October 29, 2025
North Carolina is close to enacting a historic law that would bar the state from awarding Medicaid contracts to Planned Parenthood and other abortion vendors in the state. Without the efforts of Students for Life Action, the proposed law likely would never have come about.
The story began in the fall of 2024 when SFLAction mobilized thousands of grassroots activists to inform voters in their districts about the pro-life positions of two candidates for the North Carolina House of Representatives, Jonathan Almond and Brian Echevarria.
SFLAction staff and volunteers knocked on a combined 4,611 doors, sent a combined 8,862 texts, and made a combined 8,433 calls on behalf of these two candidates. Rep. Almond won his primary by 586 votes, and Rep. Echevarria won his primary by just 167 votes.
Both men went on to win in the general election, and they have each credited SFLAction with playing a key role in their success. It was these same two men who helped advance a proposed law to protect preborn babies in North Carolina.
Senate Bill 378 was originally introduced in the North Carolina Senate as a Homeowners Association bill. After it passed the Senate on May 7, 2025, it was sent to the North Carolina House.
Around the same time, Alliance Defending Freedom, a key ally in the pro-life movement, argued Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic before the U.S. Supreme Court. ADF defended South Carolina’s right to bar abortion facilities from receiving Medicaid funds.
On June 26, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of South Carolina, freeing states to defund Planned Parenthood and other abortion facilities. Following this victory, the North Carolina House Rules & Calendar Committee strategically restructured SB 378 to focus solely on stopping Planned Parenthood and all other abortion vendors facilities in the state from receiving Medicaid dollars.
SFLAction worked with Reps. Almond and Echevarria, and in an October Republican Caucus meeting, they urged House Speaker Destin Hall to bring SB 378 to the floor for a vote before lawmakers were set to take a weeks-long break. Thanks in large part to their efforts, the House passed SB 378 on October 22, 2025.
The proposed law has now been returned to the Senate for final confirmation. The Senate is expected to approve it and send it to the desk of Gov. Josh Stein when the legislature returns on November 17, 2025.
This remarkable story is a testament to the fact that grassroots election advocacy saves lives. By helping elect two Pro-Life Champions, the SFLAction team and volunteers created an opportunity for pro-life laws to advance in North Carolina.
While we recognize this important win, we also acknowledge that our work on SB 378 is not quite finished. Gov. Stein has supported abortion throughout his career, and unfortunately, he has the power to protect the Abortion Goliath by vetoing the proposed law when it comes across his desk.
North Carolinians have made it clear that they don’t want their tax dollars supporting abortion, and now it’s time for Gov. Stein to do the right thing. Contact Gov. Stein and tell him to protect preborn babies by signing SB 378 into law.