North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 16 R · 2 D cosponsors

HB 985 — Increase Punishment for Assaulting Teachers.

Last action — Withdrawn From Com

Track this bill free

No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.

  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 10, 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.

  • 18 sponsors

    2 primary, 16 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (16 R · 2 D) — 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

65 added · 62 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of House Bill 985 introduces a couple of important changes related to the punishment for assaulting school employees and volunteers. First, it clarifies that school personnel who act in good faith to end student fights will not face any civil or criminal liability for their actions. Second, it now specifically makes it a Class I felony to assault a school employee or volunteer while they are performing their duties, emphasizing the seriousness of protecting those who work in educational environments. These changes aim to enhance safety for school staff and encourage them to intervene in conflicts without fear of legal repercussions.

→
Previous
Latest
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA H.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 985 Short Title:
985 Apr 10, 2025 SESSION 2025 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK H D HOUSE BILL DRH10445-ML-120 Short Title:
Representative Cotham.
Representatives Cotham, Biggs, and Bell (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO INCREASE THE PUNISHMENT FOR ASSAULTING A SCHOOL EMPLOYEE OR SCHOOL VOLUNTEER.
Education - K-12, if favorable, Judiciary 3, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House April 14, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO INCREASE THE PUNISHMENT FOR ASSAULTING A SCHOOLEMPLOYEE OR SCHOOL VOLUNTEER.
115C-218.5, or a nonpublic school which has filed intent to operate under Part 1 or Part 2 of Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes, if the independent contractor carries out duties customarily performed by employees of the school;
115C-218.5, or a nonpublic school which has filed intent to operate under Part 1 or Part 2 of Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes, if the *H985-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 independent contractor carries out duties customarily performed by employees of the school;
and *DRH10445-ML-120* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 3.
and 3.
No school personnel who takes reasonable actions in good faith to end afight oraltercationbetween students shall incur anycivil orcriminal liability as the result of those actions.
No school personnel who takes reasonable actions in good faith to end afight oraltercationbetweenstudents shall incur anycivil orcriminal liability as the result of those actions.
14-34.7, the supervisor shall immediately report to the principal the assault against the school employee.
14-34.7, the supervisor shall immediatelyreport to the principal the assault against the school employee.
…." SECTION 3.
…." Page 2 House Bill 985-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 SECTION 3.
Page 2 DRH10445-ML-120
House Bill 985-First Edition Page 3
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (2)

Action History

  1. Withdrawn From Com

  2. Re-ref to the Com on Judiciary 3, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  3. Passed 1st Reading

  4. Ref to the Com on Education - K-12, if favorable, Judiciary 3, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  5. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

2 sponsors · 16 co-sponsors · 161 not signed on

Sponsors (2)

Co-sponsors (16)

Not signed on (161)

161 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 161 →

"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

public-safety education
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 HB 985?
HB 985 is sponsored by Matthew Winslow (Republican), Donna McDowell White (Republican), Diane Wheatley (Republican), Bill Ward (Republican), A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. (Republican), Dante Pittman (Democratic), Joseph Pike (Republican), Garland E. Pierce (Democratic), Ray Pickett (Republican), Keith Kidwell (Republican), Jimmy Dixon (Republican), Jerry "Alan" Branson (Republican), John M. Blust (Republican), Jennifer Balkcom (Republican), John R. Bell, IV (Republican), Brian Biggs (Republican), Tricia Ann Cotham (Republican), and Neal Jackson (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 985?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced April 10, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 985?
Track HB 985 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on HB 985

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of HB 985

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →