Rep. Cervania files bill in North Carolina House to expand in-state tuition eligibility

A new bill filed by State Rep. Maria Cervania in the North Carolina House seeks to broaden access to in-state tuition for eligible recent high school graduates, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 689 on April 1 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Expanding Workforce and Education Act.’

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

In essence, the bill, effective July 1, 2025, aims to expand North Carolina’s workforce by allowing in-state tuition rates for high school graduates meeting specific criteria. To be eligible, individuals must have graduated from a North Carolina high school, enrolled in a postsecondary institution the academic year following their graduation, attended North Carolina schools for at least four consecutive years before graduating, hold a valid North Carolina driver’s license or identification card, and have a Social Security number. The bill specifies that receiving in-state tuition does not confer North Carolina residency for any other purpose, and the information collected in the tuition application process will be confidential and not considered a public record. The provisions apply beginning with the 2025-26 academic year.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Pricey Harrison proposed the most bills (35) 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.