House Bill 329 would encourage North Carolina nonpublic schools, including private church schools, religious charter schools, and other qualified nonpublic schools, to adopt policies prohibiting the use of tobacco products and hemp-derived consumable products on school grounds. The bill does not directly ban these products statewide for nonpublic schools; instead, it adds this policy recommendation to existing statutory lists of practices the schools are encouraged to follow.
The bill directs schools to use the requirements of Article 29A of Chapter 115C as guidance when crafting such policies. In practical terms, it aligns nonpublic school policy recommendations with the state’s existing framework for tobacco-free school environments, while extending the concept to hemp-derived consumable products such as hemp-based consumables that may be used similarly to tobacco or nicotine products. The act becomes effective when it becomes law.
HB329 amends G.S. 115C-551(b) and G.S. 115C-559(b) to add a new encouraged policy for private church schools, religious charter schools, and qualified nonpublic schools: prohibiting tobacco products and hemp-derived consumable products on school grounds. Because the bill uses the term "encouraged" rather than mandatory language, it does not create a direct enforcement requirement or penalty, but it does expand the list of recommended school health and safety policies and may influence private-school handbooks and campus rules.
The available legislative history shows little recorded debate or controversy, and there are no committee transcript excerpts or recorded votes in the provided materials. The bill’s movement to the Senate Rules and Operations Committee suggests it advanced procedurally without documented opposition in the available record. Overall, the bill appears to have been treated as a straightforward school health policy measure.
The main potential point of contention is the inclusion of hemp-derived consumable products alongside tobacco products, since hemp-related products can cover a broader and sometimes less clearly understood category than traditional tobacco. Another possible issue is that the bill applies only to nonpublic schools and remains advisory rather than mandatory, which may limit concern from opponents but could also prompt questions about whether the state is addressing school substance-use policy consistently across public and private settings. No specific objections or supporters are identified in the provided record.