A new bill filed by State Rep. Heather H. Rhyne in the North Carolina House aims to address chronic absenteeism through data-driven early intervention in public schools, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 1110 on April 29 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Early Intervention School Attendance Pilot.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill creates a Student Attendance Early Intervention Pilot Program to test a data-driven system to reduce chronic absenteeism in one selected public school unit from the 2026-27 through 2027-28 fiscal years. The Department of Public Instruction will choose a district and schools serving up to 15,000 students and a vendor providing real-time monitoring, early warning indicators, tiered interventions, multilingual two-way family communication, dashboards, and privacy safeguards. The bill appropriates $75,000 for technology, implementation, training, administration, and evaluation and requires a report by Feb. 1, 2028, on attendance outcomes, efficiencies, and possible statewide expansion. The act takes effect July 1, 2026.
Of the four sponsors of this bill, Tricia Ann Cotham proposed the most bills (54) 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.
Rhyne graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1998.
Rhyne, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2024 to represent the state’s 97th House district, replacing previous state representative Jason Saine.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heather H. Rhyne, Erin Paré, Mike Schietzelt, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 1110 | 04/29/2026 | Early Intervention School Attendance Pilot. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Celeste C. Cairns, and Charles W. Miller | HB 1075 | 04/28/2026 | Persistent D.V. Offender Registry. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Allen Chesser, Mike Schietzelt, and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 1083 | 04/28/2026 | Voluntary Portable Benefits Plan Act. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Dean Arp, Donny Lambeth, and Erin Paré | HB 1086 | 04/28/2026 | Child Care Initiative Funds/Reform/Study. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, David Willis, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 981 | 04/10/2025 | Local Schools Open Enrollment Study. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Beth Helfrich, John A. Torbett, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 845 | 04/09/2025 | Reduce Drowning Risk/Public Docks. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Brian Biggs, David Willis, and Ray Pickett | HB 875 | 04/09/2025 | DPI to Redesign Math Instruction. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Dean Arp, Donny Lambeth, and Erin Paré | HB 877 | 04/09/2025 | Childcare Pilot. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Grant L. Campbell, MD, Sarah Crawford, and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 820 | 04/08/2025 | Prescription Eye Drop Early Refill Coverage. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Brian Biggs, Hugh Blackwell, and Larry W. Potts | HB 803 | 04/07/2025 | 3-Year FDA Approval for New Childhood Vaxx. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Brian Biggs, and David Willis | HB 806 | 04/07/2025 | Public School Operational Relief. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Brian Biggs, David Willis, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 773 | 04/03/2025 | School Performance Grade Changes. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Blair Eddins, Jennifer Balkcom, and Sarah Stevens | HB 791 | 04/03/2025 | Women’s Safety and Protection Act. |
| Heather H. Rhyne and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 592 | 03/31/2025 | Toxic-Free Medical Devices Act of 2025. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Erin Paré, Mike Schietzelt, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 611 | 03/31/2025 | Increase APs in Public Schools. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Jeff Zenger, Jonathan L. Almond, and Neal Jackson | HB 618 | 03/31/2025 | Ivermectin Access Act. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Allen Chesser, Cody Huneycutt, and Kyle Hall | HB 574 | 03/27/2025 | Workforce Development Pilot Project. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Allen Chesser, Donny Lambeth, and Grant L. Campbell, MD | HB 536 | 03/26/2025 | Physical Therapy Practice Act Mods. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Dean Arp, Donny Lambeth, and Erin Paré | HB 542 | 03/26/2025 | Child Care Mental & Behavioral Services/Funds. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Allen Chesser, Donna McDowell White, and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 546 | 03/26/2025 | Inmate Medicaid Suspension/Team-Based Care. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Allen Chesser, Brandon Lofton, and Kyle Hall | HB 517 | 03/25/2025 | Modify Nonprofit Corp. Act/Charitable Org. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Dennis Riddell, Erin Paré, and Monika Johnson-Hostler | HB 488 | 03/24/2025 | Modify School Performance Grades. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Donna McDowell White, Donny Lambeth, and Jimmy Dixon | HB 491 | 03/24/2025 | Medicaid Work Requirements. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Allen Chesser, and Ray Pickett | HB 437 | 03/18/2025 | Establish Drug-Free Homeless Service Zones. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Dean Arp, Donny Lambeth, and Erin Paré | HB 412 | 03/17/2025 | Child Care Regulatory Reforms. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Brian Biggs, and David Willis | HB 415 | 03/17/2025 | Modify Math & Social Studies Grad. Req. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Allen Chesser, Jake Johnson, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 372 | 03/11/2025 | Home-Based Business Fairness Act. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Allen Chesser, Cody Huneycutt, and Kyle Hall | HB 351 | 03/10/2025 | Recovery-Friendly Workplace Program/Funds. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, and Cody Huneycutt | HB 330 | 03/06/2025 | Controlled Substances Act – Updates. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Dean Arp, Donny Lambeth, and Erin Paré | HB 309 | 03/05/2025 | Various Local Provisions VI. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Howard Penny, Jr., Jonathan L. Almond, and Paul Scott | HB 239 | 02/26/2025 | Change to EC Funding Formula. |
| Heather H. Rhyne and Jeffrey C. McNeely | HB 190 | 02/24/2025 | SchCal Mandatory Winter Break/Date Adjustment. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Cody Huneycutt, Hugh Blackwell, and Jarrod Lowery | HB 163 | 02/21/2025 | Pharmacy Benefits Manager Provisions. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Allen Buansi, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Jarrod Lowery | HB 145 | 02/17/2025 | Funds for Diabetes Research Institute/UNC-CH. |
| Heather H. Rhyne, Allen Chesser, Brenden H. Jones, and Jay Adams | HB 35 | 02/03/2025 | Establish Military Appreciation Month. |
| Heather H. Rhyne | HB 41 | 02/03/2025 | Lincoln/Catawba Common Boundary Line. |
