North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 9 D cosponsors

SB 588 — Pregnant Workers Protection Act.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

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

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

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

Prognosis

Stalled 26% · 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.

  • 9 sponsors

    1 primary, 8 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (9 D).

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

11 added · 12 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the recent update to Senate Bill 588, a clarification was added to include "lactation" as a condition related to pregnancy. This change emphasizes the importance of protecting rights and accommodations for new mothers in the workplace. It matters because it acknowledges the health needs of both pregnant individuals and new parents, helping to foster a more supportive work environment.

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FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA Mar 25, 2025 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 588 Short Title:
588 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS45306-LR-151 Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROTECT PREGNANT WOMEN FROM DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.
Rules and Operations of the Senate March 26, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROTECT PREGNANT WOMEN FROM DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.
No employer, employee, or any other person related to the administration of this Article shall be discriminated against in any work, procedure, or employment by reason of sex, race, pregnancy, ethnic origin, or by reason of religious affiliation." SECTION 1.(b) G.S.
No employer, employee, or anyother person related to the administration of this Article shall be discriminated against in any work, procedure, or employment by reason of sex, race, pregnancy, ethnic origin, or by reason of religious affiliation." SECTION 1.(b) G.S.
– Pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, including lactation.Pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions shall be considered a physical impairment for the purposes of this Chapter when they substantially limit one or more major life activities." SECTION 2.(b) G.S.
– Pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, including lactation.
Pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions shall be considered a physical impairment for the purposes of this Chapter when they substantially limit one or more major life activities." SECTION 2.(b) G.S.
– It is a discriminatory practice if an employer fails to provide reasonable accommodations for any limitation of an employee related to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition, unless the employer can demonstrate that providing *DRS45306-LR-151* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business of the employer.
– It is a discriminatory practice if an employer fails to provide reasonable accommodations for any limitation of an employee related to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition, unless the employer can demonstrate that providing *S588-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business of the employer.
"(3a) 'Handicapping condition' means (i) a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of a person's major life activities, (ii) a record of having such an impairment, or (iii) being regarded as having such an impairment.
"(3a) 'Handicapping condition' means (i) a physical or mental impairment which substantiallylimits one or more of a person's major life activities, (ii) a record of having such an impairment, or (iii) being regarded as having such an impairment.
Page 2 DRS45306-LR-151
Page 2 Senate Bill 588-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 8 co-sponsors · 170 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (8)

Not signed on (170)

170 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 170 →

"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

civil-rights labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 588?
SB 588 is sponsored by Joyce Waddell (Democratic), DeAndrea Salvador (Democratic), Lisa Grafstein (Democratic), Michael Garrett (Democratic), Woodson Bradley (Democratic), Sydney Batch (Democratic), Sophia Chitlik (Democratic), Natalie S. Murdock (Democratic), and Kandie D. Smith (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 588?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 588?
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