Stein signs 10 bills into law, including foster care, tuition assistance

After passing unanimously in both chambers of the General Assembly last week, Gov. Josh Stein signed HB 612, the Fostering Care in NC Act, on Thursday.

House Bill 612 aims to modernize and strengthen North Carolina’s child-welfare system through a wide-ranging set of reforms to foster care, child protective services, juvenile procedures, and social services.

The legislation passed the House 109-0 on June 18 and the Senate 46-0 on June 17.

The bill has been through numerous drafts and committee substitutes, with lawmakers citing at least 30 revisions since it was first introduced.

“I think we have a good piece of work here. It is 100% a compromise bill,” said Rep. Allen Chesser, R-Nash, the bill’s primary sponsor, during the House floor vote. “More of the controversial parts we just took out to make sure that we had something that could gain concurrence. And I just asked that you guys stand with us for one more vote, and let’s move the needle for the children who find themselves in foster care in the state of North Carolina.”

Stein, a Democrat, said at the bill signing ceremony that “a bill of this magnitude doesn’t just happen” and thanked Chesser, along with Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch, D-Wake, and others for their part in passing the legislation.  

“It’s a lot of people of good faith coming together, working hard to try to do something right for the children of North Carolina, and I’m incredibly grateful to all of you for what you have done,” he said. “It protects the most vulnerable children and strengthens our child welfare system. The team behind this bill took a long time to look at some of the problems of our foster care system, and they came up with real solutions for how we can do better by our children. So I’m proud to sign this bill and grateful for the bipartisan leadership that got it across the finish line.”

“Today is the culmination of months of work on a long-recognized needed change to our state’s foster care system,” Chesser said in a press release. “We are turning the direction of foster care and are putting the children in foster care first.”

Provisions included in the foster care bill include:

• Expands eligibility for the state’s Guardianship Assistance Program to children as young as 10
• Grants judges the ability to issue permanent no-contact orders in cases of violent offenses
• Clarifies felony child-abuse statutes for caregivers who allow or commit sexual acts on minors
• Establishes mandatory criminal background checks for city or county employees who work with children
• Requires written documentation and court oversight before unsupervised visitation or reunification with parents occurs

Stein said that, when appropriate, an option in the bill will help more children stay with their families.

“Parent reunification, unfortunately, isn’t always gospel with every child. But the chance to live with relatives can help children maintain some form of stability in their lives,” he said.

Stein also said that the bill is coming at the same time as the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ (NCDHHS) launch of Partnership and Technology Hub for North Carolina, or PATH NC, a statewide digital system for social workers to track foster children when they are relocated.

Stein also signs hb 373 unc tuition discounts for certain students into law

At the same ceremony, he also signed HB 373 UNC Tuition Discounts for Certain Students, into law.

The bill allows the UNC system to discount tuition for students with military or employer tuition assistance, potentially reducing costs to zero. With over 90% of eligible students currently studying out of state, the bill could retain talent and generate $20 million in UNC revenue. The bill was filed at the request of the UNC System.

“This bill will help military students afford tuition at our state’s top-tier university system,” Stein said in a press release. “This way, we can both support those who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms and strengthen our workforce of tomorrow. I appreciate Representatives Campbell, Pickett, Chesser, and Willis for their sponsorship of this legislation.” 

Bill referencing alleged political discrimination during disasters also signed

HB 251, Various Disaster Recovery Reforms, which assures that alleged political discrimination doesn’t influence emergency relief efforts, was also signed into law.

“North Carolina does not discriminate based on political affiliation or political speech, including when providing disaster recovery assistance,” the governor commented. “This bill ensures that will remain the case.”

The legislation came after a FEMA worker was fired last fall for alleged political discrimination in disaster aid distribution after Hurricane Helene. 

Stein also signs six other bills

Stein also signed the following bills into law:

• House Bill 40: Various GSC Recommendations
• House Bill 91: Define Armed Forces / Religious Prop. Tax Excl.
• House Bill 247: Underground Safety Revisions
• House Bill 421: Motor Vehicle Dealers
• House Bill 476: DST Technical Corrections/Admin. Changes 2025
• Senate Bill 344: Pooled Trust Transfers / Public Benefits Elig .

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