A new bill filed by State Rep. Willis seeks to facilitate school enrollment for students whose parents are on active military duty by permitting early electronic registration, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 615 on March 31 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Enrollment Stability for Military Students.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill allows students whose parents or legal guardians are on active military duty to register for enrollment in local school administrative units via electronic means before moving to the district. Eligible conditions include parents being transferred to or separating from a military installation in North Carolina. Families must provide, upon request, official military transfer orders or documents indicating the separation date. While proof of residency and disciplinary action documentation are deferred until physical attendance begins, students have the same access to school opportunities as contemporaneously enrolled peers. Proof of residency must be provided by the later of one year from the reporting-for-duty or separation date or the end of the school year. Students entering grades 11 or 12 can attend until graduation. The bill is effective from the 2025-26 school year.
Of the four sponsors of this bill, Donny Lambeth proposed the most bills (44) during the 2025 regular session.
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.
Willis graduated from Appalachian State University in 1996.
Willis, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 68th House district, replacing previous state representative D. Craig Horn.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Willis, Donnie Loftis, Donny Lambeth, and Larry W. Potts | HB 615 | 03/31/2025 | Enrollment Stability for Military Students. |
| David Willis, Jake Johnson, Jeffrey C. McNeely, and Wyatt Gable | HB 584 | 03/31/2025 | Permit/Provisional License Modifications. |
| David Willis, Donnie Loftis, and Mark Brody | HB 591 | 03/31/2025 | Elec. Monitoring in Nursing/Adult Care Homes. |
| David Willis, Jake Johnson, Jeffrey C. McNeely, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 598 | 03/31/2025 | Live Event Ticketing Protections & Reforms. |
| David Willis and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 602 | 03/31/2025 | Coach Safely Act. |
| David Willis | HB 556 | 03/27/2025 | 2025 Charter Schools Review Board Omnibus. |
| David Willis, Brian Biggs, Hugh Blackwell, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 566 | 03/27/2025 | Principal Fellows Changes. |
| David Willis, Allen Chesser, Brenden H. Jones, and Grant L. Campbell, MD | HB 572 | 03/27/2025 | Veterans/eTMS Pilot Program. |
| David Willis, Charles Smith, Kyle Hall, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 543 | 03/26/2025 | Criminal Background Check For Athlete Agents. |
| David Willis, Kyle Hall, Matthew Winslow, and Ray Pickett | HB 490 | 03/24/2025 | Propel NC Funding and Tuition Surcharge. |
| David Willis, Donnie Loftis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Stephen M. Ross | HB 430 | 03/18/2025 | Protect Youth From Harms of Vaping & Nicotine. |
| David Willis, Brian Biggs, Ray Pickett, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 414 | 03/17/2025 | 1-to-1 Credit for Career and College Promise. |
| David Willis, Brian Biggs, and Heather H. Rhyne | HB 415 | 03/17/2025 | Modify Math & Social Studies Grad. Req. |
| David Willis, Jake Johnson, Steve Tyson, and Zack Hawkins | HB 424 | 03/17/2025 | Gaming Laws/Allow Certain Social Games. |
| David Willis, Donnie Loftis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Stephen M. Ross | HB 425 | 03/17/2025 | Protect Youth From Harms of Vaping & Nicotine. |
| David Willis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, James Roberson, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 365 | 03/11/2025 | Workforce Education Act. |
| David Willis, Allen Chesser, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Ray Pickett | HB 373 | 03/11/2025 | UNC Tuition Discounts for Certain Students. |
| David Willis, Jeff Zenger, Jonathan L. Almond, and Neal Jackson | HB 301 | 03/05/2025 | Social Media Protections for Minors Under 16. |
| David Willis, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Bill Ward, and Charles W. Miller | HB 270 | 03/03/2025 | Revise Law on the Death Penalty. |
| David Willis and Dean Arp | HB 170 | 02/21/2025 | Restore Down-Zoning/Union Co. |
| David Willis, Brian Biggs, Hugh Blackwell, and John A. Torbett | HB 144 | 02/17/2025 | Elect SBE/Superintendent as SBE Chair. |
| David Willis, Paul Scott, and Todd Carver | HB 106 | 02/11/2025 | Revive High-Need Retired Teachers Program. |
| David Willis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, Harry Warren, and John R. Bell, IV | HB 12 | 01/29/2025 | Observe Standard Time All Year. |
| David Willis, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., and Charles W. Miller | HB 2 | 01/29/2025 | Entry Fees for Interscholastic Sports Events. |
| David Willis, Ben T. Moss, Jr., Celeste C. Cairns, and Keith Kidwell | HB 7 | 01/29/2025 | NC REACH Act. |
