b. For community colleges, the State Board of Community Colleges. 34
46		-	c. For public school units, the Department of Public Instruction. 35 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
47		-	Page 2 Senate Bill 323-First Edition
	47	+	c. For public school units, the Department of Public Instruction. 35
	48	+	FILED SENATE
	49	+	Mar 18, 2025
	50	+	S.B. 323
	51	+	PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	52	+	Page 2 DRS45157-MTa-76
48	53		(2) Eligible entity. – Constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina, 1
49	54		community colleges, and public school units. 2
50	55		(3) Safer sex supplies. – Supplies that help promote safe sexual encounters, 3
51	56		including condoms and lubricants. 4
52	57		SECTION 2.(b) Program Established. – There is established the Safer Sex Supplies 5
53	58		Grant Program (Program) for the 2025-2026, 2026-2027, and 2027-2028 fiscal years. The 6
54	59		Program shall expire June 30, 2028. The Program shall be administered separately by the Board 7
55	60		of Governors of The University of North Carolina for constituent institutions of The University 8
56	61		of North Carolina, the State Board of Community Colleges for community colleges, and the 9
57	62		Department of Public Instruction for high schools in public school units. The purpose of the 10
58	63		Program is to reduce health care costs and support student success by assisting eligible entities 11
59	64		that are grant recipients to provide free access for students to safer sex supplies at constituent 12
60	65		institutions of The University of North Carolina, community colleges, and high schools located 13
61	66		in public school units. 14
62	67		SECTION 2.(c) Grant Applications. – An eligible entity may submit an application 15
63	68		to the applicable administering entity for a grant pursuant to this section for each year the 16
64	69		Program is in effect. The application shall identify at least the following: 17
65	70		(1) Current and ongoing needs for safer sex supplies and estimated costs 18
66	71		associated with those needs. 19
67	72		(2) A plan to do at least the following: 20
68	73		a. Offer free safer sex supplies in designated locations on campus, 21
69	74		including student health centers, residence halls, guidance counselor 22
70	75		offices, and offices of athletic coaches. 23
71	76		b. Replenish supplies as needed based on student usage. 24
72	77		c. Maintain student privacy and dignity to foster responsible decision 25
73	78		making and self-sufficiency. 26
74	79		d. Partner with campus organizations, student health groups, community 27
75	80		organizations, health care providers, local health departments, 28
76	81		nonprofit organizations, and private sector entities to facilitate 29
77	82		distribution and awareness campaigns for the Program, including 30
78	83		securing in-kind contributions of safer sex supplies. 31
79	84		e. Establish at each eligible entity receiving funds a Student Health 32
80	85		Advisory Committee consisting of student body leaders, health 33
81	86		professionals, and faculty advisors. The Committee would oversee 34
82	87		implementation of the grant funds, assess student engagement, and 35
83	88		recommend improvements. 36
84	89		f. Continue to provide safer sex supplies to students without grant funds 37
85	90		after the expiration of the Program. 38
86	91		SECTION 2.(d) Administration of Grants; Award of Funds. – Each applicable 39
87	92		administering entity shall develop appropriate criteria and guidelines for selecting grant 40
88	93		recipients and administering the grants pursuant to this section, including at least the following: 41
89	94		(1) Prioritizing the selection of grant recipients based on applications that 42
90	95		demonstrate economic benefits, collaboration, and cost efficiency. 43
91	96		(2) Allocating funds to an eligible entity that receives an award on the basis of 44
92	97		enrollment. 45
93	98		SECTION 2.(e) Use of Funds. – Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the 46
94	99		contrary, including G.S. 115C-81.30(e), eligible entities receiving grant funds pursuant to this 47
95	100		section shall do the following: 48
96	101		(1) Provide free safer sex supplies to students in accordance with the application 49
97	102		submitted by the eligible entity pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
98		-	~~Senate Bill 323-First Edition~~ Page 3
	103	+	DRS45157-MTa-76 Page 3
99	104		(2) Refrain from requiring parental permission for students to access safer sex 1
100	105		supplies, including for students enrolled in high school in a public school unit. 2
101	106		SECTION 2.(f) Collaboration. – Each applicable administering entity shall 3
102	107		collaborate with the other applicable administering entities and eligible entities receiving grant 4
