The measure requires schools to post searchable catalogs of library books online and allows parents to block their children from borrowing certain titles.
NORTH CAROLINA, USA — Parents in North Carolina will soon have more control over what books their children can access in public schools after lawmakers voted to override Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of House Bill 805.
Now law, the measure requires schools to post searchable catalogs of library books online and allows parents to block their children from borrowing certain titles, beginning with the 2025-26 school year.
The North Carolina Senate voted 30-19 on July 29, 2025, to pass House Bill 805, with all votes falling along party lines. All 30 Republicans voted in favor, while 19 Democrats opposed. No lawmakers abstained. One Democrat, Sen. Meyer, was marked absent. The bill’s sponsor was Sen. N. Jackson.
The law, passed on July 29, also recognizes two sexes in state law, restricts gender transition procedures, changes how birth certificates are amended for transgender individuals, and sets rules for overnight school trips that place students in rooms based on sex. Some sections take effect immediately, while others begin January 1, 2026.
Stein criticized the bill, arguing lawmakers are fueling “culture wars” instead of focusing on issues like pay raises for teachers and state employees, support for law enforcement, and DMV wait times. “These mean-spirited bills would marginalize vulnerable people and also undermine the quality of public services and public education,” Stein said.
WFMY News 2 has reached out to Guilford County Schools, Alamance-Burlington County Schools, and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools to learn how the new law may affect classrooms in the Triad.