A new bill filed by State Rep. David Willis in the North Carolina House seeks to ensure public schools limit access to inappropriate library materials and provide recourse for parents and guardians, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 636 on April 1 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Promoting Wholesome Content for Students.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill establishes procedures to ensure that public schools do not make content harmful to minors available and provides a private cause of action for parents, guardians, or residents against schools violating these rules. It requires public school units to adopt a policy for selecting library media, focusing on materials that do not depict sexual activity or contain excessive vulgarity. A database of rejected materials will be maintained and made publicly available. A community library advisory committee will investigate objections to library content. The principal must review all media for book fairs to ensure compliance. Additionally, the bill allows for civil remedies, including declaratory and injunctive relief and damages for violations, with an emphasis on exhausting administrative remedies before legal action. The act becomes effective immediately upon becoming law.
Of the four sponsors of this bill, Brian Biggs proposed the most bills (30) 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, Brian Biggs, Jennifer Balkcom, and Neal Jackson | HB 636 | 04/01/2025 | Promoting Wholesome Content for Students. |
| David Willis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, Mike Schietzelt, and Ray Pickett | HB 670 | 04/01/2025 | Workforce Credential Grant Program/CCP. |
| David Willis, Brian Biggs, Terry M. Brown Jr., and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 671 | 04/01/2025 | Competitive Speech and Debate Grant Pilot. |
| 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, Donnie Loftis, Donny Lambeth, and Larry W. Potts | HB 615 | 03/31/2025 | Enrollment Stability for Military Students. |
| 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. |
