North CarolinaHB 8052025-2026 SessionHouse

AN ACT TO PREVENT THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF WOMEN AND MINORS.

Sponsored By: Jennifer Balkcom (Republican), Neal Jackson (Republican), Sarah Stevens (Republican)

Became Law

COURTSCRIMESCULTURAL RESOURCESEDUCATIONEMERGING TECHNOLOGIESFRAUDLGBTQ & GENDER ISSUESID SYSTEMSINFORMATION TECHNOLOGYINTERNETLIBRARIESMINORSOBSCENITYPHOTOGRAPHYPRESENTEDPUBLICPUBLIC RECORDSRATIFIEDRELIGION & RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONSSTEMSEX OFFENSESSTUDENTSTELECOMMUNICATIONSTELESERVICESVETOEDVITAL RECORDSWOMENRECORDSCHAPTEREDVETO OVERRIDDENCIVIL ACTIONS

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 3 mixed.

State stops funding transition care for minors

Beginning July 1, 2025, the State does not use money to pay for transition surgeries, puberty blockers, or cross-sex hormones for minors. State-funded health plans cannot cover these services for minors. The same ban applies to prisoners in state custody. State money may still treat medical complications that pose imminent physical harm. The State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees is excluded; that exclusion can end if a related court order changes.

Longer time to sue over transition care

The law creates a malpractice claim for non-minors over services that help or continue a gender transition. You have up to 10 years from when you discover the harm to file. Providers cannot use contracts to waive this liability. The law also revives some older claims that were time-barred.

State rules recognize only two sexes

Starting Jan 1, 2026, state and local rules use definitions that recognize two biological sexes. For these rules, gender identity is self-declared and is not the same as sex.

Tough rules and fines for online porn

Starting Dec 1, 2025, sites that host porn must verify every person was at least 18 when filmed, get signed consent for each act and for sharing the image, and keep a matching government ID. Sites must post a clear removal process, take down images within 72 hours of valid requests, and block reposts. Users may not post porn images without the person’s consent. Victims can sue for $10,000 per day per image, or actual damages if higher, plus legal fees. The Attorney General can fine violators up to $10,000 per day (and up to $5,000 per day for some failures). A safe harbor applies if a site reasonably relied on verification and removes an image within 24 hours after notice.

More parental control in public schools

Local school boards must let a student or parent ask to skip class talks, activities, or readings that burden the student’s religious beliefs or call attention to religion. Schools should give advance notice when possible and must give an alternative assignment tied to the course. Starting in the 2025–2026 school year, each school posts a searchable library catalog online and lets parents mark books a child may not borrow. Also starting in 2025–2026, students may not share sleeping quarters with the other biological sex at school events, unless all parents give written permission or the other person is an immediate family member.

Birth certificates keep original and amended

Starting Dec 1, 2025, when someone changes the sex on a birth certificate, the new certificate is attached to the original as one multi-page record. County records do the same. Certified copies show the full multi-page document.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Cosponsors

Jonathan L. Almond
Republican • House
Brian Biggs
Republican • House
John M. Blust
Republican • House
Jimmy Dixon
Republican • House
Brian Echevarria
Republican • House
Blair Eddins
Republican • House
Kelly E. Hastings
Republican • House
Jake Johnson
Republican • House
Keith Kidwell
Republican • House
Donnie Loftis
Republican • House
Ben T. Moss, Jr.
Republican • House
Ray Pickett
Republican • House
Dennis Riddell
Republican • House
Stephen M. Ross
Republican • House
Paul Scott
Republican • House
Bill Ward
Republican • House
Donna McDowell White
Republican • House
Jeff Zenger
Republican • House