Governor - As enacted, authorizes, if the governor issues or extends an executive order or proclamation of a state of emergency, the general assembly to terminate such state of emergency by joint resolution of both houses. - Amends TCA Section 58-2-107.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Jason Zachary

Allows Cumberland County Schools to start earlier than the usual limit with a State Board waiver for good cause, to accommodate emergency closures while meeting instructional days.

Pub. Ch. 475

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Purpose / Intent

HB 132 gives Cumberland County Schools greater flexibility to set the annual school-year opening (and, as needed, closing) dates by creating a limited statutory exception to the statewide opening/closing date restrictions in G.S. 115C‑84.2(d). The change is intended to allow the local board and the State Board of Education to accommodate recurring emergency-related school closures (e.g., severe weather, energy outages) by permitting an earlier start date where justified.

Key provisions

Amends G.S. 115C‑84.2(d) (Opening and Closing Dates) and makes the amendment applicable only to Cumberland County Schools.

Standard statewide rule retained: for non–year‑round schools, student opening date generally must be no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26 and closing no later than the Friday closest to June 11.

Allows, on a showing of "good cause," the State Board of Education to waive the August 26 opening limit and permit a local board to set an opening date as early as the Monday closest to August 19 — but only to the extent calendars can provide sufficient days to accommodate anticipated makeup days.

Defines "good cause" for the waiver as a local school administrative unit in a county having been closed eight days per year during any four of the last ten years because of severe weather conditions, energy shortages, power failures, or other emergencies.

Confirms local boards may revise scheduled closing dates as necessary to meet minimum instructional days/time requirements.

Preserves existing exemptions for year‑round and certain modified‑calendar schools.

Who is affected

Directly: Cumberland County Schools — students, parents/guardians, teachers, staff, school administrators, transportation and nutrition services, athletic and extracurricular scheduling.

Indirectly: local childcare providers, employers (parents), and adjacent districts (scheduling/athletics coordination).

State Board of Education: retains oversight authority to grant the limited waiver.

Procedural / timeline aspects

The bill applies only to Cumberland County Schools.

The text indicates immediate application beginning with the 2025–2026 school year once the act takes effect (consistent with typical local‑act timing in the bill text).

Local adoption still requires the State Board’s waiver for an opening earlier than the Monday closest to August 26; the waiver must show the "good cause" standard is met.

Potential impacts / considerations

Operational: enables the district to add buffer days in the calendar to reduce reliance on makeup days later in the year.

Stakeholder effects: may affect childcare arrangements, summer plans, staff contracts, and coordination with regional athletics and college schedules.

Fiscal: no statewide fiscal analysis provided; local administrative and operational impacts are expected to be minimal but could affect transportation, payroll timing, and facility/food-service scheduling.

If you want, I can draft a short explainer for parents or a checklist for the Cumberland County Board of Education on how to request the State Board waiver.

Bill