GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2025

SENATE BILL 442

RATIFIED BILL

AN ACT to make various changes to laws affecting the care of juveniles and the adoption of children.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  The title of Article 1 of Subchapter I of Chapter 7B of the General Statutes reads as rewritten:

Article 1.

Purposes; Definitions.Definitions; Limitation.

SECTION 1.(b)  Article 1 of Subchapter I of Chapter 7B of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 7B‑102.  Limitation.

Raising a juvenile consistent with the juvenile's biological sex, or referring to a juvenile consistent with the juvenile's biological sex, shall not be a basis supporting the filing of a petition supporting abuse or neglect under this Subchapter. This section shall not be construed to authorize or allow any other acts or omissions prohibited by this Subchapter that would constitute abuse or neglect, including abandonment or the creation of an injurious environment.

SECTION 1.(c)  G.S. 48‑3‑203 reads as rewritten:

§ 48‑3‑203.  Agency placement adoption.

(a)        An agency may acquire legal and physical custody of a minor for purposes of adoptive placement only by means of a relinquishment pursuant to Part 7 of this Article or by a court order terminating the rights and duties of a parent or guardian of the minor.

(a1)      No agency shall deny or delay (i) the opportunity to become an adoptive parent or (ii) the placement of a child for adoption on the basis of race, any of the following:

(1)        Race, color, or national origin of the person or the child involved.

(2)        The adoptive parents' refusal, unwillingness, or lack of support to enable the child to engage in a gender transition.

….

SECTION 1.(d)  Subsection (b) of this section is effective when it becomes law and applies to petitions filed before, on, or after that date. Subsection (c) of this section is effective when it becomes law and applies to petitions and placements for adoption and opportunities to become an adoptive parent requested, filed, or submitted before, on, or after that date. The remainder of this section is effective when it becomes law.

SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 14‑318.2 reads as rewritten:

§ 14‑318.2.  Child abuse a misdemeanor.

…

(d)       Any parent of a child less than 18 years of age, or any other person providing care to or supervision of the child, is not guilty of a violation of this section for raising a child consistent with the child's biological sex, including referring to a child consistent with the child's biological sex, and making related mental health or medical decisions based on the child's biological sex. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize or allow any other acts or omissions that would constitute a violation under this section, including the infliction of serious physical injury or the creation of a substantial risk of physical injury.

SECTION 2.(b)  G.S. 14‑318.4 reads as rewritten:

§ 14‑318.4.  Child abuse a felony.

…

(c1)      Any parent of a child less than 18 years of age, or any other person providing care to or supervision of the child, is not guilty of a violation of this section for raising a child consistent with the child's biological sex, including referring to a child consistent with the child's biological sex, and making related mental health or medical decisions based on the child's biological sex. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize or allow any other acts or omissions that would constitute a violation under this section, including the infliction of serious bodily injury or serious physical injury.

(d)       The following definitions apply in this section:

(1)        Serious bodily injury. – Bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or that causes serious permanent disfigurement, coma, a permanent or protracted condition that causes extreme pain, or permanent or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ, or that results in prolonged hospitalization.

(2)        Serious physical injury. – Physical injury that causes great pain and suffering. The term includes serious mental injury. For purposes of this subdivision, a parent raising a child consistent with the child's biological sex does not constitute serious mental injury.

SECTION 2.(c)  This section becomes effective July 1, 2025, and applies to offenses committed before, on, or after that date.

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

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 24th day of June, 2025.

                                                                    s/  Rachel Hunt

                                                                         President of the Senate

                                                                    s/  Destin Hall

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

                                                                        _____________________________________

                                                                         Josh Stein

                                                                         Governor

Approved __________.m. this ______________ day of ___________________, 2025