First Tuesday Asheville

House Bill 799 (Public) Filed Monday, April 7, 2025 

 AN ACT TO ENSURE NONDISCRIMINATION AND DIGNITY IN GOVERNMENT HIRING, PROMOTION, TRAINING, AND WORKPLACES.

Intro. by Echevarria, Setzer, Gable.  

 House Bill 799, introduced in the North Carolina House of Representatives, protects public employees and job applicants from being required to profess or affirm certain political, social, or ideological views. It reinforces equal opportunity in state and local government hiring, promotions, and training. 

Passed First Reading: April 8, 2025
Current Status as of April 19, 2025: Referred to the House Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations for further consideration. ​

1. Committee Review
   The House Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations will first decide whether to give HB 799 a hearing. This committee has broad control over whether a bill advances or stalls.
    
2. Committee Vote
   If the committee takes up the bill, members may: Approve it as-is, Propose amendments, Vote it down .
3. If approved, the bill moves to the House floor for Second (Full debate and vote by the House.) and Third (A second vote, typically without further debate.) Readings. 

• If it passes both, the bill moves to the Senate.  
   

1. Assigned to a Senate committee (often the Senate Rules and Operations Committee).
    
2. Follows a similar process: committee review, second and third readings, floor votes.
    

• If Passed by Both Chambers, the bill will be sent to the Governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature.

 ✅ Thank the sponsors:
Send a quick email to let them know you appreciate their leadership:

• Brian.Echevarria@ncleg.gov
   
• Mitchell.Setzer@ncleg.gov
   
• Wyatt.Gable@ncleg.gov 

 Contact Your Representatives: Reach out to Representatives Ager, Prather, and Turner to share your support for SB 474 and inquire about their positions on the bill.​

Buncombe County House Representatives:

Buncombe County is represented by three Democratic members in the North Carolina House:​

Representative Eric Ager (District 114)

📧 Eric.Ager@ncleg.gov ​| (919) 715-2013 

Representative Lindsey Prather (District 115)​ 

📧 Lindsey.Prather@ncleg.gov | (919) 733-5746 

Representative Brian Turner (District 116)​

📧 Brian.Turner@ncleg.gov | (919) 715-3012 

While these representatives are Democrats, engaging with them to express your views on SB 799 may influence their stance on the bill.​

Ask them:
“Do you support HB 799, and will you vote to protect free thought and fairness in government hiring? If not, why?”

Let us know what they say.

Sample eMail message below. Feel free to copy this one or write your own:

Subject:   Protect Free Thought in Public Employment  

 Dear Representative [Last Name],

I am writing as your constituent to respectfully urge you to support House Bill 799, which was filed on April 7, 2025, and passed its first reading the next day. The bill is currently awaiting action in the House Rules, Calendar, and Operations Committee.

HB 799 is a critical step toward ensuring that North Carolina’s public hiring and training policies remain fair, transparent, and free from ideological coercion. No job applicant or public employee should be forced to adopt or affirm political or social beliefs in order to qualify for a job, promotion, or training opportunity.

This legislation reinforces non-discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, or sex and makes it clear that belief in controversial or divisive concepts cannot be a condition of public employment. It also protects constitutionally guaranteed free speech and academic freedom while preventing taxpayer dollars from funding ideologically biased training programs.

I would appreciate knowing where you stand on this important bill. Do you support HB 799? If not, could you please explain your concerns?

Thank you for your service to our district and for your attention to this issue. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Street Address or City, ZIP (optional but helpful)]
[Your Email Address]
[Your Phone Number (optional)]

Public Engagement: Consider writing letters to local newspapers or participating in community forums to raise awareness about the bill's importance.​
 

Sample Letter to Editor below.  Feel free to copy this one or write your own:

Subject:  HB 799 Protects Fairness and Free Thought in Government Hiring 

To the Editor,

North Carolina House Bill 799 deserves the attention and support of every citizen who values fairness, inclusion, and the right to think freely. 

This bill, filed earlier this month, reinforces a basic principle: no one should be forced to profess political or ideological beliefs to qualify for a job or keep one. HB 799 would make sure hiring and training decisions in state and local government are based on qualifications—not on whether someone agrees with a controversial theory or ideology. 

It doesn’t eliminate diversity initiatives or ban education about history or culture. It simply says that participation in such programs must be voluntary—and that public employees shouldn’t be punished for holding different views. It also prevents tax dollars from being used to promote one-sided ideological content in required employee training. 

 In a community like ours that often prides itself on openness and tolerance, I hope we can agree that those values should extend to government workplaces, too. 

I encourage readers to thank the bill’s sponsors and ask Representatives Ager, Prather, and Turner whether they plan to support HB 799—and why or why not. 

Fairness and freedom of thought shouldn't be partisan. They should be expected. 

Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Town or ZIP Code]
[Optional: Email Address or Phone Number]