Bill > S195

This bill expands confidentiality protections for student disciplinary records at public higher education institutions in North Carolina by establishing specific definitions and restrictions on record disclosure. The bill defines "personally identifiable information" very comprehensively, including direct identifiers like names and social security numbers, as well as indirect identifiers that could potentially reveal a student's identity. It also specifically defines "personally identifiable student disciplinary records" as materials related to complaints, investigations, or disciplinary proceedings maintained by public institutions of higher education. Under the new law, these records would be exempt from public records requests, even if their release might otherwise be permitted under federal privacy laws like the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The bill applies to all public higher education institutions in North Carolina, including University of North Carolina campuses, community colleges, and their system offices. The legislation becomes effective immediately and will cover any record requests submitted on or after its enactment date, with the primary goal of protecting student privacy in disciplinary proceedings by preventing potential identification or disclosure of sensitive information.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S195