SB 559 directs North Carolina's Legislative Research Commission (LRC) to study whether state employees should receive bereavement leave. The LRC must examine data from the Office of State Human Resources and report findings with potential legislative proposals to the 2026 General Assembly. The bill appropriates $50,000 from the General Fund to fund this study during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It does not create new leave policies but sets a timeline for research, with the study mandated to begin by July 1, 2025. This is a procedural bill focused solely on gathering information, not implementing changes.
SB 535 regulates hemp-derived beverages (nonalcoholic drinks containing hemp or specific cannabinoids like CBD or THC variants) by creating a new regulatory framework under North Carolina's alcohol beverage laws. It prohibits manufacturing, selling, or possessing these beverages without authorization from the ABC Commission, which will set safety standards and labeling rules. The bill directly affects businesses producing or selling hemp-based drinks, requiring them to comply with ABC Commission regulations starting July 1, 2025. This law does not legalize hemp beverages but establishes the process for their oversight, distinct from alcohol regulations.
SB 539, the North Carolina Utility Worker Protection Act, increases criminal penalties for assaulting utility workers while they perform their duties. It upgrades such assaults to a Class A1 misdemeanor (from lower-level offenses) and adds specific felony charges if deadly weapons are used. The bill defines "utility worker" broadly to include employees providing gas, electricity, water, internet, cable, telecommunications, sewer, or railroad services, covering both public and private sector workers. The law applies to offenses occurring on or after December 1, 2025, and does not affect prosecutions for acts before that date.
SB 564, the "Public Safety Through Food Access Act," allows North Carolina to opt out of a federal ban that denies food assistance and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits to people convicted of drug-related felony offenses. It directly affects individuals convicted of Class H or I drug felonies who meet specific conditions: they must complete six months without new offenses and successfully finish or actively participate in a substance abuse treatment program approved by mental health authorities. The bill requires county social services to link food and TANF benefits to this treatment requirement, as permitted by federal law. The policy change takes effect January 1, 2026.
SB 568 establishes the North Carolina Mental Health and Psychedelic Medicine Task Force to study the potential use of psychedelic medicine for treating mental health conditions. The task force, composed of 12 state agency representatives, mental health advocates, medical experts, and legislative appointees, will assess barriers to access, recommend licensing and insurance requirements, and explore legal pathways - should federal regulations change. It must submit a final report with recommendations to the General Assembly by December 1, 2026. The bill does not legalize psychedelic medicine but prepares for potential future policy changes based on the task force’s findings.
SB 561, "The Working Hearts, Empowered Homes Act," creates a coordinated system to streamline access to childcare, healthcare, nutrition assistance, and preventive care for working families in North Carolina. It establishes a statewide coordination system under the Department of Health and Human Services to consolidate applications and services, replacing fragmented programs. The bill funds two pilot programs: a $3 million regional hubs initiative (2025-2027) testing centralized access points, and a $7 million childcare innovation program targeting small businesses and rural centers through grants. Both pilots require evaluation reports by February 2028 to assess effectiveness before potential statewide expansion.
SB 562 establishes a 21-member commission to study how quantum computing might threaten North Carolina's current cybersecurity systems, including state government IT, critical infrastructure, and smart city/IoT networks that rely on older encryption methods. The commission will assess vulnerabilities, research quantum-resistant security solutions, and develop recommendations for upgrading systems, with a final report due by July 2026. The bill appropriates $250,000 from the state general fund to cover the commission's work, including research and stakeholder meetings. This study directly affects state systems and infrastructure security planning, not individual citizens or private businesses.
SB 573 updates North Carolina's animal cruelty laws by establishing clear standards for adequate shelter and space for companion animals, directly affecting pet owners and hoarders. The bill defines "adequate shelter" to require protection from extreme weather (e.g., heat above 85°F or cold below 32°F), proper cleaning, and features like resting platforms for dogs and cats. It also sets specific tethering rules, mandating tethers be at least 15 feet long or four times an animal's length (whichever is greater) without causing injury. For individuals convicted of companion animal hoarding (owning 10+ pets without proper care), judges must order psychological evaluations and treatment compliance.
SB 572 requires health benefit plans that cover fertility treatment to remove annual or lifetime limits on ovulation medications and ovulation induction cycles, treating these medications the same as other prescription drugs. It applies to both private health plans (effective October 2025) and North Carolina’s State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees (effective January 2026), which must eliminate such limits for in-network services. The bill does not mandate fertility treatment coverage but ensures existing coverage for ovulation medications faces no stricter restrictions than standard prescriptions. State funding of $300,000 (2025-26) and $600,000 (2026-27) will cover increased costs for the state health plan.
SB 570 prohibits shared ownership between medical practices (professional corporations) and management services organizations (MSOs) that provide non-clinical services. It requires that if a medical practice contracts with an MSO, the MSO must be owned entirely by licensed medical professionals - preventing physicians from being stakeholders in such MSOs. The bill also mandates that physicians retain full control over patient care decisions without interference from non-licensed individuals, MSO stakeholders, or out-of-state medical professionals. This directly affects medical practices using MSOs for administrative services and aims to ensure clinical decision-making remains under physician control. The law applies to contracts entered into on or after its effective date, with related rules required by October 2026.
SB 577 clarifies North Carolina's ban on kickbacks in title insurance transactions, directly affecting real estate agents, attorneys, lenders, and title companies during property sales. The bill prohibits paying or receiving kickbacks, rebates, or commissions related to title insurance, except for payments to employees or shareholders of legitimate title insurers meeting specific conditions. It requires written disclosures about referrals to buyers, aligning with federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) rules, and violations carry a Class 2 misdemeanor penalty with fines up to $5,000. The law takes effect December 1, 2025, applying to offenses after that date.
SB 567 adjusts Medicaid reimbursement rates for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services in North Carolina. It increases daily rates for outpatient programs (e.g., $255.28 for level 2.1 care) and establishes new coverage for residential treatment levels (e.g., $350/day for level 3.1), with higher rates for medically monitored services like detox ($756.65/day). The bill appropriates $15 million annually from the state General Fund to cover these rate changes, matching $27.4 million in federal funds for the 2025-2027 biennium. These changes directly affect Medicaid-certified SUD treatment providers by increasing their reimbursement rates for specific service levels, effective July 1, 2025.
