North Carolina SB 300: Western Carolina Center Funds.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 300

Short Title: NC REACH Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Sanderson, Hanig, and Galey (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 18, 2025
*S300-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO REQUIRE AT LEAST THREE CREDIT HOURS OF INSTRUCTION IN 2
AMERICAN HISTORY OR AMERICAN GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO GRADUATE 3
FROM A CONSTITUENT INSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH 4
CAROLINA WITH A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE OR A COMMUNITY COLLEGE 5
WITH AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE. 6
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 7
8
PART I. TITLE 9
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "North Carolina 10
Reclaiming College Education on America's Constitutional Heritage Act" or the "NC REACH 11
Act." 12
13
PART II. REQUIRE THREE CREDIT HOURS OF INSTRUCTION IN AMERICAN 14
HISTORY OR AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AT CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS OF 15
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA 16
SECTION 2.(a) G.S. 116-11(3) reads as rewritten: 17
"(3) The Except as provided in subdivision (15) of this section, the Board shall 18
determine the functions, educational activities and academic programs of the 19
constituent institutions. The Board shall also determine the types of degrees 20
to be awarded. The powers herein given to the Board shall not be restricted by 21
any provision of law assigning specific functions or responsibilities to 22
designated institutions, the powers herein given superseding any such 23
provisions of law. The Board, after adequate notice and after affording the 24
institutional board of trustees an opportunity to be heard, shall have authority 25
to withdraw approval of any existing program if it appears that the program is 26
unproductive, excessively costly or unnecessarily duplicative. The Board shall 27
review the productivity of academic degree programs every two years, using 28
criteria specifically developed to determine program productivity." 29
SECTION 2.(b) G.S. 116-11 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 30
"(15) The Board of Governors shall adopt a policy requiring each constituent 31
institution of The University of North Carolina to require at least three credit 32
hours of instruction in American history or American government, in 33
accordance with G.S. 116-11.5, in order to graduate from the institution with 34
a baccalaureate degree." 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 300-First Edition
SECTION 2.(c) Article 1 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended by 1
adding a new section to read: 2
"§ 116-11.5. American history or American government instruction required for 3
graduation with a baccalaureate degree. 4
(a) Each constituent institution of The University of North Carolina that offers a 5
baccalaureate degree shall require as a condition of graduation with a baccalaureate degree that 6
all students complete at least three credit hours of instruction in American history or American 7
government that provides a comprehensive overview of the major events and turning points of 8
American history and government. A course required pursuant to this section shall meet the 9
following criteria: 10
(1) Require each student to read at least the following documents in their entirety: 11
a. The Constitution of the United States of America. 12
b. The Declaration of Independence. 13
c. The Emancipation Proclamation. 14
d. At least five essays from the Federalist Papers, as determined by the 15
instructor. 16
e. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail. 17
f. The Gettysburg Address. 18
g. The North Carolina State Constitution. 19
(2) Include a cumulative final exam on the principles in the documents listed in 20
subdivision (1) of this subsection. The final exam shall meet the following 21
criteria: 22
a. Comprise at least twenty percent (20%) of the student's total course 23
grade. 24
b. Focus substantially on the provisions and principles of the documents 25
listed in subdivision (1) of this subsection, the perspectives of the 26
authors of the documents, and the relevant historic contexts at the time 27
the documents were written. 28
(b) The chancellor of each constituent institution, or his or her designee, may exempt a 29
student from the requirements of this section if the student has successfully completed at least 30
three credit hours of instruction in American history or American government in a 31
postsecondary-level course provided outside the constituent institution that satisfies the 32
requirements of this section, including credit based on the following: 33
(1) A passing score on an Advanced Placement exam. 34
(2) A passing score on an International Baccalaureate exam. 35
(3) A passing score on an AS-Level or A-Level Cambridge Advanced 36
International Certificate of Education (AICE) course. 37
(4) A passing grade in a dual enrollment course. 38
(c) The Board of Governors shall ensure that the requirements of this section are 39
incorpor