SB 671 — Virtual Educ./Remote Acad./Virtual Charters.
Last action — Signed by Gov. 7/8/2022
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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✓Passed Senate
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✓Passed House
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✓To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced April 07, 2021. Enacted.
Odds of enactment
High chanceBased on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.
Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.
A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.
Prognosis
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Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
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7 sponsors
2 primary, 5 co-sponsors signed on.
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Single-party support
Sponsorship is currently within one party (5 R).
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Cleared a recorded vote
Passed 2 recorded votes so far.
Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
530 added · 551 removedPlain-language change summary
The latest version of Senate Bill 671 includes a significant amendment that increases the number of scholarship grants available to eligible students from 1,500 to at least 2,000 for each school year. This change matters because it expands access to educational opportunities for more families, particularly those with lower incomes. Additionally, the bill ensures that applications for these scholarship funds will not be public records, which helps protect students' privacy. Overall, these modifications aim to enhance support for students seeking financial assistance for their education.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2021 S 21 SENATE BILL 671 Education/Higher Education Committee Substitute Adopted 4/28/21 Short Title:
Senators Lee, Ballard, and Galey (Primary Sponsors).
Rules and Operations of the Senate April 8, 2021 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS.
A child who is the age of 4four on or before April 16 is eligible to attend the following school year if the principal, or equivalent, of the school in which the child seeks to enroll finds that the student meets the requirements of G.S.
*S671-v-2**S671-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 7.
MeetsResides in a household with an income level not in excess of one hundred fifty seventy-five percent (150%) (175%) of the followingamount criteria:required for the student to qualify for the federal free or reduced-price lunchprogram.
1.TheAuthorityshall not count anydistributionfrom the estate of a decedent in calculating the income level of the applicant's household for the purposes of determining eligibility for a scholarship under this sub-subdivision." SECTION 1.1.(b) G.S.
Resides in a household with an income level not in excess of one hundred fifty seventy-five percent (150%) (175%) of the amount required for the student to qualify for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program.
The Authority shall not count anydistribution from the estate of a decedent in calculating the income level of the applicant's household for the purposes of determining eligibility for a scholarship under this sub-subdivision.sub-sub-subdivision.
2.
Is a child in foster care as defined in G.S.
131D-10.2.
The Authorityshall not consider the household income of the foster parent, as defined in G.S.
131D-10.2, in determining the eligibility of the foster care child." SECTION 1.1.(b) G.S.
be, per year per eligible student, in an amount up to ninetythe percentamount (90%) of the average State perBoard pupilof allocationEducation forallocated averageto dailya membershipcharter inschool thepursuant priorto fiscalG.S. year.
Scholarship115C-218.105(a)(1), grantsplus awardedthe toallocation eligiblefor studentschildren residing in households with anlimited incomeEnglish levelproficiency inand excess ofthe amount required for thestudent to qualifyfor thefederal free orreduced-price lunch program shall be for amounts of not more than ninety percent (90%) of the requiredallocation tuition and fees forthenonpublicschooltheeligiblechildwillattend.Tuitionandfeesforanonpublicschool may include tuition and fees for books,children transportation,with equipment,disabilities, orin other items required by the nonpublicprior school.fiscal year.
NoScholarship scholarshipgrants grantawarded shallto exceedeligible fourstudents thousandresiding twoin hundredhouseholds dollarswith ($4,200)an exceed,income perlevel yearin perexcess eligibleof student,the an amount equalrequired tofor ninetythe percentstudent (90%)to ofqualify for the averagefederal Statefree peror pupilreduced-price allocationlunch forprogram averageshall dailymembershipbe infor theamounts priorof fiscalnot yearmore andthan noninety scholarshippercent grant(90%) shallof exceed the required tuition and fees for the nonpublic school the eligible studentchild will attend.
(b1)Tuition Beginningand withfees thefor 2017-2018a nonpublic school year, within the funds appropriated by the General Assembly to award scholarship grants to eligible students under this Part, the Authority may awardinclude scholarshiptuition grantsand tofees atfor leastbooks, 2,000transportation, moreequipment, eligibleor studentsother eachitems schoolrequired yearby than were served in the priornonpublic schoolschool. year.
