AN ACT to require and fund the display of the united states and north carolina flags on public school grounds and in every public school classroom.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 115C‑47 reads as rewritten:

§ 115C‑47.  Powers and duties generally.

In addition to the powers and duties designated in G.S. 115C‑36, local boards of education shall have the power or duty:

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(29a)    To Require the Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags, and to Require the Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. – Local boards of education shall adopt policies to (i) require the display of the United States and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance to each school and in each classroom, when available, (ii) require that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance be scheduled on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. These policies shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom.

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SECTION 1.(b)  G.S. 115C‑150.12C(23), as enacted by S.L. 2023‑10, reads as rewritten:

(23)    The Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags and the Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. – The board of trustees shall adopt policies to (i) require the display of the United States and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance to the school and in each classroom when available, classroom, (ii) require that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance be scheduled on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. These policies shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom.

SECTION 1.(c)  G.S. 115C‑218.80 reads as rewritten:

§ 115C‑218.80.  Display of the United States and North Carolina flags and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

A charter school shall (i) display the United States and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance to the school and in each classroom when available, classroom, (ii) require the schedule recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. A charter school shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom.

SECTION 1.(d)  G.S. 115C‑238.66 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

(23)    Display of the United States and North Carolina flags and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. – A regional school shall (i) display the United States and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance to the school and in each classroom, (ii) schedule recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. A regional school shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

SECTION 1.(e)  G.S. 116‑69.1 reads as rewritten:

§ 116‑69.1.  Display of the United States and North Carolina flags and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

The school shall (i) display the United States and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance to the school and in each classroom when available, classroom, (ii) require the schedule recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. The school shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom.

SECTION 1.(f)  G.S. 116‑235(i) reads as rewritten:

(i)       The Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags and the Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. – The Board of Trustees shall adopt policies to require (i) require the display of the United States and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance to the school and in each classroom when available, classroom, (ii) the schedule recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance on a daily basis, and (iii) the provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. These policies shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom.

SECTION 1.(g)  G.S. 116‑239.8(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

(26)    Display of the United States and North Carolina flags and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. – Laboratory schools shall (i) display the United States and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance to the school and in each classroom, (ii) schedule recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. A laboratory school shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

SECTION 2.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2024‑2025 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in recurring funds for the 2025‑2026 fiscal year for the Department to allocate to public school units for the purchase of United States and North Carolina flags to be displayed as required by this act.

SECTION 2.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) in recurring funds for the 2024‑2025 fiscal year for the Board to allocate to the secondary schools operated under control of the Board for the purchase of United States and North Carolina flags to be displayed as required by this act.

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2024‑2025 school year.