North Carolina Rep. Arp family child care home safety bill passes House and Senate

Passed bill sponsored by State Rep. Dean Arp seeks to establish safety and occupancy standards for family child care homes within the state building code, aiming to enhance fire safety and emergency preparedness, according to the North Carolina State House.

In the House, 43 Democrats and 68 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while one Democrat opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 19 Democrats and 26 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Arp filed the bill in the North Carolina House on March 5 during the 2025 regular session.

The legislation, known as HB 309, was passed on June 4 during the 2025 regular session.

According to the North Carolina General Assembly site, the bill’s official text was formally listed with the short title: “Various Local Provisions VI.”

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates the creation of a “family child care home” occupancy classification within the North Carolina State Building Code. Family child care homes within dwellings must be treated as Residential Group R-3 occupancy and adhere to specific safety requirements, including having rooms on the same level as exit discharge, being within 40 feet of a fire extinguisher, and having fire safety and evacuation plans. Homes must also comply with requirements for carbon monoxide alarms and smoke detectors. The Residential and Building Code Councils are tasked with amending the state codes to reflect these changes. The act’s provisions take effect upon enactment, with a sunset clause expiring once permanent rules are adopted.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Dean Arp (Republican-69th District), Rep. Donny Lambeth (Republican-75th District), and Rep. Erin Paré (Republican-37th District), along with one other sponsor.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Arp graduated from The Military College of South Carolina in 1988 with a BS.

Arp, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2013 to represent the state’s 69th House district, replacing previous state representative Frank McGuirt.

Under North Carolina law, bills must receive three readings in each chamber. According to the UNC School of Government, once a bill “passes its constitutionally required second reading and moves to its constitutionally required third reading,” additional debate can occur, but the final stage is often treated as a formality. Unless a legislator requests a roll-call, the third reading may be approved by voice vote or unanimous consent without a separate recorded tally.