No scholarship grant shall exceed four thousand two hundred dollars ($4,200) exceed, per year per eligible student, an amount equal to the amount the State Board of Education allocated to a charter school pursuant to G.S.
115C-218.105(a)(1), plus the allocation for children with limited English proficiency and the allocation for children with disabilities, in the prior fiscal year and no scholarship grant shall exceed the required tuition and fees for the nonpublic school the eligible student will attend.
(b1) Beginning with the 2017-2018 2022-2023 school year, within the funds appropriated by the General Assembly to award scholarship grants to eligible students under this Part, the Authoritymayawardscholarship grants to at least 2,0001,500 moreeligiblestudents eachschool year than were served in the prior school year.
Page 2 Senate Bill 671-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 "§ 115C-562.3.
… (b) Household members of applicants for scholarship grants shall authorize the Authority to access information needed for verification efforts held by other State agencies, including the Page 2 Senate Bill 671-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 Department of Revenue, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Public Instruction.
(c)…." BySECTION December1.1.(d) 1This ofsection eachapplies year,beginning thewith Departmentapplications of Public Instruction shall provide the Authority the average State per pupil allocation for that fiscal year to determine the maximum scholarship amountfunds for eligible students to be awarded in the following2022-2023 fiscalschool yearyear. in accordance with G.S.
115C-562.2(b)." SECTION 1.1.(d) Subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section apply beginning with applications for scholarship funds for the 2022-2023 school year.
SECTION 1.1.(e) Any student who meets the following requirements shall qualify as an eligible student and shall be eligible to receive a scholarship for the 2021-2022 school year pursuant to Part 2A of Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes:
(1) Was enrolled in a North Carolina public school or a Department of Defense Elementary and Secondary School located in North Carolina for the fall semester of the 2019-2020 school year.
(2) Was enrolled in a nonpublic school that meets the requirements of Part 1, 2, or 3 of Article 39 of this Chapter for the spring semester of the 2019-2020 school year and the entire 2020-2021 school year.
(3) Meets the eligibility requirements of G.S.
115C-562.1(3)a1.
and b.
(4) Submits a scholarship application for the 2021-2022 school year.
A student who becomes eligible for a scholarship in the 2021-2022 school year solely due to this subsection shall receive first priority in award of scholarships in the same manner as those previously awarded scholarships.
Senate Bill 671-Second Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (1) Up to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) may be used by the Authority to contract with a nonprofit corporation representing parents and families for marketing, outreach, and scholarship application assistance for parents and students pursuant to Part 5 of this Article.
Senate Bill 671-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 a.
COMBINE K-12 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES Page 4 Senate Bill 671-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 SECTION 2.1.(a) Article 41 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes reads as rewritten:
A child who is the age of Page 4 Senate Bill 671-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 four on or before April 16 is eligible to attend the following school year if the principal, or equivalent, of the school in which the child seeks to enroll finds that the student meets the requirements of G.S.
Senate Bill 671-Second Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (6) Personal Education Savings Student Account or PESA.
– Scholarships Except for eligible students who qualify for scholarship funds pursuant to subsection (b1) of this section, scholarships shall be awarded each year for an amount not to exceed nine (i) nineeight thousand dollars ($9,000) ($8,000) per eligible student for the fiscal school year in for which the application is received, exceptreceivedexcept received or (ii) for eligible part-time students, who shall be awarded scholarships each year for an amount not to exceed students, four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500) ($4,000) per eligible student for the Senate Bill 671-First Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 fiscal school year in for which the application is received.
Any funds remaining on a debit card or in an electronic account provided under subsection (b2) of this section at the end of a school year for eligible students who qualify only under this subsection shall be returned to the Authority.
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For eligible students who qualify for scholarship funds under this subsection, no more than four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500) of funds remainingremainingon a debit card or in an electronic account at the end of a school year shall be carried forward until expended for each school year upon renewal of the account under subsection (b2) of this section.
Any funds remaining on the card or in the electronic account if an agreement is not renewed under G.S.
After the initial disbursement of funds, each subsequent, quarterly semester disbursement of funds shall be subject to the Page 6 Senate Bill 671-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 submission by the parent of an expense report.
Page 6 Senate Bill 671-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 f.
