July 28, 2025

[1]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org
[2]Facebook [3]Instagram [4]YouTube [5]LinkedIn [6]TikTok

Urge Lawmakers to NOT Hijack Good Bills:

Voters Deserve Transparency

Rumor has it that a highly popular bill is going to be hijacked with
language establishing a process to allow North Carolina to adopt federal
school vouchers. Federal vouchers are said to be on a "nonpublished" agenda
that will be taken up when legislators return to Raleigh on Tuesday, July
29th. The federal voucher program was signed into law in July as part of
the federal budget bill. Now states have to decide whether to adopt it.

How can lawmakers hijack a bill? They just add the new, nonrelated language
(a rider) to a current, existing bill such as [7]HB87, which is scheduled
for a vote on Tuesday. This highly divisive practice of adding a "rider" to
an existing bill lacks transparency and fairness. Simply put, this process
undermines the overall integrity of the legislative process. It is not
allowed in some states.

[8]House Bill 87 “Cell-phone free education” requires that “Governing
bodies of public school units shall adopt a cell phone-free education
policy to eliminate or severely restrict student access to cell phones
during instructional time.” It is a very popular, bipartisan bill that
passed the House with a 116-1 vote and strong public support.

If lawmakers add federal voucher legislation to the cell phone bill, they
will have effectively hijacked HB87. Lawmakers know that federal vouchers
would face strong opposition if presented in a stand-alone bill, so they
are adding it to a very popular bipartisan cell phone bill that has already
passed through the House.

Hijacking a popular bill with objectionable new language increases the
likelihood that the new “controversial addition” will be passed without
public comment, discussion or notice.

Stealth Legislation: [9]HB87 is on the Senate calendar for consideration;
federal private school vouchers are not on the calendar. No warning is
being given to public school advocates, voters, or legislators about this
addition, which bypasses public scrutiny and legislative debate on a highly
controversial issue.

Legislators who supported HB 87 in its original form may now be forced to
vote against it because it contains harmful provisions that expand vouchers
in the state.

HB87 (Cell Phone-Free Education) is scheduled to be addressed by the Senate
Finance Committee at NOON on Tuesday, July 29th -[10] Live Stream: Room
[11]544 LOB.

Thirty minutes later, HB87 is scheduled at the Senate Rules and Operations
Committee - [12]Live stream: Room 1027/1128 LB.

DON’T HIJACK [13]HB87: Please contact members of the [14]Finance Committee
and the [15]Rules and Operations Committee and let them know that hijacking
a bill is unethical and unjust. Tell them that adding a new federal tax
credit voucher program which has the potential for exacerbating
inequalities, undermining public education, and violating principles of
religious freedom should not be considered without the public and every
legislative member being involved in an open, transparent process.

Contact Senate Finance Committee [16]HERE and Senate Rules Committee
[17]HERE. Each committee has many members. The chairs/vice chair are listed
below.

Senate Finance
* Senator Craven [18](919) 733-5870
* Senator McInnis [19](919) 733-5953

Senate Rules and Operations
* Senator Rabon [20](919) 733-5963
* Senator Daniel (Vice Chair) [21](919) 715-7823

Veto Override Votes Likely

In the coming week, the legislative majority will likely try to override
the Governor's vetoes. [22]Governor Stein vetoed 14 bills from the state
legislature this year. Each chamber will review seven of those vetoes,
sending them across to the other chamber if overridden. Let your
legislators know your views and keep an eye on the legislative calendar.

Vetoed Bills Affecting K-12 Education:

* [23]HB 171 Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI.
* [24]HB 402 Limit Rules With Substantial Financial Costs.
* [25]HB 549 Clarify Powers of State Auditor.
* [26]HB 805 Prevent Sexual Exploitation/Women and Minors.
* [27]SB 50 Freedom to Carry NC.
* [28]SB 153 North Carolina Border Protection Act.
* [29]SB 227 Eliminating "DEI" in Public Education.
* [30]SB 254 Charter School Changes.
* [31]SB 416 Personal Privacy Protection Act

Help us support public schools!

Public Schools First NC is a statewide nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit
focused solely

on pre-K to 12 public education issues. We collaborate with parents,
teachers, business and civic leaders, and communities across NC to advocate
for one unified system of public education that prepares each child for
productive citizenship.

DONATE HERE

[32]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org

Questions? Contact us today at [email protected]

References

1. [link removed]
2. [link removed]
3. [link removed]
4. [link removed]
5. [link removed]
6. [link removed]
7. [link removed]
8. [link removed]
9. [link removed]
10. [link removed]
11. [link removed]
12. [link removed]
13. [link removed]
14. [link removed]
15. [link removed]
16. [link removed]
17. [link removed]
18. tel:(919) 733-5870
19. tel:(919) 733-5953
20. tel:(919) 733-5963
21. tel:(919) 715-7823
22. [link removed]
23. [link removed]
24. [link removed]
25. [link removed]
26. [link removed]
27. [link removed]
28. [link removed]
29. [link removed]
30. [link removed]
31. [link removed]
32. [link removed]
Unsubscribe:
[link removed]
This message was sent to [email protected] from [email protected]

Public Schools First NC
PO Box 37832
Raleigh, NC 27627
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

iContact - Engage, WOW, and grow your audience: [link removed]