North Carolina HB 890: School Internet Emergency Access Act.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 890

Short Title: School Internet Emergency Access Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Greenfield, Greene, Clampitt, and Riddell (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 14, 2025
*H890-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION TO DEVELOP A 2
PLAN TO PROVIDE INTERNET SERVICE TO SCHOOLS IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY 3
AND TO ESTABLISH THE EMERGENCY INTERNET SERVICE FUND. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1. Article 3 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding 6
a new section to read: 7
"§ 115C-23. Emergency Internet Service Plan and Fund. 8
(a) The Department of Public Instruction, in consultation with the Department of 9
Information Technology, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Public Safety, 10
Division of Emergency Management, shall develop and maintain an Emergency Internet Service 11
Plan (EISP) related to the provision of temporary internet service to public school units during a 12
state of emergency. This plan shall provide for at least the following: 13
(1) The number of months of emergency internet service that can be provided 14
through the EISP within funds available for the purpose. 15
(2) Conditions necessary to activate the EISP. 16
(3) Public school units may not be required to provide funds to initiate service 17
under the EISP. 18
(4) Equipment needed to support the EISP, including ensuring each public school 19
has access to the equipment necessary to activate emergency internet when 20
needed. 21
(5) Identification of any third-party relationships needed to support the EISP, 22
including identifying the party that will be responsible for maintaining or 23
establishing required accounts. 24
(6) Protection of sensitive information or data. 25
(b) There is established under the control and direction of the Superintendent of Public 26
Instruction the Emergency Internet Service Fund consisting of any monies appropriated to it by 27
the General Assembly. The fund is subject to the following: 28
(1) The fund shall be nonreverting. 29
(2) The fund may be used for the purchase of equipment or to maintain contracts 30
or accounts necessary to make internet service available in a time of 31
emergency. 32
(c) No later than February 15 of each year, the Superintendent shall report to the Joint 33
Legislative Education Oversight Committee on at least the following: 34

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 890-First Edition
(1) If there have been changes to the EISP since the last report, a copy of the EISP 1
developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. 2
(2) An accounting of any services provided since the last report. 3
(3) The balance of the Emergency Internet Service Fund and any funds expended 4
from the fund. 5
(4) Any other information the Superintendent deems relevant." 6
SECTION 2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 7
Public Instruction the sum of three million nine hundred twenty-seven thousand three hundred 8
eighty dollars ($3,927,380) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 school year to be allocated 9
to the Emergency Internet Service Fund as established by this act. 10
SECTION 3. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025, and applies beginning with 11
the 2025-2026 school year. 12