A new bill filed by State Rep. Jarrod Lowery in the North Carolina House seeks to mandate a substance abuse awareness course for certain driver’s license applicants to enhance road safety, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 217 on Feb. 25 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Driver Educ./18 Yrs & Older & Unlicensed.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates that individuals aged 18 and older applying for a driver’s license in North Carolina, who are not already licensed in another state or have not completed a Department of Education driver education course, must take a three-hour course on alcohol and drug abuse awareness. The course can be conducted online or in person and includes instruction on the physiological and psychological impacts of substance abuse, the effects on driving, state motor vehicle laws, and risky driving behaviors such as fatigue, aggression, and distraction. The Division of Motor Vehicles will use third-party vendors to deliver the course, ensuring compliance and maintaining oversight. A fee, determined by the Division, will be charged for participation in the course. This act is set to take effect Oct. 1, 2025.
Of the three sponsors of this bill, Brian Biggs and Lowery proposed the most bills (11) 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.
Lowery graduated from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 2012 with a BS.
Lowery, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 47th House district, replacing previous state representative Charles Graham.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jarrod Lowery, Brian Biggs, and Charles Smith | HB 217 | 02/25/2025 | Driver Educ./18 Yrs & Older & Unlicensed. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Brenden H. Jones, Jake Johnson, and Matthew Winslow | HB 222 | 02/25/2025 | C.O.O.P.E.R. Accountability Act. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Cody Huneycutt, Heather H. Rhyne, and Hugh Blackwell | HB 163 | 02/21/2025 | Pharmacy Benefits Manager Provisions. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Blair Eddins, Brenden H. Jones, and Neal Jackson | HB 171 | 02/21/2025 | Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Chris Humphrey, Jeffrey C. McNeely, and Kyle Hall | HB 135 | 02/17/2025 | Misbranding/Cell-Cultured Meat/WNC Donations. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Allen Buansi, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Heather H. Rhyne | HB 145 | 02/17/2025 | Funds for Diabetes Research Institute/UNC-CH. |
| Jarrod Lowery and Grant L. Campbell, MD | HB 146 | 02/17/2025 | Remote License Renewal/Active Duty Military. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Allen Chesser, and Brian Biggs | HB 112 | 02/12/2025 | Increase Permissible Interstate Speed Limit. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Bill Ward, Mike Clampitt, and Rodney D. Pierce | HB 103 | 02/11/2025 | NC Am. Indian Hunting/Fishing Rights. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Diane Wheatley, Harry Warren, and Jeffrey C. McNeely | HB 79 | 02/10/2025 | North Carolina Work and Save. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Allen Buansi, Allen Chesser, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 93 | 02/10/2025 | Constitutional Amendment/Repeal Literacy Test. |
