Rep. Cervania files bill in North Carolina House to ban corporal punishment in public schools

A new bill filed by State Rep. Maria Cervania in the North Carolina House seeks to ban corporal punishment in public schools to protect students from physical disciplinary measures, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 983 on April 10 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Prohibit Corporal Punishment in Schools.’

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

In essence, this bill prohibits the use of corporal punishment in public schools in North Carolina, which is defined as the intentional infliction of physical pain upon a student as a disciplinary measure. The bill removes provisions allowing local school units to decide on permitting corporal punishment and outlines that using physical restraint according to federal law and reasonable force is not considered corporal punishment. It also eliminates the requirement for schools to maintain records of corporal punishment incidents and report them to the State Board of Education. The bill becomes effective upon enactment and applies starting from the 2025-26 school year, excluding civil actions regarding corporal punishment before this act’s effective date.

A related bill, SB 714, was also filed in the North Carolina Senate, introduced by Sen. Gladys A. Robinson on March 25, 2025.

Of the two sponsors of this bill, Marcia Morey proposed the most bills (38) 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.

Cervania graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a BA.

Cervania, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 41st House district, replacing previous state representative Gale Adcock.