House Bill 818 aims to standardize access to new birth certificates for adopted individuals, making the process similar to those who are not adopted. It directs the State Registrar to prepare a new birth certificate for adoptees that lists their adoptive parents and contains no reference to the adoption itself. The bill specifies that certified copies of these new birth certificates can be provided to the adoptee, their children, adoptive parents, and other immediate adoptive family members. It also ensures original birth certificates and adoption records remain sealed, while counties receive copies of the new certificate to replace the original. This act is intended to apply to new birth certificates for persons adopted before, on, or after October 1, 2025.
House Bill 214, known as the "Faithful Article V Commissioner Act," creates rules for North Carolina's participation in a convention for proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution. It outlines how commissioners and alternates are to be selected by the General Assembly, their qualifications, and their ethical obligations. The bill strictly defines the scope of authority for these commissioners, limiting them to the specific issues outlined in their commission and the convention's call. Commissioners must take an oath to abide by these limits, and exceeding their defined authority is deemed a Class I felony.
HB 981 establishes an open enrollment system, allowing students to attend any public school within their local school administrative unit (district) where they are domiciled. This bill requires local school boards to adopt open enrollment plans, including an application process with specific enrollment periods, a method for parents to declare school preferences, and a lottery system if a school has more applicants than capacity. Students accepted through this process can continue attending that school in subsequent years without reapplying. The bill outlines specific reasons for denying enrollment requests, such as lack of capacity or disciplinary issues, and establishes an appeal process for denied applications, first to the local board and then to the State Board of Education. This system will be effective for the 2025-2026 school year.
HB 188 modifies requirements for consumer contracts that automatically renew. It mandates that businesses clearly disclose automatic renewal terms, including the duration and cost of renewals, in at least 12-point bold type, and requires a specific space for consumers to initial their consent to the auto-renewal provision. If a consumer does not initial this consent, the bill prohibits charging for the automatic renewal. For contracts renewing for six months or more, businesses must provide consumers with written notice between 15 and 60 days before the renewal date, explaining how to cancel. The bill also specifies that any changes to contract terms upon renewal must be clearly disclosed in this renewal notice.
HB 781 bans unauthorized public camping or sleeping on public property across North Carolina, directly affecting individuals experiencing homelessness and local governments. It prohibits counties and municipalities from allowing such activities, but permits them to designate specific public property for temporary camping for up to one year. These designated sites must meet standards for safety, sanitation (including restrooms and water), and access to behavioral health services, and prohibit illegal substance use. Such designations require certification from the Department of Health and Human Services, which assesses factors like shelter bed availability and proximity to residential areas. Residents or businesses can take legal action against local governments that fail to enforce the ban.
The Farmers Protection Act (SB 554) aims to prevent discrimination in financing against agriculture producers. It makes it unlawful for banks to deny or cancel services to farmers based on their greenhouse gas emissions, use of fossil-fuel derived fertilizer, or fossil-fuel powered machinery. If a bank has an environmental, social, or governance (ESG) commitment related to agriculture, there is a rebuttable presumption that such a denial violates the act, unless the bank proves it was solely for financial reasons. The bill requires banks to submit annual compliance reports and allows for civil penalties for violations, which are also considered an unfair or deceptive trade practice.
SB 408 prohibits state and local government employees, contractors, and individuals participating in state-funded programs from using or accessing TikTok and WeChat. The bill bans these "covered applications" on all government-issued devices, information technology, and any equipment owned or leased by state or local subdivisions. It mandates the removal of any existing installations within 30 days of enactment and requires state agencies to restrict access to these applications' websites. An exception is made for law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies for investigative purposes, with guidelines to be developed for such use.
SB 605 makes two key changes related to water management and environmental regulations. First, it eliminates subbasin designations and removes the requirement for an Interbasin Transfer certificate for water transfers that occur between subbasins within the same major river basin, simplifying the process for water resource managers. Second, the bill revises how nutrient offset credits are calculated for wastewater permits in the Neuse River Basin. It specifies that a "TMDL transport factor" must be applied to both the permitted wastewater discharge and the nutrient offset credits, and it broadens the applicability of this calculation by removing a previous customer connection limit for local governments. The bill also directs the Department of Environmental Quality to develop new modeling for nutrient transport in the Neuse River Basin, which could lead to updated rules.
This bill designates May 17th of each year as "Lafayette Day" in the State of North Carolina. It amends the General Statutes to officially recognize this day in honor of Marquis de Lafayette's contributions to American independence and his visit to North Carolina.
House Bill 841 requires the North Carolina Collaboratory to conduct a comprehensive statewide study on shellfish aquaculture leasing regulations. This study will evaluate existing rules, current bans (moratoriums) on new leases, and best practices from other states. It aims to balance economic development, environmental protection, and public access to coastal waters, considering impacts on fishing, boating, property values, and the environment. The Collaboratory must consult with various stakeholders, including shellfish growers, fishermen, and property owners, and will submit an interim report by December 2025 and a final report with recommendations by May 2026.
This bill, titled Reagan's Law, aims to improve access to prosthetic and orthotic devices for North Carolinians with limb loss or limb difference by requiring most health benefit plans to cover these devices and related care. Key provisions mandate that plans cover all materials, instruction, and repairs for prosthetics and orthotics, allow for multiple devices based on medical needs, and prohibit denying claims for these devices that would otherwise be covered for non-disabled individuals seeking similar medical treatment. The legislation also requires insurers to provide coverage for device replacements when medically necessary due to changes in the insured's condition or device damage, without limiting coverage based on the device's age or useful lifetime. Additionally, the bill repeals state requirements for health plans to cover emergency care that duplicates federal law, aligning state regulations with federal standards.
House Bill 212 revises the procedures for the Department of Transportation (DOT) when initiating condemnation actions to acquire private property. It specifies that the DOT is no longer required to formally notify or include spouses of property owners in these actions unless the spouse has a direct ownership interest in the land. Additionally, the bill clarifies that a surviving spouse cannot claim a life estate in real estate that was condemned by the DOT before the deceased spouse's death. These changes aim to streamline the condemnation process and apply to actions initiated on or after October 1, 2025.
