HB 681 directs the Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services to update state rules for outpatient opioid treatment programs (OTPs). The bill aims to align these rules more closely with federal regulations governing medications for opioid use disorder, affecting patients receiving treatment and the OTPs providing care. Key changes include removing home environment stability as a criterion for take-home medication and prohibiting administrative discharge due to continued substance use or missed doses. It also reduces the frequency of required drug tests, removes observed testing, and allows OTPs to administer methadone to non-enrolled patients. The Commission must engage with clients and providers for input and publish the proposed amended rules by July 1, 2025.
HB 675 modifies the credentialing requirements for various emergency medical services personnel, including EMTs, paramedics, and emergency medical responders. Beginning January 1, 2026, individuals seeking new or renewed credentials must pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) examination. Those currently holding non-NREMT state credentials prior to this date must obtain NREMT certification by January 1, 2030. The bill also requires a criminal history background check for applicants and mandates specific examinations from the International Board of Specialty Certification for specialty roles.
SB 624 requires licenses for artificial intelligence chatbots that handle health information in North Carolina, directly affecting developers and operators of such tools. The bill mandates strict licensing applications detailing technical security, data practices, and risk management, with the Department of Justice reviewing for safety, compliance, and efficacy. Licensees must implement encryption, report data breaches within 24 hours, obtain explicit user consent, allow data access/deletion, and demonstrate clinical effectiveness through peer-reviewed studies. It also requires annual third-party audits, quarterly safety reports, and clear disclosures about the chatbot's artificial nature and limitations. The law applies only to chatbots substantially handling health data, including medical conditions, mental health, reproductive care, genetic information, and location data tied to health services.
SB 239 increases the hourly wage for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) serving Medicaid beneficiaries under North Carolina's Innovations waiver program by $5 per hour for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and another $5 per hour for 2026-2027. The law requires providers receiving this funding to use at least 90% of the increased payments to raise DSP wages directly, with verification through payroll documentation. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHB) will adjust payments to managed care organizations (LME/MCOs), which must pass the increase to providers and report quarterly on DSP wage changes. This policy directly affects DSPs working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their employers under the waiver program.
HB 685, the Rural NC Reinvestment Act, allocates $605 million in nonrecurring state funds for rural North Carolina communities during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It provides grants for water/sewer infrastructure ($200M), law enforcement/fire equipment ($10M), economic development land ($20M), rural school construction ($200M), broadband expansion ($50M), early childhood education ($100M), and physician placement ($5M). Local governments, schools, emergency services, and healthcare providers in rural areas directly receive these funds, with allocations prioritized based on need, efficiency, and community impact. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, focusing on tangible infrastructure and service improvements without creating new regulations.
House Bill 390, titled "Alleviate the Dangers of Surgical Smoke," establishes new standards for surgical smoke evacuation in North Carolina. This bill requires all licensed hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities to adopt and implement policies mandating the use of a smoke evacuation/filtering system during surgical procedures likely to generate surgical smoke. A smoke evacuation/filtering system is defined as equipment that captures, filters, and eliminates surgical smoke at its origin. The Department of Health and Human Services is authorized to take adverse action against facilities that violate these new requirements. This act is scheduled to become effective on January 1, 2026.
HB 692 requires all North Carolina public schools to install at least two automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) per school building - one in a state-identified location and one in athletic facilities - and provide annual training for school staff in AED use and CPR. The bill directly affects public school personnel, students, and school districts by mandating specific installation, maintenance, and training protocols through new rules from the State Board of Education. Key provisions include requiring schools to coordinate with emergency medical systems, maintain AEDs properly, and develop policies aligned with state guidelines. The law takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year, using existing school funding for implementation.
HB 874, the North Carolina Healthy Schools Act, prohibits public schools from serving or selling ultra-processed foods containing specific synthetic additives (like artificial dyes and preservatives such as Yellow Dye 5 or Potassium Bromate) during the school day. It directly affects all North Carolina public schools, including district, regional, and charter schools, requiring them to certify compliance with the ban through the Department of Public Instruction. Schools must submit certification forms, and the Department will publish a list of compliant schools online. The ban takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year, though parents may still provide such foods for their children.
HB 139, titled "Baby Boxes/Newborn Safety Device," allows for the safe surrender of infants up to 30 days old using a specialized newborn safety device. This bill permits parents to place an infant in these devices, which must have a dual alarm system connected to the facility and be tested monthly. These devices can only be installed at continuously staffed emergency departments, emergency facilities, or social services offices, where qualified healthcare providers, first responders, or social services workers will take temporary custody of the infant. The act is set to become effective on October 1, 2025.
HB 832 revises North Carolina's school safety grant program to expand eligible uses of funds for training aimed at improving student well-being and safety. It allows public school units to fund evidence-based programs including suicide prevention training (CALM), trauma-focused therapies (like cognitive behavioral therapy), violence prevention, and peer mentoring facilitation. The bill specifically permits up to $350,000 in annual funding for these expanded services, directly affecting school staff, counselors, and students in North Carolina public schools. This change modifies existing grant rules without creating new funding or altering overall program structure.
