Sen. Murdock files bill in North Carolina Senate to require informational literacy instruction

A new bill filed by State Sen. Murdock seeks to establish standards for informational literacy instruction in North Carolina public schools from kindergarten through grade 12., according to the North Carolina State Senate.

The bill, filed as SB 511 on March 25 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Informational Literacy in Schools.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates the inclusion of informational literacy instruction in North Carolina public schools, effective from the 2025-26 school year. It defines informational literacy as skills enabling individuals to recognize the need for, locate, evaluate, and effectively use information, encompassing digital, visual, media, textual, and technological literacy. The State Board of Education is tasked with setting age-appropriate standards for kindergarten through grade 12, which will cover the research process, critical thinking, the use of primary and secondary sources, distinguishing facts from opinions, accessing peer-reviewed resources, and understanding the economic, legal, and social aspects of information use. Public schools must collaborate with library/media personnel to develop relevant curricula reflecting these standards.

Of the two sponsors of this bill, Murdock proposed the most bills (74) 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.

Murdock graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA.

Murdock, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2020 to represent the state’s 20th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Mickey Michaux.