Senate Bill 671-Second Edition Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (2) A licensed psychologist with a school psychology focus or a psychiatrist.
– The Authority shall provide the parent of a scholarship recipient with a written agreement, applicable for each year the eligible student receives scholarship funds under this Article, to be signed and returned to the Authority prior to receiving Senate Bill 671-First Edition Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 the scholarship funds.
Page 8 Senate Bill 671-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 e.
Page 8 Senate Bill 671-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (4) Not use scholarship funds for any of the following purposes:
Senate Bill 671-Second Edition Page 9 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (2) Reimbursement for tuition.
However, the Authority shall not reimburse the parent orguardianpriortothemidpointoforguardianpriortothemidpointofeachsemester.Aparent eachsemester.Aparent orguardian may only receive reimbursement for tuition if the parent or guardian provides documentation to the Authority that the student is enrolled in the school.
Senate Bill 671-First Edition Page 9 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (b) Information on PESAs to the Division.
– Of the funds allocated to the Authority to award scholarship funds under this Article, the Authority may retain up to two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) the lesser of four percent (4%) of the funds appropriated orfor twothe millionprogram dollars ($2,000,000) each fiscal year for administrative costs associated with the program, including contracting with non-State entities for administration of certain components of the program.
Page 10 Senate Bill 671-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 The Authority shall report annually, no later than October 15, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the following information from the prior school year:
Page 10 Senate Bill 671-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (2) Provide assessments for continuing eligibility to identified children with disabilities receivingscholarship funds at the request of the parent or guardian to ensure compliance with G.S.
SECTION 2.2.(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning with the 2022-2023 fiscal year, of the funds appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, the sum of (i) thirteen million forty-three thousand one hundred sixty-six dollars ($13,043,166) in recurring funds for the Special Education Scholarship Program for Children with Disabilities established pursuant to Part 1H of Article 9 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes and (ii) three million dollars ($3,000,000) in recurring funds for the Personal Education Savings Account program shall instead be appropriated forto the North Carolina Personal Education Student AccountsAccount forFund ChildrenReserve, withas Disabilitiesenacted Program,bySection as2.1 establishedof by this act.
For the purposes of this Article, scholarship funds awarded pursuant to Part 2A of this Article, Senate Bill 671-Second Edition Page 11 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 Article or Article 41 of this Chapter, or Part 1H of Article 9 of this Chapter to eligible students attending a nonpublic school shall not be considered funding from the State of North Carolina." SECTION 2.2.(d) G.S.
Senate Bill 671-First Edition Page 11 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (3) Comply with the limitations on lobbying set forth in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Page 12 Senate Bill 671-Second671-First Edition
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Action History
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Signed by Gov. 7/8/2022
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Ch. SL 2022-59
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Conf Com Reported
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Placed on Today's Calendar
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Conf Report Adopted
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Conf Com Reported
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Added to Calendar
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Conf Report Adopted
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Ordered Enrolled
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Ratified
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Pres. To Gov. 7/1/2022
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Conf Com Appointed
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Conf Com Appointed
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Failed Concur In H Com Sub
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Regular Message Received For Concurrence in H Com Sub
