AN ACT to prohibit discriminatory admissions policies regarding active duty service members and veterans; to require military admissions deferment for certain persons admitted to constituent institutions of the university of north carolina; and to provide in‑state tuition to certain honorably discharged veterans.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

part i. nondiscriminatory admissions Evaluations and military deferment

SECTION 1.  Article 1 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Part to read:

Part 8A. Military Admissions and Deferment.

§ 116‑44.9A.  Definitions.

For purposes of this Part, the following definitions shall apply:

(1)        Applicant. – An individual who has applied for admission to a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina.

(2)        Armed Forces. – The United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, Space Force, and North Carolina National Guard.

(3)        Constituent institution of The University of North Carolina. – A constituent institution of higher education of The University of North Carolina, as defined in G.S. 116‑2(4), excluding the constituent high school, the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

(4)        Reserve Armed Forces. – The reserve components of any of the Armed Forces.

(5)        Uniformed service. – Any of the following:

a.         Armed Forces.

b.         Reserve Armed Forces.

c.         The Merchant Marine.

§ 116‑44.9B.  Nondiscriminatory evaluations of applications.

A constituent institution of The University of North Carolina shall not deny admission to any applicant solely on the basis of the applicant's indication that the applicant is serving in the uniformed service or that the applicant intends to serve in the uniformed service.

§ 116‑44.9C.  Deferment.

(a)        Deferment Requests. – The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall adopt a policy requiring constituent institutions to provide for enrollment deferment for members of the uniformed services and spouses of members of the uniformed services if the deferment is requested at least 30 days prior to enrollment in a constituent institution.

(b)        Deferment Periods. – Members and spouses of members of the reserve Armed Forces shall be granted deferments of at least two years after entry into the reserve Armed Forces. All other members and spouses of members of the uniformed services shall be granted deferments of at least five years after entry into the uniformed services.

part ii. in‑state tuition for honorably discharged veterans

SECTION 2.  Article 14 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 116‑143.3B.  Tuition of qualifying veterans.

(a)        Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section:

(1)        Armed Forces. – The United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, Space Force, the North Carolina National Guard, and any reserve component of any of these entities.

(2)        Qualifying veteran. – An individual who meets all of the following criteria:

a.         Served active duty for not less than 90 days in the Armed Forces.

b.         Received an Honorable Discharge from the Armed Forces.

c.         Meets at least one of the following criteria:

1.         Graduated from high school in North Carolina on or after January 1, 2004.

2.         Served active duty in the Armed Forces with a permanent station in North Carolina for at least 90 continuous days.

3.         Was awarded a Purple Heart.

(b)        Any qualifying veteran admitted to an institution of higher education, as defined in G.S. 116‑143.1(a)(3), shall be charged the in‑State tuition rate and applicable mandatory fees for enrollment, without having to satisfy the 12‑month residency requirement under G.S. 116‑143.1.

(c)        The individual applying for the benefit of this section has the burden of proving entitlement to the benefit.

part iii. effective date

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2025‑2026 academic year.