School Chaplains.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 939

Short Title: School Chaplains. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Eddins, Biggs, Scott, and N. Jackson (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
*H939-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ALLOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO HIRE CHAPLAINS. 2
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 3
SECTION 1. Article 7B of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by 4
adding a new Part to read: 5
"Part 7. School Personnel. 6
"§ 115C-77.80. School chaplains. 7
(a) The governing body of a public school unit may employ, contract for, or accept as a 8
volunteer a qualified chaplain to serve as a school chaplain. To have a school chaplain serve in a 9
public school unit , the governing body of the public school unit shall adopt a school chaplain 10
policy that includes at least the following: 11
(1) Requires chaplains to have certified training through the National School 12
Chaplain Association, Federation of Fire Chaplains, or A ssociation of Law 13
Enforcement Chaplains. 14
(2) A detailed description of the support, services, and programs the school 15
chaplain will provide. 16
(3) Continuing education requirements for school chaplains. 17
(4) Provisions for the discipline and termination of a school chaplain, if necessary. 18
(b) Notwithstanding G.S. 115C-332(b), 115C -218.90(b), 115C -238.73(b), 19
116-239.12(b), and any other provision of law to the contrary, before a school chaplain begins 20
serving in a public school unit, the governing body of the public school unit shall conduct a 21
criminal history check of the chaplain in accordance with G.S. 115C-332. A copy of the criminal 22
history check shall be sent to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for review. If the 23
Superintendent finds that the chaplain has been convicted of any crime defined in 24
G.S. 115C-332(a)(1), the Superintendent shall direct the public school unit to revoke the offer of 25
employment to the chaplain or reject the chaplain as a volunteer. 26
(c) School chaplains shall not be liable in civil damages to any party for any loss or 27
damage caused by any act or omission relating to the performance of school chaplain duties, 28
unless that act or omission amount s to gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional 29
wrongdoing. 30
(d) Nothing in this section requires a public school unit to hire or accept a volunteer 31
school chaplain . The employment of a school chaplain pursuant to this section shall not be 32
construed as an endorsement of any particular religion." 33
SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with 34
the 2025-2026 school year. 35