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Bill

SB 323

Relating to substitute teachers; prescribing an effective date.

2025 Regular Session

Provides free safer sex supplies to students at public colleges, universities, and high schools for three years to reduce STI costs and support student success.

In committee upon adjournment.
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Bill Summary · SB 323

SB 323 — Student Health and Responsibility Act

Status: Passed 1st Reading (Introduced Feb 11, 2025)
Classification: Bill

Main purpose

Establish a time-limited Safer Sex Supplies Grant Program to fund free access to safer sex supplies (e.g., condoms, lubricants) for students at public higher‑education institutions and public high schools. The bill frames the program as a preventive public‑health measure intended to reduce STI-related health costs and support student success.

Key provisions

  • Program established: “Safer Sex Supplies Grant Program” (Program) for fiscal years 2025–2026, 2026–2027, and 2027–2028. Program expires June 30, 2028.
  • Administering entities:
    • Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina (for UNC constituent institutions)
    • State Board of Community Colleges (for community colleges)
    • Department of Public Instruction (for public high schools)
  • Eligible entities: UNC campuses, community colleges, and public school units.
  • Grant application requirements: applicants must document need, estimated costs, and a plan to
    • provide free supplies at identified campus locations (student health centers, residence halls, guidance offices, athletic offices),
    • replenish supplies per usage,
    • protect student privacy and dignity,
    • partner with campus/community organizations and secure in‑kind contributions,
    • establish a Student Health Advisory Committee (students, health professionals, faculty) to oversee implementation,
    • commit to continuing supply availability after grant expiration.
  • Use and distribution of funds:
    • Prioritize awards demonstrating economic benefit, collaboration, and cost efficiency.
    • Allocate awards based on enrollment.
    • Grants must supplement, not supplant, existing funding for safer sex supplies.
  • Parental consent: recipients must NOT require parental permission for students (including high‑school students) to access supplies.
  • Administrative cap: each administering entity may retain up to $100,000 per year for administration of the program.
  • Reporting: by April 1 each fiscal year in which funds are awarded, each administering entity must report to two legislative oversight committees with details on recipients, funding amounts, supplies purchased, usage rates, projected health‑care savings, regional effectiveness, and recommendations.
  • Privacy and student dignity are emphasized throughout program expectations.

Who is affected

  • Directly: students at UNC institutions, community colleges, and public high schools; campus health staff; campus/student organizations.
  • Indirectly: state public‑health system (through potential reduced STI treatment costs), local health departments, and community partners.

Timeline & procedural notes

  • Program duration: limited to three fiscal years (2025–2028) unless extended by later legislation.
  • Reporting is annual (due April 1) during award years.
  • The bill was reported through relevant committees after first reading and placed on legislative calendars; appropriation language (Part III) appears in the bill text but the available materials truncate the dollar amounts.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Public health: expected to reduce STI incidence and related treatment/Medicaid costs if supplies are widely used.
  • Education: intended to support student retention/attendance by reducing health‑related disruptions.
  • Fiscal: administrative costs capped per administering entity; the bill requires supplementing existing funds rather than replacing them (but final cost depends on appropriations in Part III).
  • Policy considerations: removal of parental consent for minors accessing supplies may raise public and political debate; logistical implementation (locations, privacy safeguards, partnership management) will be central to program success.

If you want, I can:
- Extract or summarize the appropriation language (Part III) if you provide the missing pages;
- Draft a short briefing memo for campus administrators outlining implementation steps required by the bill.

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

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