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Placed On Cal For 06/15/2022
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Passed 2nd Reading
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Passed 3rd Reading
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Regular Message Sent To Senate
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Reptd Fav Com Substitute
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Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
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Placed On Cal For 06/09/2022
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Withdrawn From Com
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Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
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Withdrawn From Com
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Re-ref Com On Education - K-12
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Passed 1st Reading
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Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
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Regular Message Sent To House
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Regular Message Received From Senate
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Passed 2nd Reading
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Passed 3rd Reading
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Reptd Fav
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Placed On Cal For 05/04/2021
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Reptd Fav Com Substitute
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Com Substitute Adopted
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Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
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Withdrawn From Com
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Re-ref to Education/Higher Education. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate
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Passed 1st Reading
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Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
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Filed
Sponsors
- Michael V. Lee · Primary
- Ballard · Primary
- Amy S. Galey · Cosponsor
- Lisa S. Barnes · Cosponsor
- Warren Daniel · Cosponsor
- Harrington · Cosponsor
- Steve Jarvis · Cosponsor
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →2 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 172 not signed on · 20 voted No
Sponsors (2)
- Michael V. Lee Republican
- Ballard
Co-sponsors (5)
- Amy S. Galey Republican
- Lisa S. Barnes Republican
- Warren Daniel Republican
- Harrington
- Steve Jarvis Republican
Not signed on (172)
172 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 172 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unaffiliated | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Republican | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 44 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| % of votes cast | 88% | 0% | 0% | 12% |
How each member voted (50)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| deViere | — | Yea |
| Fitch | — | Yea |
| Foushee | — | Yea |
| Marcus | — | Yea |
| Nickel | — | Yea |
| Woodard | — | Yea |
| Ballard | — | Yea |
| Edwards | — | Yea |
| Johnson | — | Yea |
| Krawiec | — | Yea |
| Perry | — | Yea |
| Proctor | — | Yea |
| Bazemore | — | Not Voting |
| Harrington | — | Not Voting |
| Steinburg | — | Not Voting |
| D. Davis | — | Yea |
| J. Jackson | — | Not Voting |
| P. Newton | — | Yea |
| Dan Blue | Democratic | Yea |
| DeAndrea Salvador | Democratic | Yea |
| Gladys A. Robinson | Democratic | Yea |
| Jay J. Chaudhuri | Democratic | Yea |
| Joyce Waddell | Democratic | Yea |
| Julie Mayfield | Democratic | Yea |
| Michael Garrett | Democratic | Yea |
| Mujtaba A. Mohammed | Democratic | Not Voting |
| Natalie S. Murdock | Democratic | Yea |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | Democratic | Yea |
| Sarah Crawford | Democratic | Yea |
| Sydney Batch | Democratic | Yea |
| Tracy Clark | Democratic | Yea |
| Amy S. Galey | Republican | Yea |
| Bill Rabon | Republican | Yea |
| Brent Jackson | Republican | Yea |
| Carl Ford | Republican | Yea |
| Danny Earl Britt, Jr. | Republican | Yea |
| David W. Craven, Jr. | Republican | Yea |
| Jim Burgin | Republican | Yea |
| Kevin Corbin | Republican | Yea |
| Lisa S. Barnes | Republican | Yea |
| Michael A. Lazzara | Republican | Not Voting |
| Michael V. Lee | Republican | Yea |
| Norman W. Sanderson | Republican | Yea |
| Phil Berger | Republican | Yea |
| Ralph Hise | Republican | Yea |
| Steve Jarvis | Republican | Yea |
| Tom McInnis | Republican | Yea |
| Vickie Sawyer | Republican | Yea |
| W. Ted Alexander | Republican | Yea |