103	108		funds, to the extent possible, to share best practices and coordinate outreach efforts. 5
104	109		SECTION 2.(g) Supplement Not Supplant. – Grants provided pursuant to the 6
105	110		Program shall be used to supplement and not to supplant State or non-State funds already 7
106	111		provided for safer sex supplies. 8
107	112		SECTION 2.(h) Administrative Costs. – Of the funds appropriated to each 9
108	113		applicable administering entity by this act for the grants provided in this section, the applicable 10
109	114		administering entity may retain a total of up to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in each 11
110	115		fiscal year for administrative costs associated with the Program. 12
111	116		SECTION 2.(i) Program Report. – No later than April 1 of each fiscal year in which 13
112	117		funds are awarded pursuant to this section, each applicable administering entity shall report on 14
113	118		the Program to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Joint Legislative 15
114	119		Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services. The report shall include at least the 16
115	120		following information: 17
116	121		(1) The identity of each eligible entity that received grant funds through the 18
117	122		Program. 19
118	123		(2) The amount of funding received by each entity identified pursuant to 20
119	124		subdivision (1) of this subsection. 21
120	125		(3) The safer sex supplies purchased with grant funds by each entity that received 22
121	126		a grant and rates of student usage of those supplies. 23
122	127		(4) The overall impact of the Program, including at least the following 24
123	128		information: 25
124	129		a. Projected health care savings rates. 26
125	130		b. Regional effectiveness of the Program. 27
126	131		(5) Recommendations to expand or modify the Program, taking into account 28
127	132		cost-effectiveness and the impact of the Program on public health. 29
128	133		30
129	134		PART III. APPROPRIATIONS 31
130	135		SECTION 3.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund the sum of nine million 32
131	136		six hundred thousand dollars ($9,600,000) in nonrecurring funds for each year of the 2025-2027 33
132	137		fiscal biennium to provide grants to public high schools and public institutions of higher 34
133	138		education in accordance with the Safer Sex Supplies Grant Program established pursuant to 35
134	139		Section 2 of this act and to be allocated in each fiscal year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium as 36
135	140		follows: 37
136	141		(1) Three million seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($3,750,000) to the Board 38
137	142		of Governors of The University of North Carolina. 39
138	143		(2) Three million dollars ($3,000,000) to the Community Colleges System Office. 40
139	144		(3) Two million eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($2,850,000) to the 41
140	145		Department of Public Instruction. 42
141	146		SECTION 3.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 43
142	147		Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of seven hundred fifty thousand 44
143	148		dollars ($750,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and the sum of seven 45
144	149		hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to 46
145	150		do all of the following in relation to the Safer Sex Supplies Grant Program (Program) authorized 47
146	151		by Section 2 of this act: 48
147	152		(1) Coordinate with applicable administering entities and eligible entities 49
148	153		receiving grant funds under the Program to ensure consistent messaging, 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
149		-	Page 4 ~~Senate Bill 323-First Edition~~
	154	+	Page 4 DRS45157-MTa-76
150	155		foster public awareness, and promote informed and responsible decision 1
151	156		making by students. 2
152	157		(2) Provide technical assistance, data monitoring, and other related support to 3
153	158		eligible entities receiving funds under the Program and to local health 4
154	159		departments that collaborate with eligible entities. 5
155	160		(3) Collaborate with local health departments and student groups to provide 6
156	161		guidance on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, the benefits of 7
157	162		preventive care, and related workforce impact analysis. 8
158	163		SECTION 3.(c) The funds appropriated pursuant to this section shall not revert at 9
159	164		the end of each fiscal year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium but shall instead remain available 10
160	165		until June 30, 2028. 11
161	166		12
162	167		PART IV. EFFECTIVE DATE 13
163	168		SECTION 4. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 14