North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 4 D · 1 R cosponsors

SB 642 — SAVE Students Act.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

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  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

Advancing 40% · 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.

  • 5 sponsors

    1 primary, 4 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (4 D · 1 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

11 added · 12 removed

Plain-language change summary

The revised version of Senate Bill 642 adds a new provision that states a finding must demonstrate a "statistically significant effect on relevant outcomes" from at least one source. This change emphasizes the importance of having solid evidence to support any outcomes discussed in the bill. Additionally, the language regarding excusing students upon a written request from their parents or guardians remains in the bill but is now formatted uniformly. This clarity helps ensure that the rights and processes for student exemptions are effectively communicated.

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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 642 Short Title:
642 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS15292-NH-43 Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS TO RECEIVE EVIDENCE-BASED TRAINING ON IDENTIFICATION OF WARNING SIGNS OF SUICIDE, VIOLENCE, AND SOCIAL ISOLATION.
Rules and Operations of the Senate March 26, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS TO RECEIVE EVIDENCE-BASED TRAINING ON IDENTIFICATION OF WARNING SIGNS OF SUICIDE, VIOLENCE, AND SOCIAL ISOLATION.
(2) Has a statistically significant effect on relevant outcomes based on at least one of the following:
(2) Has a statisticallysignificant effect on relevant outcomes based on at least one of the following:
*DRS15292-NH-43* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 c.
*S642-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 c.
(f) Uponwrittenrequest ofa student's parent orlegal guardian, astudent shall be excused from any training required under this section.
(f) Uponwritten request ofa student's parent orlegal guardian, astudent shall be excused from any training required under this section.
– A local board of education shall adopt a school-based mental health plan, including a mental health training Page 2 DRS15292-NH-43 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 program and suicide risk referral protocol, in accordance with G.S.
– A local board of education shall adopt a school-based mental health plan, including a mental health training Page 2 Senate Bill 642-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 program and suicide risk referral protocol, in accordance with G.S.
DRS15292-NH-43 Page 3
Senate Bill 642-First Edition Page 3
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How this bill changes current law

7 changes Share ↗

Compared against the N.C. General Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill requires public school students to receive evidence-based training on suicide awareness, violence prevention, and social inclusion while mandating local education boards to adopt school-based mental health plans.

  • § 115C-376.5

    (70) School-based mental health plan required. – A local board of education shall adopt a school-based mental health plan, including a mental health training program and suicide risk referral protocol, in accordance with G.S. 115C-376.5 and G.S. 115C-376.7.

    This adds a new requirement for local boards of education to adopt comprehensive mental health plans.

  • § 115C-47

    (70) School-based mental health plan required. – A local board of education shall adopt a school-based mental health plan, including a mental health training program and suicide risk referral protocol, in accordance with G.S. 115C-376.5 and G.S. 115C-376.7.

    This expands the duties of local boards of education to include the provision of school-based mental health plans.

  • § 115C-150.12C(16)

    (16) School-based mental health plan required. – A regional school shall adopt a school-based mental health plan, including a mental health training program and suicide risk referral protocol, in accordance with G.S. 115C-376.5 and G.S. 115C-376.7.

    Regional schools are now required to implement mental health plans similar to those required of local boards.

  • § 115C-218.75

    (h) A charter school shall adopt a school-based mental health plan, including a mental health training program and suicide risk referral protocol, in accordance with G.S. 115C-376.5 and G.S. 115C-376.7.

    Charter schools are mandated to adopt mental health plans for student safety and well-being.

  • § 115C-238.66

    (16) School-based mental health plan required. – A regional school shall adopt a school-based mental health plan, including a mental health training program and suicide risk referral protocol, in accordance with G.S. 115C-376.5 and G.S. 115C-376.7.

    This ensures that regional schools adhere to mental health plans like those in other school formats.

  • § 116-239.8(b)

    (18) School-based mental health plan required. – A laboratory school shall adopt a school-based mental health plan, including a mental health training program and suicide risk referral protocol, in accordance with G.S. 115C-376.5 and G.S. 115C-376.7.

    Laboratory schools are also included in the requirement to adopt mental health plans.

  • § 115C-376.7

    All public school students in grades 6 through 12 shall receive two hours or two standard class periods, whichever is shorter, of training per school year from a program approved pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.

    This establishes a new training requirement for students on suicide prevention and social inclusion.

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 · 4 co-sponsors · 174 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (4)

Not signed on (174)

174 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 174 →

"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 SB 642?
SB 642 is sponsored by Joyce Waddell (Democratic), Gladys A. Robinson (Democratic), Woodson Bradley (Democratic), Bobby Hanig (Republican), and Paul A. Lowe, Jr. (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 642?
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 642?
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