Section 1.

Enacts GS 115C-81.16, preventing instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality from being included in curriculum provided in kindergarten through sixth grade, whether the information is provided by school personnel or third parties. Prevents students in grades seven through twelve from participating in instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality without the prior written consent of their parent or legal guardian. Requires public school units to adopt a policy and a mechanism to allow a parent or legal guardian to annually consent to such instruction.  Enacts GS 115C-81.29, requiring each public school unit to provide a human growth and development program in grades four and five, which cannot include information on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality. Confines the topics presented at grade four to a summary of the biological changes during puberty with a recognition that puberty is experienced at different ages, depending on the individual. In fifth grade, outlines five topics that must be covered in single-sex groups, including illustrating how societal influences can impact reproductive health behavioral choices and consequences. Requires parental consent for students to participate.

Makes conforming changes to GS 115C-81.25 (concerning health education requirements).  Now tasks public school units with administering reproductive health and safety education programs from seventh grade onward (was, local school administrative units) in GS 115C-81.30. Requires annual parental consent for student participation (currently, parents can withdraw consent). Prevents local boards of education from expanding on the subject areas listed in GS 115C-81.25. Makes conforming changes, including to the statute's title.

Requires the State Board of Education (Board), in adopting new or revised K-12 Healthful Living standards to include the requirements of GS 115C-98.1 as enacted by the act and not add any additional standards for the human growth and development program in grades four and five or for the reproductive health and safety education program commencing in seventh grade.

Applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

Section 2.

Defines health and safety program and makes organizational changes to GS 115C-85 (textbook needs). Enacts GS 115C-98.1, requiring a governing body of a public school unit to hold a public hearing upon notice, as described, when adopting, modifying, or amending a health and safety program and the instructional and supplemental materials for that program. Enacts GS 115C-98.2 requiring governing bodies of public school units to establish criteria for selection of library books (defined), including a recommendation review process, and select and procure library books based on recommendations from the superintendent in line with the following criteria:

• Supports and enriches students' personal learning and the standard course of study for grades and courses offered at that school.
• Meets high standards in literary, artistic, and aesthetic quality, as well as technical aspects and physical format.
• Is appropriate for the subject area and for the age, intellectual development, and ability level of the students for whom the materials are selected and received access level designation.
• For nonfiction resources, incorporates accurate and authentic factual content from authoritative sources.
• Balances financial cost with need.
• Contain material appropriate for students and should reflect the age and grade levels of students enrolled in the school. Cannot contain material that are harmful to minors, as defined in GS 14-190.13 and must comply with the federal Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), 47 U.S.C. § 254(h)(5), including technology protection measures.
• For fiction, narrative nonfiction, including memoirs and biographies, and graphic novels, in addition to the other requirements of this subsection, a determination that that library book is:
• Integral to the instructional program.
• Reflects the learning needs of the students and school personnel.
• Is appropriate for the reading levels and understanding of students.
• Is included because of the library book's literary or artistic value.
• If narrative nonfiction, presents information with accuracy and clarity.

Specifies that selection of materials is an ongoing process that includes the removal of collections determined to no longer meet the criteria for selection and the periodic replacement or repair of materials still of educational value. Requires the governing body to establish a recommendation review process as described, that places library books recommended for selection readily available for parental review for a minimum of 30 days prior to consideration for selection by posting a list of the recommended books in a publicly accessible portion of the public school unit's website and by including a copy of all recommended library books in the instructional materials repository. Requires a process for submitting an objection to selection of the book, including a means for identifying with specificity the criteria that the recommended book fails to meet. Allows the governing body to delegate the authority for selection of library books to the superintendent as described. Requires the governing body to establish a community library advisory committee to investigate and evaluate challenges from parents, teachers, and members of the public to library books on the grounds that they do not conform to the criteria for selection of library books. Directs the Board to review its rules and policies concerning these challenges and establish guidelines to be followed by community library advisory committees. Requires, prior to any school conducting or partnering with a third party to conduct a student book fair, the principal of that school to designate appropriate school personnel to review all books that will be made available to students at the book fair to determine if the books meet the criteria established and meet the content access designation for the school. Requires the principal to ensure that no books be accepted by the school or made available to students in the student book fair that do not meet the established criteria and content access designation of that school.

Enacts GS 115C-102.1, requiring a governing body of a school to maintain a continuous repository of current instructional and supplemental materials that have been selected and acquired by the governing body of a public school unit for in-person review by parents and the public upon request, and the names of all those materials shall be posted to the local school administrative unit's website for review by parents and the public. Further requires the governing body to maintain a continuous program repository of current objectives, entire curricula, texts, and all other materials used in any health and safety program, as described. Provides for notice to parents of their right to review those materials, as described.

Changes the entity charged with providing for local operation of textbook programs and the selection of other instructional materials from local boards of education to governing bodies of public school units in GS 115C-98. Makes conforming changes, including to statute's title.

Applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

Section 3.

Removes defense available to a school, church, museum, public library, governmental agency, medical clinic, or hospital carrying out its legitimate function; or an employee or agent of such an organization acting in that capacity and carrying out a legitimate duty of his employment for the criminal act of dissemination of harmful material to minors under GS 14-190.15. Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2025.

Section 4.

Allows library user records to be disclosed to the parent of minor in GS 125-19 (confidentiality of library user records). Enacts Article 4, concerning access for minors to GS Chapter 125. Defines five terms, including library book and harmful to minors. Requires a library to ensure that any library books containing material harmful to minors held by the library are inaccessible to minors in both print, nonprint, and electronic form. Requires the library to place library books containing material harmful to minors in an age-restricted portion of the library that is accessible only to those 18 years of age and older. Prevents a library from lending books to a minor unless it has parental consent in writing, as described. Authorizes a parent to access their child’s library records.

Effective July 1, 2025. For library cards issued to minors without written parental consent prior to the effective date, a library must either establish written consent from the parent prior to December 31, 2025, or revoke the library card of the minor after that date.