HB 152 aims to regulate how health benefit plans in North Carolina cover Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) services. If an insurer chooses to cover TMS, the bill requires them to cover all procedures performed by properly licensed healthcare providers, regardless of their medical specialty, as long as TMS is within their scope of practice. It prohibits insurers from penalizing providers solely based on their specialty when submitting TMS claims. However, the bill maintains that insurers retain discretion over whether to cover TMS, for which conditions, and at what reimbursement rates.
House Bill 648 clarifies the process for placing abused, neglected, or dependent juveniles in out-of-home care. It requires courts to first consider placing a juvenile with a willing and able relative, unless such placement is found to be contrary to the juvenile's best interests. Courts can only consider nonrelative placements after making specific findings of fact, such as the unavailability of a suitable relative. The bill also expands options for nonrelative placements to include former foster parents, nonrelative kin, or legal guardians of siblings, and allows for notification of State-recognized tribes to help locate caregivers.
HB 570, the "Responsible Firefighting Foam Management Act," restricts the use of firefighting foams containing PFAS chemicals for training and testing. It prohibits any person, local government, or state agency from discharging Class B firefighting foam with intentionally added PFAS for training or practice purposes. For testing, these foams are also prohibited unless required by law or an authority, and the testing facility has implemented measures to prevent environmental releases. The bill mandates the use of non-fluorinated alternatives for training and is set to become effective on December 1, 2025.
House Bill 288 requires the official Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) flag to be displayed at all state-owned buildings and public schools in North Carolina. This applies whenever the United States flag is flown, provided an existing flagpole can accommodate the POW/MIA flag. The state will purchase these flags for state-owned buildings, while local boards of education may accept donations or use available funds for their schools.
HB 250 modifies the annual report filing requirements and fees for certain business entities in North Carolina. It directly affects domestic and foreign corporations and Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) where more than 50% of the ownership is held by one or more deployed members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The bill waives the annual report requirement and associated fees for these businesses while the owner is deployed. Instead, qualifying businesses must file a notice of deployment and can submit their annual report after the deployment ends (90 business days for corporations, April 15 of the following year for LLCs).
SB 579 aims to transform the high school experience in North Carolina. It establishes the North Carolina High School Redesign Commission, tasked with exploring and recommending changes to high school and higher education policies to better prepare students for college or the workforce. The Commission will examine areas like flexible diploma requirements, work-based learning, industry credentials, and personalized, competency-based learning pathways.
The bill also creates the Competency-Based High School and Healthcare and High-Tech Pathways Program. This program, initially involving the Mooresville Graded School District and Mitchell Community College, will develop competency-based pathways for students to earn associate degrees or industry credentials, with an initial emphasis on healthcare.
HB 873, titled "DEQ Agency Bill," proposes various changes to statutes governing the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The bill authorizes the DEQ to use public schools and other tax-maintained buildings for public hearings, subject to conditions like not interfering with school activities and covering custodial fees. It also clarifies that landowners who purchase property with knowledge of hazardous waste and then cause exposure or migration are considered responsible parties for inactive hazardous sites. Additionally, the bill sets requirements for off-site hazardous waste recycling facilities and modifies the payment schedule for Brownfields agreement fees into two installments.
House Bill 663, known as the Living Donor Protection Act, aims to support individuals who donate organs or bone marrow. The bill prohibits insurance companies from discriminating against individuals solely based on their status as a living organ donor in various insurance policies. It also establishes a state income tax credit of up to $5,000 for unreimbursed expenses, such as lost wages and travel, incurred by living donors. Furthermore, the act provides state employees and state-supported personnel with up to 30 days of paid leave for organ donation and seven days for bone marrow donation.
Bill SB 711, titled "ROD Removal/Gov. Security Breach Notice Costs," as presented in the provided text, primarily establishes a new ethics and removal process for county Registers of Deeds. It mandates that county boards of commissioners adopt a code of ethics for these officials. The bill outlines a mechanism for citizens to file complaints, leading to a review by the county manager and a public hearing by the board of commissioners. If ethics violations are confirmed, the board can impose sanctions, including censure, suspension, or removal from office for specific serious offenses, with an appeals process available to the Register of Deeds. This process directly affects Registers of Deeds, county governments, and the public.
HB 729, titled the "Farmland Protection Act," makes several changes related to solar energy development. It reduces the property tax exclusion for solar energy electric systems from 80% to 40% of their appraised value, which will increase the taxable value of these systems. The bill also prohibits the construction of new utility-scale solar projects that are not qualifying facilities under federal law, unless they are sited on specific types of land such as brownfields, non-agricultural land, or clear-cut timberland. Additionally, it updates the effective dates for requirements regarding financial assurance and decommissioning plans for utility-scale solar projects, affecting both existing and new facilities.
House Bill 584 seeks to eliminate the requirement for individuals under 18 to obtain a driving eligibility certificate when applying for a learner's permit or provisional driver's license. Currently, this certificate links a young person's driving privileges to their enrollment in school, academic progress, or possession of a high school diploma. The bill removes these educational prerequisites, along with conditions related to certain student disciplinary actions, for obtaining these licenses. This change directly affects young drivers seeking their initial permits and licenses.
HB 613, titled "The Vehicle Registration Convenience Act," allows vehicle owners in North Carolina to choose their preferred month for annual registration renewal. When initially registering a vehicle, owners can select any month within a 12-month period for their registration to expire. The initial registration fee will be prorated based on the chosen renewal month to cover the period until the elected expiration date. The bill also authorizes the Division of Motor Vehicles to send electronic renewal notices if the owner provides consent. These changes apply to vehicle registrations issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
