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Bill Summary · HB 966

HB 966 — College Cost Reduction Act (North Carolina) — Summary

Status: Introduced (first reading); referred to Rules.
Primary sponsor: Rep. David G. Gable (primary); listed co-sponsors include Representatives Willis, Setzer, and Echevarria. Filed April 2025. Effective upon enactment; applies beginning with the 2025–2026 academic year.

Main purpose

To limit additional out‑of‑pocket costs to students by prohibiting constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina (UNC) from requiring students to sign up for learning management systems (LMSs) that impose extra charges beyond the student fees already approved by the UNC Board of Governors.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new subdivision to G.S. 116‑11 directing the UNC Board of Governors to adopt a systemwide policy on the use of Learning Management Systems (LMSs) at constituent institutions.
  • At minimum, the Board’s policy must:
    • Prohibit any college, school, professor, or other entity affiliated with a UNC constituent institution from requiring a student, as part of any course, to sign up for an LMS that would result in a cost to the student exceeding student fees previously approved by the Board of Governors.
  • The prohibition addresses LMSs that create an additional direct cost to students (e.g., paid vendor subscriptions, add‑ons, or per‑student licensing outside of approved fee structures).

Who is affected

  • Directly: Students enrolled at UNC constituent institutions (undergraduate, graduate, professional students) who might otherwise be required to pay for third‑party LMS access or paid LMS add‑ons.
  • Institutions: All UNC constituent campuses, and their colleges, departments, faculty, and course administrators — which must comply with the Board policy when selecting and assigning LMS tools or third‑party platforms.
  • Vendors/contractors: LMS providers and third‑party educational‑technology vendors may be affected if their products require per‑student fees beyond institutional fee structures.
  • UNC Board of Governors: Required to develop and adopt the policy.

Timeline and enforcement

  • Takes effect upon becoming law and applies starting with the 2025–2026 academic year.
  • Enforcement mechanism in the bill is the Board of Governors’ policy authority; the bill does not specify penalties or separate enforcement procedures beyond the policy requirement.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Reduces potential out‑of‑pocket expenses for students and may improve equity/access.
  • May shift procurement and licensing decisions to institutions (e.g., campuses may absorb costs, renegotiate vendor contracts, or select fee‑neutral LMS options).
  • Could limit faculty or department flexibility in adopting certain third‑party tools that require student payment unless costs are incorporated into approved fees.
  • Administrative implications for the Board and campuses in drafting, implementing, and monitoring compliance with the required policy.

For readers seeking next steps: monitor the Rules Committee and subsequent committee referrals/hearings for amendments, fiscal analyses, and the date of any floor votes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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