NC REACH Act.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 2
HOUSE BILL 7
Committee Substitute Favorable 4/2/25

Short Title: NC REACH Act. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
January 30, 2025
*H7-v-2*
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 I NSTITUTION OF THE UN IVERSITY OF NORTH 4
CAROLINA WITH A BACC ALAUREATE 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 THR EE CREDIT HOURS OF I NSTRUCTION IN AMERIC AN 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 p rograms 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 r equire at least three credit 32
hours of instructi on 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 House Bill 7-Second 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 ess ays 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
h. George Washington's Farewell Address. 20
(2) Include a cumulative final exam on the principles in the documents listed in 21
subdivision (1) of this subsection. The final exam shall meet the following 22
criteria: 23
a. Comprise at least twenty percent (20%) of the student's total course 24
grade. 25
b. Focus substantially on the provisions and principles of the documents 26
listed in subdivision (1) of this subsection , the perspectives of the 27
authors of the documents, and the relevant historic contexts at the time 28
the documents were written. 29
(b) The chancellor of each constituent institution, or his or her designee, may exempt a 30
student from the requirements of this section if the student has successfully completed at least 31
three credit hours of instruction in American history or American government in a 32
postsecondary-level course provided outside the constituent institution that satisf ies the 33
requirements of this section, including credit based on the following: 34
(1) A passing score on an Advanced Placement exam. 35
(2) A passing score on an International Baccalaureate exam. 36
(3) A passing score on an AS -Level or A -Level Cambridge Advanced 37
International Certificate of Education (AICE) course. 38
(4) A passing grade in a dual enrollment course. 39
(c) The Board of Governors shall ensure that the requirements of this section are 40
incorporated into the degree requirements of all baccalaureate programs and do not do any of the 41
following: 42
(1) Add to the total number of credit hours required for a degree. The Board of 43
Governors shall instead remove one elective course requirement. 44
(2) Conflict with the accreditation process for any constituent institution. 45
(d) The Board of Governors shall ensure that each constituent institution compl ies with 46
the requirements of this section. No later than November 15, 202 6, and annually thereafter, the 47
Board shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on compliance with 48
this section by each constituent institution. The report shall include, at a minimum, a copy of the 49
syllabus for each course that is offered to comply with this section. 50
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 7-Second Edition Page 3
(e) The Board of Governors, in its discretion, may remove the chancellor of a constituent 1
institution for failure to comply with this section over more than one academic year." 2
3
PART III. REQUIRE TH REE CREDIT HOURS OF INSTRUCTION IN AMERI CAN 4
HISTORY OR AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AT NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY 5
COLLEGES 6
SECTION 3.(a) G.S. 115D-5 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 7
"(aa) The State Board of Community Colleges shall adopt a policy requiring each 8
community college to require at least three credit hours of instruction in American history or 9
American government, in accordance with G.S. 115D-11, in order to graduate from the 10
community college with an associate degree." 11
SECTION 3.(b) Article 1 of Chapter 115D of the General Statutes is amended by 12
adding a new section to read: 13
"§ 115D -11. American history or American government instruction required for 14
graduation with an associate degree. 15
(a) Each community college shall require as a condition of graduation with an associate 16
degree that all students complete at least three credit hours of instruction in American history or 17
American government that provides a comprehensive overview of the major events and turning 18
points of American history and government. A course required pursuant to this section shall meet 19
the following criteria: 20
(1) Require each student to read at least the following documents in their entirety: 21
a. The Constitution of the United States of America. 22
b. The Declaration of Independence. 23
c. The Emancipation Proclamation. 24
d. At least five essays from the Federalist Papers, as determined by the 25
instructor. 26
e. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail. 27
f. The Gettysburg Address. 28
g. The North Carolina State Constitution. 29
h. George Washington's Farewell Address. 30
(2) Include a cumulative final exam on the principles in the documents listed in 31
subdivision (1) of this subsection. The final exam shall meet the following 32
criteria: 33
a. Comprise at least twenty percent (20%) of the student 's total course 34
grade. 35
b. Focus substantially on the provisions and principles of the documents 36
listed in subdivision (1) of this subsection, the perspectives of the 37
authors of the documents, and the relevant historic contexts at the time 38
the documents were written. 39
(b) The president of a community college, or his or her designee, may exempt a student 40
from the requirements of this section if the student has successfully completed at least three credit 41
hours of instruction in American history or American government in a postsecondary -level 42
course provided outside the community college that satisfies the requirements of this sectio n, 43
including credit based on the following: 44
(1) A passing score on an Advanced Placement exam. 45
(2) A passing score on an International Baccalaureate exam. 46
(3) A passing score on an AS -Level or A -Level Cambridge Advanced 47
International Certificate of Education (AICE) course. 48
(4) A passing grade in a dual enrollment course. 49
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 4 House Bill 7-Second Edition
(c) The State Board of Community College s shall ensure that the requirements of this 1
section are incorporated into the degree requirements of all associate degree programs and do not 2
do either of the following: 3
(1) Add to the total number of credit hours required for a degree. The State Board 4
of Community Colleges shall instead remove one elective course requirement. 5
(2) Conflict with the accreditation process for any institution. 6
(d) The State Board of Community Colleges shall ensure that each community college 7
complies with the requirements of this section. No later than November 15, 202 6, and annually 8
thereafter, the Board shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on 9
compliance with this section by each community college. The report shall include, at a minimum, 10
a copy of the syllabus for each course that is offered to comply with this section. 11
(e) The State Board of Community Colleges, in its discretion, may withdraw or withhold 12
State financial and administrative support of a community college for failure to comply with this 13
section for more than one academic year pursuant to G.S. 115D-6. Failure to c omply with this 14
section for more than one academic year shall also constitute noncompliance pursuant to 15
G.S. 115D-6.5." 16
17
PART IV. ALIGN FOUNDING PRINCIPLES COURSE REQUIREMENTS 18
SECTION 4.(a) G.S. 115C-81.45(d) is amended by adding a new subdivision to 19
read: 20
"(3a) A passing grade in an advanced course, as defined in G.S. 115C-174.26(a), or 21
a dual enrollment course, shall satisfy the Founding Principles of the United 22
States of America and the State of North Carolina course requirement if, in 23
addition to meeting the requirements of this section, the course requires 24
students to read the following documents in their entirety: 25
a. The Constitution of the United States of America. 26
b. The Declaration of Independence. 27
c. The Emancipation Proclamation. 28
d. At least five essays from the Federalist Papers, as determined by the 29
teacher. 30
e. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail. 31
f. The Gettysburg Address. 32
g. The North Carolina State Constitution. 33
h. George Washington's Farewell Address." 34
SECTION 4.(b) This section is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning 35
with courses offered in the 2025-2026 school year. 36
37
PART V. EFFECTIVE DATE 38
SECTION 5. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law 39
and applies beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year to students accepted for initial enrollment 40
in a baccalaureate program at a constituent institution or initial enrollment in an associate degree 41
program at a community college. 42