A new bill filed by State Rep. Julia C. Howard in the North Carolina House seeks to recognize the contributions of the Girl Scouts and honor recipients of the Gold Award, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 654 on April 1 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Adopt Girl Scouts Week.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill establishes a statewide Girl Scouts Week in North Carolina, designating the week each year that includes March 12 as Girl Scouts Week. This designation aims to recognize the importance and contributions of the Girl Scouts, particularly celebrating those who have received the Girl Scout Gold Award. The Gold Award, introduced in 1916, is the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, honoring Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts for their leadership and impactful community projects addressing issues like environmental sustainability and educational disparities. The bill becomes effective upon becoming law.
Of the three sponsors of this bill, Howard proposed the most bills (17) 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.
Howard graduated from Salem College in 2003 with a BA.
Howard, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2019 to represent the state’s 77th House district, replacing previous state representative Harry Warren.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julia C. Howard, Maria Cervania, and Monika Johnson-Hostler | HB 654 | 04/01/2025 | Adopt Girl Scouts Week. |
| Julia C. Howard, Mitchell S. Setzer, and Neal Jackson | HB 650 | 04/01/2025 | No Interchange Fees on Sales Tax or Tips. |
| Julia C. Howard and Brandon Lofton | HB 631 | 03/31/2025 | State Infrastructure Bank Study. |
| Julia C. Howard, Mitchell S. Setzer, and Neal Jackson | HB 554 | 03/27/2025 | Rev Laws Tech Chngs/BBA Chngs/P2P Tax Parity. |
| Julia C. Howard, Karl E. Gillespie, Kyle Hall, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 559 | 03/27/2025 | Make Elevators Great Again.-AB |
| Julia C. Howard, Becky Carney, Mitchell S. Setzer, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 515 | 03/25/2025 | North Carolina Economic Abuse Prevention Act. |
| Julia C. Howard, Donny Lambeth, Lindsey Prather, and Pricey Harrison | HB 410 | 03/17/2025 | NCIOM Study/Medical Aid in Dying. |
| Julia C. Howard, Jeff Zenger, and Ted Davis, Jr. | HB 264 | 03/03/2025 | Wire Fraud Prevention Act. |
| Julia C. Howard, Jennifer Balkcom, John R. Bell, IV, and Ya Liu | HB 187 | 02/24/2025 | Credit Union Update. |
| Julia C. Howard, Harry Warren, Jake Johnson, and John M. Blust | HB 154 | 02/18/2025 | Reclaim State Assets from NCInnovation. |
| Julia C. Howard, Brian Biggs, Kyle Hall, and Steve Tyson | HB 96 | 02/11/2025 | Expedited Removal of Unauthorized Persons. |
| Julia C. Howard, Cody Huneycutt, Paul Scott, and Steve Tyson | HB 97 | 02/11/2025 | Support Firefighters Fighting Cancer. |
| Julia C. Howard, Harry Warren, Mark Brody, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 48 | 02/04/2025 | Increase UI Max Benefit/2025 UI Tax Credit. |
| Julia C. Howard, Cody Huneycutt, Larry W. Potts, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 54 | 02/04/2025 | Funds for NC APSE. |
| Julia C. Howard, Cody Huneycutt, Larry W. Potts, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 55 | 02/04/2025 | Funds for the IGNITE Program. |
| Julia C. Howard | HB 33 | 02/03/2025 | SchCalFlex/Yadkin, Davie/CC. |
| Julia C. Howard, Cody Huneycutt, Neal Jackson, and Paul Scott | HB 37 | 02/03/2025 | Enhance Firefighter Benefits & Representation. |
