A new bill filed by State Rep. Bryan Cohn seeks to provide Granville and Vance County Schools flexibility to start their academic year earlier under certain conditions, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 255 on Feb. 27 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘SchCalFlex/Granville,Vance/Open Cal.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill grants Granville County Schools and Vance County Schools increased flexibility in setting their annual school calendars. It modifies the current rule, allowing schools in these counties to open earlier than the statewide standard of the Monday closest to Aug. 26. Under specific circumstances, such as severe weather or emergencies, the schools could commence the academic year as early as the Monday closest to Aug. 19. The bill’s provisions are designed to accommodate potential makeup days due to unforeseen closures and ensure compliance with minimum instructional requirements. It will take effect with the 2025-26 school year.
Cohn proposed another four bills 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.
Cohn, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2025 to represent the state’s 32nd House district, replacing previous state representative Frank Sossamon.
| Legislative Session | Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Bryan Cohn | HB 255 | 02/27/2025 | SchCalFlex/Granville,Vance/Open Cal. |
| 2025 | Bryan Cohn, Kanika Brown, Sarah Crawford, and Tracy Clark | HB 115 | 02/12/2025 | Child Care Facility Tax Exemption. |
| 2025 | Bryan Cohn | HB 101 | 02/11/2025 | Prop. Tax Appeal Process Transparency. |
| 2025 | Bryan Cohn | HB 102 | 02/11/2025 | Real Property Appraisal – Owner Notification. |
| 2025 | Bryan Cohn | HB 68 | 02/05/2025 | Restore Down-Zoning Auth./Granville & Vance. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon | HB 1073 | 05/23/2024 | Constitutional Amendment/Citizens-Only Voting. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon and Ken Fontenot | HB 982 | 05/02/2024 | Faith In Mental Health Pilot Program. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon | HB 903 | 04/24/2024 | Add Tianeptine to Controlled Substance List. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon | HB 765 | 04/18/2023 | Public School Medical Assistants. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon | HB 633 | 04/17/2023 | Shine Like Hailey Parade Safety Act. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon | HB 528 | 03/29/2023 | Butner Transportation Study Funds. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon, George G. Cleveland, and Kevin Crutchfield | HB 365 | 03/14/2023 | Require That Jurors Be US Citizens. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon | HB 348 | 03/13/2023 | Vance-Granville CC Manufacturing Center. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon | HB 306 | 03/08/2023 | School Calendar Flexibility/Granville & Vance. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon | HB 215 | 02/28/2023 | General Assembly/”In God We Trust” Display. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon | HB 155 | 02/21/2023 | Titles for Off-Road Veh./Low Speed Veh. Insp. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon and George G. Cleveland | HB 63 | 02/07/2023 | Verification of Immigration Status – SAVE. |
| 2023 | Frank Sossamon | HB 30 | 01/30/2023 | Reduce Length of Granville Bd. of Ed. Terms. |
