Sam Watford

H 636 creates a new process for dealing with objectionable content in schools, integrating parental feedback into determinations on what is deemed appropriate. The Quick amendment removes portions of the bill that included parental involvement. CPAC believes that parents should have a voice in how their children are educated and opposes this amendment. The North Carolina House of Representatives defeated the Quick amendment on April 16, 2025, in a 49-57 vote.

H 606 provides minors who were subjected to so-called “gender-affirming care” more time to seek civil damages for medical malpractice. The bill also removes the cap on noneconomic damages for medical malpractice suits related to gender transitions, making it financially perilous for doctors to transition minors. The Harrison amendment sought to amend the bill’s text to limit the extent of noneconomic damages, shielding doctors from accountability. CPAC believes that "gender-affirming care" entails grotesque, unethical practices and opposes this amendment. The North Carolina House of Representatives defeated the Harrison amendment on May 6, 2025, in a 47-62 vote.

H 549 empowers North Carolina’s elected auditor to obtain information and investigate any entity receiving state funds, ensuring financial crimes and waste are detected and dealt with. The Longest amendment sought to strike portions of the bill, making it more difficult for the auditor to track state funds. CPAC believes in increasing government transparency and reducing government waste. For that reason, CPAC opposes this amendment. The North Carolina House of Representatives defeated the Longest amendment on May 6, 2025, in a 50-62 vote.

H 402 is a state-level version of the proposed federal REINS Act, which aims to limit the ability of agencies to add costly regulations without legislative action. This Harrison amendment would limit the bill’s scope and undercut the measure’s intended impact. CPAC believes H 402 will ensure the legislature can act as a check on regulators, protecting the economy from overly restrictive regulations. For this reason, CPAC opposes this counterproductive amendment. The North Carolina House of Representatives defeated the Harrison amendment on April 16, 2026, in a 49-64 vote.

H 928 empowers licensed physical therapists to evaluate injured student athletes for concussions. At the time of the bill’s introduction, students could only be checked by a physician, a physician assistant, a nurse practitioner, an athletic trainer, or a neuropsychologist. CPAC believes that this common-sense measure will hasten evaluations by increasing the available options, and it supports this bill. The North Carolina House of Representatives passed H 928 on second reading on May 6, 2025, in a 100-11 vote, and Governor Josh Stein signed the measure into law on July 2, 2025.

H 918 instructs the North Carolina Collaboratory to study including the Classic Learning Test (CLT) as an admissions option for the University of North Carolina system. The CLT was created as an answer to the criticisms directed at the SAT and ACT, which have suffered from declining standards in recent years. CPAC believes that disrupting the standardized-testing duopoly will benefit students and supports this bill. The North Carolina House of Representatives passed H 918 on second reading on May 6, 2025, in an 84-25 vote. The measure is awaiting further action in the Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate.

HJR 379 calls for an Article V constitutional convention aimed at limiting the federal government’s power and addressing America’s burgeoning national debt. CPAC believes in preventing federal overreach and reining in federal spending. For this reason, CPAC supports this resolution. The North Carolina House of Representatives passed HJR 379 on second reading on May 7, 2025, in a 62-51 vote. The measure is awaiting further action in the Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate.

H 214 addresses concerns that delegates in an Article V constitutional convention might go beyond the state legislature’s mandate, changing the constitution in unforeseen ways. The bill limits the scope delegates would have to make unilateral adjustments to the constitution and includes a process to remove rogue delegates. CPAC believes this measure is a sound way of promoting accountability and limiting delegate discretion in the Article V convention process. For this reason, CPAC supports this bill. The North Carolina House of Representatives passed H 214 on second reading on May 7, 2025, in a 61-53 vote. The measure is awaiting further action in the Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate.

H 96 creates an expedited process to remove trespassing squatters from private property, providing property owners with more timely recourse when their property rights are violated. CPAC believes property rights are integral to individual liberty and economic prosperity. Lawmakers have a duty to protect private property from both government redistribution and criminal theft. Therefore, CPAC supports this bill. The North Carolina House of Representatives passed H 96 on second reading on April 2, 2025, in an 86-29 vote. Governor Josh Stein vetoed the measure on July 9, 2025.

