A new bill filed by State Rep. Blair Eddins in the North Carolina House seeks to give specific school districts flexibility in setting school year start and end dates to better address local needs, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 155 on Feb. 18 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘SchCalFlex/Wilkes,Alexander/Open Cal.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill grants Wilkes County Schools and Alexander County Schools increased flexibility in setting their academic calendar by allowing them to set opening and closing dates independent of state-mandated timelines. Specifically, it removes the requirement for the school year to begin no earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and end no later than the Friday closest to June 11. This change intends to adapt to local circumstances such as makeup days due to weather-related closures. The bill is effective upon becoming law and applies starting with the 2025-26 school year.
Eddins proposed another four bills 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.
Eddins graduated from North Carolina State University in 1995.
Eddins, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2024 to represent the state’s 94th House district, replacing previous state representative Jeffrey Elmore.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blair Eddins | HB 155 | 02/18/2025 | SchCalFlex/Wilkes,Alexander/Open Cal. |
| Blair Eddins, Howard Penny, Jr., Jimmy Dixon, and Neal Jackson | HB 130 | 02/13/2025 | Agriculture Crops Disaster Relief. |
| Blair Eddins, Grant L. Campbell, MD, Keith Kidwell, and Wyatt Gable | HB 98 | 02/11/2025 | Patriotism Expression Act. |
| Blair Eddins, Ben T. Moss, Jr., Keith Kidwell, and Wyatt Gable | HB 72 | 02/10/2025 | AG/Restrict Challenge to Presidential EOs. |
| Blair Eddins, Brian Biggs, Mike Schietzelt, and Neal Jackson | HB 87 | 02/10/2025 | Cell Phone-Free Education. |
