North Carolina HB 507: The Children First Act.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 507

Short Title: The Children First Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Prather, Pittman, R. Pierce, and Johnson-Hostler (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
March 26, 2025
*H507-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT PRIORITZING THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN BY EXPANDING ACCESS 2
TO AFFORDABLE, HIGH-QUALITY CHILD CARE FOR NORTH CAROLINA 3
FAMILIES; ESTABLISHING AN EMPLOYER-PROVIDED CHILD CARE CREDIT; 4
IMPLEMENTING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND LICENSING REFORM 5
STRATEGIES TO ELIMINATE THE CHILD CARE WORKFORCE SHORTAGE; 6
ENHANCING CHILD HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTECTIONS; ADDRESSING 7
INFANT AND FETAL MORTALITY PREVENTION; ESTABLISHING A CHILD CARE 8
INNOVATION TASK FORCE TO IMPROVE THE CHILD CARE LANDSCAPE IN 9
NORTH CAROLINA; AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THESE PURPOSES. 10
Whereas, children in North Carolina are facing unprecedented threats to their safety, 11
privacy, education, and overall well-being, requiring a bold policy response to protect them from 12
economic insecurity, digital exploitation, harmful substances, and violence; and 13
Whereas, the cost of raising children has skyrocketed, with child care, housing, 14
healthcare, and education expenses outpacing wages, forcing many families to make impossible 15
financial choices and pushing parents—especially mothers—out of the workforce; and 16
Whereas, predatory social media platforms and digital corporations are deliberately 17
targeting children with addictive algorithms, manipulative content, and intrusive data collection, 18
exposing them to mental health crises, identity theft, and exploitation without parental consent 19
or oversight; and 20
Whereas, children are being tracked, monetized, and manipulated online, leading to 21
increased rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and social isolation, creating the urgent need 22
for strict digital privacy protections, algorithm regulations, and a ban on data mining of minors; 23
and 24
Whereas, youth vaping, cannabis exposure, and synthetic drug use have surged, with 25
over one-third of North Carolina high school students reporting vape use, and an increasing 26
number of elementary-aged children being introduced to nicotine, THC derivatives, and other 27
substances especially harmful to children; and 28
Whereas, firearm-related deaths among children have more than doubled since 2013, 29
with over seventy-nine percent (79%) of guns found on school campuses originating from 30
improperly stored firearms, making safe storage laws and firearm safety education a critical 31
public health necessity; and 32

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 507-First Edition
Whereas, youth homelessness is rising at alarming rates, with more than 28,000 1
students statewide experiencing housing instability, making it nearly impossible for these 2
children to focus on their education, well-being, and future career paths; and 3
Whereas, childhood food insecurity remains a crisis, with more than twenty percent 4
(20%) of North Carolina children living in households that cannot afford sufficient nutrition, 5
leading to lifelong negative health outcomes and academic struggles; and 6
Whereas, violent crime and exploitation targeting children are on the rise, with human 7
traffickers, gangs, and online predators increasingly preying on minors, requiring stronger law 8
enforcement collaboration and parental empowerment to protect our children; and 9
Whereas, every dollar invested in early childhood development, education, and safety 10
yields an estimated seven-dollar ($7.00) return in long-term economic benefits, including higher 11
graduation rates, increased workforce productivity, and lower crime rates, proving that protecting 12
children is not just a moral obligation but an economic necessity; and 13
Whereas, North Carolina has an opportunity to be a national leader in child safety, 14
privacy protections, and family empowerment, ensuring that our State prioritizes parental rights, 15
safeguards children from corporate and government overreach, and builds a future where every 16
child can thrive; Now, therefore, 17
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 18
19
PART I. TITLE AND PURPOSE 20
SECTION 1.1. This act shall be known as "The Children First Act." 21
SECTION 1.2. The purposes of this act are as follows: 22
(1) To expand child care affordability and access for North Carolina families. 23
(2) To increase child care workforce development activities and streamline the 24
licensing of child care workers. 25
(3) To strengthen child health and safety protections with respect to social media, 26
substance use, firearm safety, and access to early childhood mental health. 27
(4) To incentivize employer-sponsored child care initiatives. 28
(5) To reduce child care deserts in rural and underserved communi