AN ACT to permit teachers licensed in foreign countries to obtain a continuing professional license and to require the division of motor vehicles of the department of transportation to provide materials required for licensure in additional languages.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

part i. international teacher license reciprocity

SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 115C‑270.25, as amended by Section 7.74 of S.L. 2023‑134, reads as rewritten:

§ 115C‑270.25.  Out‑of‑state Out‑of‑jurisdiction license applicants.

The State Board of Education shall grant a CPL to a teacher licensed in another state with substantially similar licensure requirements who has in a jurisdiction outside this State, if the teacher meets both of the following requirements:

(1)        Is licensed in one of the following jurisdictions outside this State:

a.         Another state with substantially similar licensure requirements.

b.         A foreign country.

(2)        Has at least three years of teaching experience and is in good standing with the other state.outside jurisdiction.

SECTION 1.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2024‑2025 fiscal year for necessary administrative changes related to implementing the new criteria for teacher licensure reciprocity established in subsection (a) of this section and to advertise those criteria to potential applicants.

SECTION 1.(c)  Subsection (a) of this section is effective when it becomes law and applies to applications submitted for a continuing professional license under G.S. 115C‑270.25, as amended by subsection (a) of this section, on or after that date. Subsection (b) of this section becomes effective July 1, 2024.

part ii. DMV Materials in additional languages

SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 20‑7 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

(c2)    Provision of Materials in Additional Languages. – The Division shall provide an option for applicants to: (i) receive the driver license handbook prepared pursuant to G.S. 20‑88.1 and (ii) take the written test required for licensure under this section in all of the following languages, in addition to English:

(1)        Arabic.

(2)        Chinese.

(3)        Dari.

(4)        French.

(5)        Hindi.

(6)        Pashto.

(7)        Spanish.

(8)        Swahili.

(9)        Telugu.

SECTION 2.(b)  G.S. 20‑88.1 reads as rewritten:

§ 20‑88.1.  Driver education.

…

(e)        The Division shall, upon request, make copies of the driver license handbook available in all of the following languages, in addition to English:

(1)        Arabic.

(2)        Chinese.

(3)        Dari.

(4)        French.

(5)        Hindi.

(6)        Pashto.

(7)        Spanish.

(8)        Swahili.

(9)        Telugu.

SECTION 2.(c)  There is appropriated from the Highway Fund to the Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles, the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2024‑2025 fiscal year to be used to produce the materials required by subsections (a) and (b) of this section.

SECTION 2.(d)  Subsection (c) of this section becomes effective July 1, 2024. Except as otherwise provided, this section becomes effective January 1, 2025.

part iii. effective date

SECTION 3.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.