| Warren Daniel | Republican | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 9 | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| Republican | 44 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unaffiliated | 27 | 9 | 0 | 6 |
| U | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 81 | 27 | 0 | 12 |
| % of votes cast | 68% | 23% | 0% | 10% |
How each member voted (120)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Clemmons | — | Yea |
| Cooper-Suggs | — | Yea |
| Farkas | — | Yea |
| Garrison | — | Yea |
| Graham | — | Yea |
| Hurtado | — | Yea |
| Richardson | — | Yea |
| Terry | — | Yea |
| Wray | — | Yea |
| Boles | — | Yea |
| Bradford | — | Yea |
| Cleveland | — | Yea |
| Davis | — | Yea |
| Elmore | — | Yea |
| Faircloth | — | Yea |
| Hardister | — | Yea |
| Hurley | — | Yea |
| Johnson | — | Yea |
| McElraft | — | Yea |
| McNeill | — | Yea |
| Mills | — | Yea |
| Moore | — | Yea |
| Saine | — | Yea |
| Sasser | — | Yea |
| Szoka | — | Yea |
| Zachary | — | Yea |
| Autry | — | Nay |
| Gailliard | — | Nay |
| Gill | — | Nay |
| Harris | — | Nay |
| Hunt | — | Nay |
| Martin | — | Nay |
| Rudow | — | Nay |
| Hunter | — | Not Voting |
| Lucas | — | Not Voting |
| vonHaefen | — | Not Voting |
| Rogers | — | Not Voting |
| Yarborough | — | Not Voting |
| C. Smith | — | Yea |
| K. Baker | — | Not Voting |
| K. Smith | — | Nay |
| R. Smith | — | Nay |
| Abe Jones | Democratic | Nay |
| Allen Buansi | Democratic | Nay |
| Allison A. Dahle | Democratic | Nay |
| Amber M. Baker | Democratic | Nay |
| Amos L. Quick, III | Democratic | Nay |
| Becky Carney | Democratic | Yea |
| Brandon Lofton | Democratic | Nay |
| Brian Turner | Democratic | Yea |
| Carolyn G. Logan | Democratic | Nay |
| Cecil Brockman | Democratic | Not Voting |
| Cynthia Ball | Democratic | Nay |
| Dante Pittman | Democratic | Nay |
| Deb Butler | Democratic | Nay |
| Eric Ager | Democratic | Yea |
| Gale Adcock | Democratic | Yea |
| Garland E. Pierce | Democratic | Yea |
| Graig Meyer | Democratic | Nay |
| James Roberson | Democratic | Yea |
| Joe John | Democratic | Nay |
| Marcia Morey | Democratic | Nay |
| Mary Belk | Democratic | Nay |
| Pricey Harrison | Democratic | Nay |
| Robert T. Reives, II | Democratic | Nay |
| Shelly Willingham | Democratic | Yea |
| Terence Everitt | Democratic | Nay |
| Terry M. Brown Jr. | Democratic | Yea |
| Vernetta Alston | Democratic | Yea |
| Zack Hawkins | Democratic | Not Voting |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. | Republican | Yea |
| Ben T. Moss, Jr. | Republican | Yea |
| Bobby Hanig | Republican | Yea |
| Brenden H. Jones | Republican | Yea |
| Charles W. Miller | Republican | Yea |
| Chris Humphrey | Republican | Yea |
| David Willis | Republican | Yea |
| Dean Arp | Republican | Yea |
| Dennis Riddell | Republican | Yea |
| Destin Hall | Republican | Yea |
| Diane Wheatley | Republican | Yea |
| Donna McDowell White | Republican | Yea |
| Donnie Loftis | Republican | Yea |
| Donny Lambeth | Republican | Yea |
| Dudley Greene | Republican | Yea |
| Edward C. Goodwin | Republican | Yea |
| Erin Paré | Republican | Yea |
| Frank Iler | Republican | Yea |
| Harry Warren | Republican | Yea |
| Howard Penny, Jr. | Republican | Yea |
| Hugh Blackwell | Republican | Not Voting |
| Jay Adams | Republican | Yea |
| Jeff Zenger | Republican | Yea |
| Jeffrey C. McNeely | Republican | Yea |
| Jimmy Dixon | Republican | Yea |
| John A. Torbett | Republican | Not Voting |
| John R. Bell, IV | Republican | Yea |
| John Sauls | Republican | Yea |
| Julia C. Howard | Republican | Yea |
| Karl E. Gillespie | Republican | Yea |
| Keith Kidwell | Republican | Yea |
| Kelly E. Hastings | Republican | Yea |
| Kyle Hall | Republican | Yea |
| Larry C. Strickland | Republican | Yea |
| Larry W. Potts | Republican | Yea |
| Mark Brody | Republican | Yea |
| Mark Pless | Republican | Yea |
| Matthew Winslow | Republican | Yea |
| Mike Clampitt | Republican | Yea |
| Mitchell S. Setzer | Republican | Yea |
| Phil Shepard | Republican | Yea |
| Ray Pickett | Republican | Yea |
| Sam Watford | Republican | Yea |
| Sarah Stevens | Republican | Not Voting |
| Steve Tyson | Republican | Yea |
| Timothy D. Moffitt | Republican | Not Voting |
| W. Ted Alexander | Republican | Yea |
| William D. Brisson | Republican | Yea |
| Carla D. Cunningham | U | Yea |
| Nasif Majeed | U | Nay |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- Who sponsors SB 671?
- SB 671 is sponsored by Michael V. Lee (Republican), Ballard, Amy S. Galey (Republican), Lisa S. Barnes (Republican), Warren Daniel (Republican), Harrington, and Steve Jarvis (Republican).
- What is the current status of SB 671?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced April 07, 2021. Enacted.
- Where can I track SB 671?
- Track SB 671 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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