North Carolina legislation · 2025-2026 Session
North Carolina S645: The Protect Our Schools Act.
Status: In committee, March 26, 2025
What the bill says
An act directing the department of transportation to identify school walk zones; setting lower speed limits in school walk zones; increasing criminal penalties for injuring a minor in a crosswalk, school zone, or school walk zone; and creating and appropriating funds to the pedestrian safety enhancement fund.
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO IDENTIFY SCHOOL WALK ZONES; SETTING LOWER SPEED LIMITS IN SCHOOL WALK ZONES; INCREASING CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR INJURING A MINOR IN A CROSSWALK, SCHOOL ZONE, OR SCHOOL WALK ZONE; AND CREATING AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ENHANCEMENT FUND. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: SECTION 1.(a) This act shall be known as "The Protect Our Schools Act." SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 20-4.01 reads as rewritten: "§ 20-4.01. Definitions. Unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply throughout this Chapter to the defined words and phrases and their cognates: ... (38a) School Walk Zone. - An area within a school zone, identified by the Department pursuant to G.S. 20-141.1, that is likely to sustain pedestrian traffic sufficient to render the speed limits designated in G.S. 20-141 unsafe. ...." SECTION 1.(c) G.S. 20-141.1 reads as rewritten: "§ 20-141.1. Speed limits in school zones.zones and school walk zones. (a) Optional Lower Speed Limits. - The Board of Transportation or local authorities within their respective jurisdictions may, by ordinance, set speed limits lower than those designated in G.S. 20-141 for areas adjacent to or near a public, private or parochial school. (b) Mandatory Lower Speed Limits. - The Department of Transportation shall annually consult with the governing body of …
Sponsors
- Everitt, Terence (D, 18) · primary sponsor
- Bradley, Woodson (D, 42) · primary sponsor
- Grafstein, Lisa (D, 13) · primary sponsor
- Garrett, Michael (D, 27)
- Murdock, Natalie S. (D, 20)
- Smith, Kandie D. (D, 5)
- Waddell, Joyce (D, 40)
Latest actions
- : Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- : Passed 1st Reading
- : Filed
Subjects: PROPERTY-LOCAL GOVERNMENT, URBAN DEVELOPMENT, BUDGETING, EDUCATION, BUILDINGS, SENTENCING, SIDEWALKS & PEDESTRIAN PATHS, TRAFFIC OFFENSES
Common questions
- What is S645?
- S645 is a bill in the North Carolina Legislature (2025-2026 Session): The Protect Our Schools Act.
- What does S645 do?
- In its own words: An act directing the department of transportation to identify school walk zones; setting lower speed limits in school walk zones; increasing criminal penalties for injuring a minor in a crosswalk, school zone, or school walk zone; and creating and appropriating funds to the pedestrian safety enhancement fund.
- What is the status of S645?
- In committee as of March 26, 2025. Latest action: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (March 26, 2025).
- Who sponsored S645?
- Everitt, Terence (D, 18), with 6 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for S645?
- On the North Carolina Legislature website: https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S645
Source: official North Carolina record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.