SB 710 modernizes North Carolina's alarm systems licensing requirements for businesses providing security services. It requires alarm security companies to designate a licensed full-time "qualifying agent" in a management role, who must pass background checks for crimes involving violence, drugs, or moral turpitude. The bill also mandates that businesses notify the licensing board within 10 days if a qualifying agent leaves and find a replacement within 90 days. This directly affects alarm security businesses and their qualifying agents, updating oversight to strengthen accountability and security standards.
HB 388 amends North Carolina's Business Corporations Act to allow corporations to include in their articles of incorporation provisions that limit or eliminate personal liability for directors and officers (except in cases of knowing violations, improper benefits, or prior acts). It also clarifies rules for emergency bylaws and powers, enabling boards to adopt special procedures during disasters (like natural catastrophes) to manage corporations, including meeting rules and director designations. These changes directly affect North Carolina corporations, their directors, and officers by altering liability protections and emergency governance structures. The bill updates statutory language to provide clearer, more flexible governance options without changing core corporate obligations.
SB 124 aims to make North Carolina state government hiring more accessible by reducing unnecessary barriers. It requires the State Human Resources Commission to review job requirements starting October 2025, removing mandatory four-year degree requirements where practical experience (like military service or trade school) is sufficient. The bill also modernizes the application process by allowing resume uploads to auto-fill forms and simplifies job postings to limit additional qualifications to five, ensuring applicants clearly see basic requirements. These changes apply to all state agencies hiring staff, directly affecting job seekers and hiring managers across North Carolina's government workforce.
HB 948, the P.A.V.E. Act, amends North Carolina law to allow Mecklenburg County to levy an additional 0.5% local sales tax specifically for public transportation systems. The bill defines "public transportation system" broadly to include buses, transit facilities, bike/pedestrian infrastructure, and automated transport tunnels, while excluding general roads. Funds collected must supplement, not replace, existing public transit funding and can only be used for financing, building, operating, or maintaining these systems. The tax proceeds would be distributed monthly to Mecklenburg County and its public transportation authorities per a financial plan, with the bill taking effect only if Mecklenburg levies this tax.
SB 321 modifies North Carolina's certification requirements for Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). It updates educational standards to require 150 semester hours with an accounting concentration from a regionally accredited institution, and adjusts experience requirements to one year of supervised accounting work (for those with standard degrees) or two years (for those with alternative degree paths). The bill also changes the State Board of Accountancy's name to the State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners. These changes directly affect individuals seeking CPA certification in North Carolina, including those with non-traditional educational backgrounds or teaching experience.
HB 737 eliminates mandatory 20-hour training courses for insurance producers (agents/brokers) seeking licensure in North Carolina, replacing this requirement with a competency-based assessment. The bill also clarifies rules on insurance referral fees, updates capital calculation standards for the Department of Insurance, and restricts residential leases from requiring renters insurance. Additional provisions include adjustments to Medicare supplement licensing, continuous coverage rules for drivers with surcharges, and streamlined processes for multi-dealer registration. These changes directly affect insurance professionals, insurers, and consumers through modified licensing, coverage, and fee structures.
HB 762 modernizes North Carolina's mortgage licensing rules under the S.A.F.E. Act and adjusts fee limits for second or junior lien loans. It directly affects mortgage lenders offering these second mortgages by requiring their fees to align with federal qualified mortgage standards. The bill modifies maximum permissible fees to better match federal requirements, aiming to reduce consumer costs and improve compliance. This change applies specifically to loans secured by a second or junior lien on residential properties. The bill focuses on policy adjustments without altering licensing processes or consumer protections beyond fee structures.
SB 77 allows parents of students with disabilities to choose their preferred nurse for school-based nursing services required by an Individualized Education Program (IEP), provided specific conditions are met. The bill requires schools to assign the parent's chosen nurse if that nurse previously provided care to the student, the nursing agency agrees to contract under standard terms, and the rate matches other contracted nurses. This directly affects families of students needing nursing services under IEPs and ensures schools honor parent preferences without altering their obligation to provide a free appropriate public education. The policy applies starting the 2025-2026 school year.
HB 412 aims to reform North Carolina's child care system by separating the quality rating system (QRIS) from state-subsidized child care program requirements, directly affecting licensed child care providers and families using subsidies. Key provisions require the state Division of Child Development to develop a plan by May 2026 to decouple QRIS from subsidy reimbursement rates, using a unified market rate study (not segmented by star ratings) to inform potential rate adjustments. The bill also updates facility regulations, allowing school buildings approved for school occupancy to meet child care licensing standards for after-school programs without separate outdoor play area requirements. These changes seek to increase child care supply and optimize state funding while maintaining federal compliance, though the current subsidy system remains in effect until legislative approval.
SB 295 clarifies North Carolina's motor vehicle dealer laws to prevent unfair franchise terminations and protect dealers' transfer rights. It prohibits manufacturers from conditioning approval of dealership transfers, sales, or management changes on requirements like building new facilities, acquiring specific vehicle lines, or signing "right of first refusal" agreements. The bill also requires manufacturers to reimburse dealers' legal fees if they unreasonably deny a transfer and a court later overturns that decision. This directly affects car dealers seeking to sell their businesses or change ownership, and manufacturers who control dealership franchises.
This bill establishes an Interstate Medical Licensure Compact in North Carolina, allowing physicians who meet specific qualifications to obtain medical licenses in multiple participating states through a streamlined process. The law creates an Interstate Commission to oversee the compact and sets clear standards for physician eligibility, including requirements for medical school graduation, passing licensing exams, specialty certification, and a clean disciplinary record. While the compact simplifies licensing for qualified doctors, it maintains that each state retains authority to regulate medical practice within its borders and can take disciplinary action against physicians licensed through the compact. The bill does not alter existing state medical practice laws but adds an additional pathway for physicians to practice across state lines.
HB 378 requires North Carolina public schools to evaluate long-term technology costs - including repair expenses and resale value - when purchasing devices like computers and tablets. Schools must report annually on the "break/fix rate" (the percentage of devices malfunctioning or needing repair before their expected lifespan), total device counts, and repair costs to the State Board of Education. The State Board will compile these reports and provide an annual summary with recommendations to the legislature for reducing device repair rates. This bill directly affects all public school units, including charter schools, by adding these reporting requirements to existing education laws.
