Healthcare (Public Health)

This bill redirects $6.75 million in state funding from the Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship to evidence-based maternal and infant health programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. It requires crisis pregnancy centers receiving state funds to submit detailed annual reports on their finances, staffing, and client services, while also mandating that these centers provide free copies of client records upon request. The legislation defines crisis pregnancy centers as nonprofit organizations offering pregnancy care and counseling but excludes facilities that perform abortions. These changes are designed to increase transparency and shift financial support toward specific public health initiatives starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

HB 89, the "University Vaccination Freedom Act," repeals North Carolina's requirement for college and university students to provide vaccination records. It removes the mandate for students to submit immunization certificates to institutions, effective for the 2026-2027 academic year. The bill retains existing religious exemption provisions (G.S. 130A-157), allowing students to opt out by submitting a written statement of religious beliefs. This change directly affects all students attending public or private colleges and universities in North Carolina.

HB 380 would allow North Carolina students to opt out of school vaccination requirements by submitting a written statement citing personal beliefs (a "conscientious objection"), rather than requiring proof of religious affiliation. It amends immunization reporting rules to include "conscientious objection" as a formal exemption category alongside medical and religious exemptions for public schools and colleges. Parents or guardians would need to provide this written statement instead of religious documentation to exempt their child from vaccination mandates. The policy change applies to public schools and colleges starting in the 2026-2027 school year.

This bill requires North Carolina's Commission for Public Health to wait at least three years after a vaccine receives U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval before adding it to the state's childhood immunization schedule. It allows exceptions only if both the North Carolina Medical Society and North Carolina Pediatric Society recommend adding a vaccine approved for less than three years. The law directly affects the Commission's authority to update vaccination requirements for school-aged children and the medical societies' role in advising on shorter-approved vaccines. It does not change existing vaccination requirements or exemptions for medical reasons.