The following are some of the interesting or unusual bills that already have been filed by state lawmakers during the 2021-22 legislative session:

• House Bill 2: This bill calls to adopt the bottlenose dolphin as the official state marine mammal.
Filed by: House Deputy Majority Whip Bobby Hanig, R-6.
Where it stands: House Committee on State Government.

• HB 5: This bill would require the hourly rate of the minimum salary for non-certified public school employees to be set at $15 per hour. A similar bill, Senate Bill 19, was filed by Democratic Sen. Don Davis, and it calls on the Department of Public Instruction to study and report on raising salaries for noncertified public school employees to at least $15 per hour.
Filed by: Reps. Terence Everitt, D-35; Brandon Lofton, D-104; and House Democratic Whip Raymond E. Smith, D-21
Where bills stand: Both sit in their chamber’s rules committees.

•HB 7: This bill would require cities to adopt rules and regulations encouraging their employees to report improper or unlawful activity while protecting those who report from retaliation or other discriminatory action.
Filed by: House Deputy Majority Whips Bobby Hanig, R-6, and Jon Hardister, R-59, along with Rep. John Bradford III, R-98.
Where it stands: House Committee on Local Government.

• HB 11: This bill would regulate alcohol in manufactured food products such as ice cream, ice pops and gelatin.
Filed by: Rep. Shelly Willingham, D-23; House Joint Caucus Liaison Pat Hurley, R70; House Deputy Conference Chair Timothy Moffitt, R-117; and House Deputy Majority Whip James Boles Jr., R-52.
Where it stands: Committee on Alcoholic Beverage Control.

• HB 13: This bill proposes to appropriate continuation funds of $2.3 million from the state’s General Fund to support the state’s Search and Rescue program.
Filed by: Rep. Ted Davis Jr., R-20.
Where it stands: House Committee on Appropriations.

• SB 8: This bill would authorize the N.C. Board of Community Colleges to implement an in-state tuition pilot program for the residents of four Georgia counties, including Fannin, Rabun, Towns and Union counties. The four counties border North Carolina.
Filed by: Sen. Kevin Corbin, R-50.
Where it stands: Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate.

• SB 12: This bill would provide income tax relief for certain retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Filed by: Senate Democratic Caucus Secretary Ben Clark, D-21.
Where it stands: Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate.

• SB 20: This bill would make it unlawful to use a wireless communication device such as a smartphone while operating a motor vehicle on public streets and highways, including holding the device in your hand or body, watching a video or texting.
Filed by: Sens. Jim Burgin, R-12; Kevin Corbin, R-50; and Mike Woodard, D-22.
Where it stands: Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate.

• HB 31: This bill would prohibit, except in the event of a medical emergency, the performance of an abortion after the unborn child is determined to have a detectable human heartbeat.
Filed by: House Deputy Majority Whips Keith Kidwell, R-79, and Bobby Hanig, R-6, as well as Reps. George Cleveland, R-14, and Carson Smith, R-16.
Where it stands: Committee on Health.

• HB 36: This bill would increase the punishment for discharging or attempting to discharge a firearm at or into an unoccupied emergency vehicle. It also increases the punishment for pointing a laser device at a law enforcement officer or other emergency personnel while performing their duties.
Filed by: Reps. Kelly Hastings, R-110; Carson Smith, R-16; Kristin Baker, R-82; and House Deputy Conference Chair Jason Saine, R-97.
Where it stands: Committee on Judiciary No. 2.

• HB 40: Also called “Kimberly’s Law,” this would create the offense of “felony death by vehicle for revoked impaired driving” and would revoke the registration of all vehicles registered to a person convicted of such an offense.
Filed by: Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-119.
Where it stands: Committee on Judiciary No. 2.

• HB 41: This bill would amend the minimum age to enter into marriage to 18 years of age. A similar measure has been filed in the Senate as SB 35, which was filed by Sens. Vickie Sawyer, R-34, Danny Earl Britt Jr., R-13, and Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Valerie Foushee.
Filed by: Reps. Kristin Baker, R-82; Ashton Wheeler Clemmons, D-57; Brian Turner, D-116; and House Deputy Conference Chair Jason Saine, R-97.
Where it stands: Committee on Families, Children and Aging Policy.

• SB 29: Also called “Ricky’s Law,” this bill would reduce the time allowed to place a political sign in a right-of-way from 30 days to 10 days before one-stop early voting and 10 days after a primary or general election.
Filed by: Sens. David Craven Jr., R-26, Vickie Sawyer, R-34, and Senate Majority Whip Jim Perry, R-7.
Where it stands: Committee on Redistricting and Elections.

• SB 37: This bill would require school districts to provide the option of in-person instruction to all students through the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year.
Filed by: Sens. Deanna Ballard, R-45, Michael Lee, R-9, and Senate Deputy President Pro Tempore Ralph Hise, R-47.
Where it stands: Placed on calendar for House to take up Tuesday. It passed the Senate on Thursday with a vote of 29-16 along party lines.

• SB 39: This bill would designate the time zone of North Carolina and adopt daylight savings time year-round if authorized by Congress.
Filed by: Sens. Vickie Sawyer, R-34, Todd Johnson, R-35, and Senate Majority Whip Jim Perry, R-7.
Where it stands: Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate.

• SB 64: This bill would remove the safety inspection of tinted windows during motor vehicle safety inspections and require a driver to lower a tinted window upon the approach of a law enforcement officer.
Filed by: Sen. Todd Johnson, R-35