The parents protection act clears House with amendments | Eastern North Carolina Now

This week, North Carolina lawmakers in the House passed Senate Bill 442 - Parents Protection Act. The bill says that parents or guardians cannot be accused of child abuse or neglect just because they raise or refer to a child based on the child’s biological sex. It also makes sure that adoption agencies cannot reject someone from adopting a child just because they don’t support gender-transition care. In other words, if a parent doesn’t want a child to transition to a different gender, that alone can’t be used against them in abuse or adoption decisions.

The bill had already passed the Senate earlier in the session, but the House made a few changes this week. Because of this, the Senate will need to concur with the House changes before the bill can be sent to the governor for approval. The House passed the bill mostly along party lines, with Republicans in favor and most Democrats opposed, although nine Democrats voted in favor of it. A similar bill in the House had stalled earlier, but this version moved quickly through committees and passed on Wednesday.

Sexual Exploitation Bill Broadened to Address Additional Threats to Children

House Bill 805 – Prevent Sexual Exploitation Women/Minors - passed initially by the North Carolina House with unanimous bipartisan support. Its initial focus was to combat the online sexual exploitation of women and minors, ensuring that explicit images could not be shared on pornographic websites without a person’s consent. This vital protection addressed a growing concern in the digital age and was widely seen as a strong stand for human dignity and decency.

However, recognizing the broader threats to children and families in today’s cultural climate, the North Carolina Senate expanded the bill’s scope to address other critical issues. These conservative-led improvements included safeguards against the irreversible harms of gender-transition procedures on minors. The revised bill now allows individuals to hold medical providers accountable, up to 10 years after a transition procedure, for failing to adequately inform or protect vulnerable patients undergoing so-called “gender-affirming care.” These changes represent a compassionate and informed response to a medical trend that, in many cases, has led to regret and serious long-term consequences.

In addition, the Senate version of HB 805 further strengthened parental rights in education. It ensures transparency in school libraries by requiring schools to publish book lists and gives parents the right to shield their children from content that contradicts their faith or values. The bill also affirms the God-given distinctions between male and female in state law. It ensures that taxpayer funds are not used to support gender transition surgeries for inmates, but measures that uphold both biblical truth and responsible care for public resources.

Although opponents claim the additions are “controversial,” the Senate’s actions reflect the will of concerned parents and citizens across North Carolina. Groups like Moms for Liberty were present at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing and praised these reforms as overdue protections for children and family integrity. Return America also supports HB 805 in its strengthened form, recognizing it as a bold and necessary defense of morality, parental authority, and truth in public policy.

This week, the bill passed the Senate Judiciary and Rules committees and has been calendared for consideration by the full Senate on Monday of next week. If passed, the legislation will return for concurrence by the House before moving to Governor Stein’s desk.

“I think we have to be realistic about this bill. It's good, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the House does not concur and the measure goes to conference,” said Rev. Mark Creech, director of Government Relations for Return America. “In conference, the House will be concerned about what the Governor will sign.”

Copied and pasted from Rev. Mark Creech's email newsletter.