North CarolinaNorth Carolina public colleges must bar discrimination and certain DEI practices
North Carolina public colleges must follow rules against discrimination and certain institutional practices, with specified exceptions for protected speech, teaching, and study.
What it does
The UNC and community college governing boards must adopt policies that follow rules on discrimination, certain beliefs, and campus offices.
Public colleges must not discriminate, force people to affirm certain beliefs, or maintain offices or staff to promote discrimination or listed concepts. Some teaching and discussion remain allowed.
UNC universities must not create a process for reporting or investigating speech protected by the First Amendment. The community college board must adopt a policy against such processes, including for satire or speech called a microaggression.
Each public college must certify its compliance every year, and governing boards must send lawmakers a combined report. The first certification also covered implementation and savings.
Argument forStudents may be protected from discrimination and pressure to affirm certain beliefs, while still being able to study and discuss those ideas without the college endorsing them.
Argument againstInstructors may find that the broad list of banned concepts makes it harder to teach some lessons about race or sex, even though certain discussions remain allowed.
More detail
The UNC Board of Governors and the State Board of Community Colleges must adopt policies that follow the new article's rules. The rules cover North Carolina's public universities and community colleges. The policies apply to UNC constituent universities and community colleges, respectively. The law took effect when it became law on June 24, 2026.
Public colleges must not discriminate, force people to affirm certain beliefs, or maintain offices or staff to promote discrimination or the listed concepts. These rules apply to North Carolina public universities and community colleges, including their teaching and other activities. The rules do not limit First Amendment speech, legally required policies, or individual research and study. Colleges may teach or discuss the listed concepts if they make clear they do not endorse them. A chancellor may require a related course for a specific degree program and must report that course to the governing board. The law took effect when it became law on June 24, 2026.
UNC universities must not create a process to report or investigate First Amendment-protected speech as offensive or unwanted; the State Board must adopt a policy barring community colleges from doing so. The direct ban applies to UNC constituent universities; the State Board must adopt the policy for community colleges. The rule covers speech protected by the First Amendment, including satire and speech labeled as a microaggression. The law took effect when it became law on June 24, 2026.
Each public college must certify its compliance to its governing board each year, and the boards must send lawmakers a combined report. Each public university and community college certifies to its governing board; the board reports to two legislative committees. The certification due September 1, 2025, also had to describe initial implementation, including staffing and spending reductions, changes to job titles or descriptions, and how savings were used. Institutions certify by September 1 each year, and governing boards report by January 15 each year. The text sets September 1, 2025, as the date for the first certification.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 24Veto OverriddenLatest
- Vote recorded Veto Override. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Veto Override M4 Previous Question. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 24Ch. SL 2026-21Major
- Apr 6Withdrawn From Cal
- Apr 6Placed On Cal For 04/21/2026
- Mar 9Withdrawn From Cal
- Mar 9Placed On Cal For 04/06/2026
- Feb 9Withdrawn From Cal
- Feb 9Placed On Cal For 03/09/2026
- Jan 12Withdrawn From Cal
- Jan 12Placed On Cal For 02/09/2026
- Jun 24Veto OverriddenLatest
- 2025
- Dec 15Withdrawn From Cal
- Dec 15Placed On Cal For 01/12/2026
- Nov 17Withdrawn From Cal
- Nov 17Placed On Cal For 12/15/2025
- Oct 22Withdrawn From Cal
- Oct 22Placed On Cal For 11/17/2025
- Oct 20Withdrawn From Cal
- Oct 20Placed On Cal For 10/21/2025
- Sep 25Withdrawn From Com
- Sep 25Placed On Cal For 10/20/2025
- Sep 22Withdrawn From Cal
- Sep 22Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the HouseMinor
- Aug 26Withdrawn From Cal
- Aug 26Placed On Cal For 09/22/2025
- Jul 30Withdrawn From Cal
- Jul 30Placed On Cal For 08/26/2025
- Jul 29Veto OverriddenMajor
- Jul 29Veto Received from Senate
- Jul 29Placed On Cal For 07/30/2025
- Jul 28Withdrawn From Com
- Jul 28Placed On Cal For 07/29/2025
- Jul 7Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the SenateMinor
- Jul 3Vetoed 07/03/2025Major
- Jun 27Pres. To Gov. 6/27/2025To Governor
- Jun 26Ratified
- Jun 25Passed 2nd ReadingMinor
- Jun 25Passed 3rd ReadingPassed House
- Jun 25Ordered Enrolled
- Jun 24Reptd FavMinor
- Jun 24Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the HouseMinor
- Jun 24Reptd FavMinor
- Jun 24Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
- Jun 24Placed On Cal For 06/25/2025
- Jun 17Withdrawn From Com
- Jun 17Re-ref to the Com on Judiciary 1, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the HouseMinor
- Apr 14Passed 1st ReadingMinor
- Apr 14Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the HouseMinor
- Apr 10Regular Message Sent To House
- Apr 10Regular Message Received From Senate
- Apr 9Amend Tabled A1
- Apr 9Amend Tabled A2
- Apr 9Passed 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 9Passed 3rd ReadingPassed Senate
- Apr 8Reptd FavMinor
- Apr 2Reptd Fav Com SubstituteMinor
- Apr 2Com Substitute Adopted
- Apr 2Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the SenateMinor
- Mar 26Passed 1st ReadingMinor
- Mar 26Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the SenateMinor
- Mar 26Withdrawn From Com
- Mar 26Re-ref to Education/Higher Education. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the SenateMinor
- Mar 25FiledIntroduced
EducationCivil Rights & Voting