FILED SENATE
May 2, 2024
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
S.B. 870
SESSION 2023 PRINCIPAL CLERK
S D
SENATE BILL DRS15432-NHa-147
Short Title: Flags at Every School. (Public)
Sponsors: Senator Settle (Primary Sponsor).
Referred to:
1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT TO REQUIRE AND FUND THE DISPLAY OF THE UNITED STATES AND
3 NORTH CAROLINA FLAGS ON PUBLIC SCHOOL GROUNDS AND IN EVERY
4 PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM.
5 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
6 SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 115C-47 reads as rewritten:
7 "§ 115C-47. Powers and duties generally.
8 In addition to the powers and duties designated in G.S. 115C-36, local boards of education
9 shall have the power or duty:
10 …
11 (29a) To Require the Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags, and to
12 Require the Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. – Local boards of
13 education shall adopt policies to (i) require the display of the United States
14 and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance to each
15 school and in each classroom, when available, (ii) require that recitation of the
16 Pledge of Allegiance be scheduled on a daily basis, and (iii) provide
17 age-appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag
18 and the Pledge of Allegiance. These policies shall not compel any person to
19 stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated
20 or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom.
21 …."
22 SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 115C-150.12C(23), as enacted by S.L. 2023-10, reads as
23 rewritten:
24 "(23) The Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags and the Recitation
25 of the Pledge of Allegiance. – The board of trustees shall adopt policies to (i)
26 require the display of the United States and North Carolina flags on school
27 grounds near the main entrance to the school and in each classroom when
28 available, classroom, (ii) require that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance be
29 scheduled on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age-appropriate instruction on the
30 meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. These
31 policies shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the
32 Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags
33 shall be displayed in each classroom."
34 SECTION 1.(c) G.S. 115C-218.80 reads as rewritten:
35 "§ 115C-218.80. Display of the United States and North Carolina flags and the recitation
36 of the Pledge of Allegiance.
*DRS15432-NHa-147*
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023
1 A charter school shall (i) display the United States and North Carolina flags on school
2 grounds near the main entrance to the school and in each classroom when available, classroom,
3 (ii) require the schedule recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance on a daily basis, and (iii) provide
4 age-appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of
5 Allegiance. A charter school shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the
6 Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in
7 each classroom."
8 SECTION 1.(d) G.S. 115C-238.66 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
9 "(23) Display of the United States and North Carolina flags and the recitation of the
10 Pledge of Allegiance. – A regional school shall (i) display the United States
11 and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance to the
12 school and in each classroom, (ii) schedule recitation of the Pledge of
13 Allegiance on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age-appropriate instruction on
14 the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. A
15 regional school shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite
16 the Pledge of Allegiance."
17 SECTION 1.(e) G.S. 116-69.1 reads as rewritten:
18 "§ 116-69.1. Display of the United States and North Carolina flags and the recitation of the
19 Pledge of Allegiance.
20 The school shall (i) display the United States and North Carolina flags on school grounds
21 near the main entrance to the school and in each classroom when available, classroom, (ii) require
22 the schedule recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance on a daily basis, and (iii) provide
23 age-appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of
24 Allegiance. The school shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge
25 of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each
26 classroom."
27 SECTION 1.(f) G.S. 116-235(i) reads as rewritten:
28 "(i) The Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags and the Recitation of the
29 Pledge of Allegiance. – The Board of Trustees shall adopt policies to require (i) require the
30 display of the United States and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance
31 to the school and in each classroom when available, classroom, (ii) the schedule recitation of the
32 Pledge of Allegiance on a daily basis, and (iii) the provide age-appropriate instruction on the
33 meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. These policies shall not
34 compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated
35 or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom."
36 SECTION 1.(g) G.S. 116-239.8(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
37 "(26) Display of the United States and North Carolina flags and the recitation of the
38 Pledge of Allegiance. – Laboratory schools shall (i) display the United States
39 and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance to the
40 school and in each classroom, (ii) schedule recitation of the Pledge of
41 Allegiance on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age-appropriate instruction on
42 the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. A
43 laboratory school shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or
44 recite the Pledge of Allegiance."
45 SECTION 2.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
46 Public Instruction the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the
47 2024-2025 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in recurring funds
48 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the Department to allocate to public school units for the purchase
49 of United States and North Carolina flags to be displayed as required by this act.
50 SECTION 2.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of
51 Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) in
Page 2 DRS15432-NHa-147
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023
1 recurring funds for the 2024-2025 fiscal year for the Board to allocate to the secondary schools
2 operated under control of the Board for the purchase of United States and North Carolina flags
3 to be displayed as required by this act.
4 SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with
5 the 2024-2025 school year.
DRS15432-NHa-147 Page 3
Statutes affected: Filed: 115C-47, 115C-218.80, 115C-238.66, 116-69.1, 116-235, 116-239.8
Edition 1: 115C-47, 115C-218.80, 115C-238.66, 116-69.1, 116-235, 116-239.8