S257 - 2026 Appropriations Act. (SL 2026-41)

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Session Year 2024

Overview: Section 8.14 of S.L. 2026-41 (Senate Bill 257) exempts disciplinary records that contain personally identifiable information about a student held by the System Office of The University of North Carolina (UNC), constituent institutions of UNC, the Community College System Office, and community colleges (public institutions of higher education) from the definition of a public record under Chapter 132 of the General Statutes. This section provides that disciplinary records that contain personally identifiable information about a student are not a public record, even if disclosure of the record would be allowed under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Disciplinary records that contain personally identifiable information about a student include any materials that meet all of the following:

  • Are made or received by a public institution of higher education.
  • Contain personally identifiable information of or about a student enrolled in the public institution of higher education.
  • Are related to a complaint, investigation, or resolution of an alleged violation of or noncompliance with the disciplinary or conduct rules or other policy of a public institution of higher education.

This section became effective July 7, 2026, and applies to requests for disciplinary records that contain personally identifiable student information made on or after that date.

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