N.C. Bills that survived crossover

Last week marked a major milestone at the N.C. General Assembly—Crossover Day, the legislative deadline by which most bills must pass from one chamber to the other to remain viable this session.

We’ve been tracking key bills throughout the session. Here are just a few you should know about:

• Attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: House Bill 171 bans state agencies, schools, and local governments from implementing or funding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. It threatens to pull public funding from institutions that continue this critical work.
• Criminalizing Voter Registration: House Bill 127 would make it a crime for organizations to engage in community-based voter registration if even small errors occur. While exempt from the crossover deadline, this bill remains a top concern.
• Undermining the Separation of Powers: Senate Bill 58 strips the N.C. Attorney General of the power to challenge presidential executive orders. This would severely limit the state’s ability to act as a check on federal overreach.
• Book banning: House Bill 636 would require public schools to adopt strict criteria for what books are allowed in school libraries and allow any county resident, not just parents, to challenge materials they consider “unwholesome.” The bill goes even further by allowing these individuals to sue schools that don’t comply. In effect, this legislation paves the way for widespread book bans under the guise of community standards.

TAKE ACTION

This is a critical moment to stay informed and get involved. Contact your legislator today to share your concerns about these harmful bills and urge them to stand up for our communities.