North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 10 D · 5 R cosponsors

HB 671 — Competitive Speech and Debate Grant Pilot.

Last action — Reptd Fav Com Substitute

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced April 01, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Advancing 42% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 16 sponsors

    3 primary, 13 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (10 D · 5 R) — cross-party backing.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

39 added · 29 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of HB 671 includes a new section that authorizes the Department of Public Instruction to provide up to $500,000 each year over the next four fiscal years to support competitive speech and debate teams in schools. Additionally, it specifies that participating students must take responsibility for their own transportation to the team meetings. These changes aim to enhance funding and accessibility for students involved in speech and debate programs, ultimately promoting academic improvement and providing more opportunities for extracurricular engagement.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 2 HOUSE BILL 671 Committee Substitute Favorable 4/15/25 Short Title:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 671 Short Title:
Representatives Willis, Cotham, Biggs, and T.
Brown (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
April 3, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM FOR GRANTS FOR COMPETITIVE SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAMS.
Education - K-12, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House April 3, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM FOR GRANTS FOR COMPETITIVE SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAMS.
– If a student is enrolled in a school that does not offer a speech and debate team, the student is eligible to participate on the speech and debate team at the school located geographically closest to where the student resides that does have a team.
– If a student is enrolled in a school that does not offer a speech and debate team, the student is eligible to participate on the speech and debate *H671-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 team at the school located geographically closest to where the student resides that does have a team.
A student joining a team under the authority of this section shall be responsible for *H671-v-2* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 transportation to and from the school where the team meets.
A student joining a team under the authority of this section shall be responsible for transportation to and from the school where the team meets.
There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) in nonrecurring funds per fiscal year for the 2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028, and 2028-2029 fiscal years for the Department to establish and administer the Competitive Speech and Debate Team Grant Pilot Program as required by this act.
Two members shall be added to the board of directors of the Tarheel Forensic League.
One member shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one member shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
Appointed members shall serve four-year terms.
No State employee or elected official may serve as an appointed member of the board.
Appointed members of the board may not be compensated for their services.
The amount of State funds that may be used to provide per diems and allowances to a member of the board engaged in carrying out the purposes and requirements of this Article shall not exceed the amount provided in G.S.
138-5.
There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) in nonrecurring funds per fiscal year for the 2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028, and 2028-2029 fiscal years for the Department to establish and administer the Competitive Speech and Debate Team Grant Pilot Program as required by this act.
SECTION 4.
Page 2 House Bill 671-Second Edition
Page 2 House Bill 671-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Reptd Fav Com Substitute

  2. Re-ref Com On Appropriations

  3. Passed 1st Reading

  4. Ref to the Com on Education - K-12, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  5. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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3 sponsors · 13 co-sponsors · 163 not signed on

Sponsors (3)

Co-sponsors (13)

Not signed on (163)

163 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 163 →

"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.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

education
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 671?
HB 671 is sponsored by Rodney D. Pierce (Democratic), Garland E. Pierce (Democratic), Tim Longest (Democratic), Zack Hawkins (Democratic), Edward C. Goodwin (Republican), Aisha O. Dew (Democratic), Maria Cervania (Democratic), Becky Carney (Democratic), Campbell, Amber M. Baker (Democratic), Eric Ager (Democratic), Terry M. Brown Jr. (Democratic), Brian Biggs (Republican), Tricia Ann Cotham (Republican), David Willis (Republican), and Jake Johnson (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 671?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced April 01, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 671?
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