AN ACT to provide that student organizations at constituent institutions and community colleges may determine the organization's core functions and resolve any disputes of the organization and to prohibit constituent institutions and community colleges from denying recognition to organizations for exercising these rights.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Part 3 of Article 1 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 116‑40.12.  Student organizations; rights and recognition.
(a)	No constituent institution that grants recognition to any student organization shall deny recognition to a student organization or deny to a student organization access to programs, funding, facilities, or other privileges associated with official recognition otherwise available to another student organization, on the basis of the organization's exercise of its rights pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.
(b)	To the extent allowed by State and federal law, a religious or political student organization may, in conformity with the organization's established written doctrines expressing the organization's faith or mission, (i) determine that only persons professing the faith or mission of the group, and comporting themselves in conformity with, are qualified to serve as leaders of that organization, (ii) order its internal affairs according to the established written doctrines, and (iii) resolve the organization's disputes according to the established written doctrines."
SECTION 2.  Article 2 of Chapter 115D of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115D‑20.2.  Student organizations; rights and recognition.
(a)	No community college that grants recognition to any student organization shall deny recognition to a student organization or deny to a student organization access to programs, funding, facilities, or other privileges associated with official recognition otherwise available to another student organization, on the basis of the organization's exercise of its rights pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.
(b)	To the extent allowed by State and federal law, a religious or political student organization may, in conformity with the organization's established written doctrines expressing the organization's faith or mission, (i) determine that only persons professing the faith or mission of the group, and comporting themselves in conformity with, are qualified to serve as leaders of that organization, (ii) order its internal affairs according to the established written doctrines, and (iii) resolve the organization's disputes according to the established written doctrines."

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 19th day of June, 2014.

	s/	 Daniel J. Forest
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 Thom Tillis
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Pat McCrory
	 Governor

Approved 12:12 p.m. this 25th day of June, 2014