This bill makes targeted adjustments to various local election structures and schedules, bringing greater clarity and consistency to municipal and county election administration in North Carolina. CPAC supports clear, orderly, and well-structured election processes that enhance election integrity and transparency and supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on 2025-03-20 by a vote of 39-5. The House passed this bill on 2025-03-26 by a vote of 59-52. The bill later became law.

This bill dismantles Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices and programs in North Carolina’s public higher education system, curbing mandatory ideological trainings and race-obsessed bureaucracies that waste taxpayer dollars and undermine merit. CPAC opposes DEI mandates, supports colorblind merit-based education, and strongly supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 30-19. The House passed this bill on 2025-06-25 by a vote of 64-47. The Governor vetoed this bill.

This bill adjusts the process for the House of Representatives to elect members to the UNC Board of Governors, reinforcing legislative accountability over a public university system that has too often drifted leftward and away from taxpayers’ values. CPAC supports legislative oversight to keep university governance accountable to citizens rather than entrenched campus bureaucrats and supported this bill. The House passed this bill on 2025-04-29 by a vote of 104-9. The bill later became law.

This bill strengthens North Carolina’s ability to identify, detain, and remove criminal illegal aliens and restricts local governments from adopting soft-on-enforcement sanctuary-style policies that obstruct cooperation with federal immigration authorities. CPAC supports strong immigration enforcement, ending sanctuary policies, and putting the safety of American citizens first, and supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 30-19. The House passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 72-48. The bill later became law.

This bill strips DEI bureaucracies and race?based ideological programs out of North Carolina’s public education system, rejecting divisive activism in favor of academic excellence and equal treatment for every student. It stops schools from using taxpayer funds to push critical race theory?style agendas that undermine parents, patriotism, and merit. CPAC opposes DEI indoctrination in schools and supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 30-19. The House passed this bill on 2025-06-25 by a vote of 67-48. The Governor vetoed this bill.

This bill revises charter school laws to give high?performing charters more room to grow, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and make it easier for families to access these alternatives to traditional public schools. It shifts power away from entrenched education bureaucracies and toward parents and innovative schools that actually serve students. CPAC supports expanding charter schools and empowering parents with real education choices and supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 30-19. The House passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 74-46. The bill later became law.

This bill strengthens North Carolina’s role in deterring illegal immigration by enhancing cooperation with federal authorities and increasing tools to address illegal entry and related crime within the state. It pushes back against de facto sanctuary policies and signals that the rule of law, not open?border chaos, governs in North Carolina. CPAC supports strong border security and state efforts to combat illegal immigration and supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 30-19. The House passed this bill on 2025-06-04 by a vote of 60-46. The Governor vetoed this bill.

This bill prohibits state agencies from running divisive DEI programs that sort employees by race, ideology, or identity instead of merit, and it bars the use of these ideological litmus tests in hiring and promotion. It stops taxpayer dollars from funding an activist bureaucracy that undermines equal treatment and injects left?wing politics into core government functions. CPAC opposes DEI mandates and supports a color?blind, merit?based government and supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on 2025-06-25 by a vote of 26-20. The House passed this bill on 2025-06-26 by a vote of 60-48. The Governor vetoed this bill.

This bill strengthens protections against sexual exploitation by tightening penalties and closing loopholes that predators use to target women and children. It puts public safety and the dignity of victims ahead of offenders’ excuses and judicial leniency. CPAC supports tough, victim?focused laws that crack down on sexual predators and supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 30-19. The House passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 72-48. The bill later became law.

This bill advances school choice by expanding educational options and financial support mechanisms so parents—not bureaucrats—decide where their children learn. It empowers families to escape failing or politicized schools and directs resources closer to students instead of systems. CPAC strongly supports school choice, parental rights, and education freedom and supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 30-19. The House passed this bill on 2025-07-30 by a vote of 69-47. The Governor vetoed this bill.

This bill revises multiple firearm statutes, cleaning up outdated language, clarifying responsibilities for law?abiding gun owners, and making targeted changes to administrative and enforcement provisions. While conservatives must always scrutinize any gun bill for hidden restrictions, these revisions appear largely technical and do not constitute a major new attack on gun rights. CPAC is vigilant against new infringements on the right to keep and bear arms and, given the largely technical nature of these revisions, supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 29-19. The House passed this bill on 2025-07-29 by a vote of 72-48. The bill later became law.