This North Carolina bill allocates $4.2 million in recurring state funds starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year to support local courts that handle cases involving substance use and mental health issues. The money is designated for the Administrative Office of the Courts to establish and maintain judicially managed accountability and recovery courts, which are designed to help defendants diagnosed with alcoholism, substance use disorders, or mental health conditions. These courts will operate by creating personalized treatment plans for participants and monitoring their progress while they remain involved in the criminal justice system. The funding applies to both new and existing programs that fall under specific state statutes governing these specialized courts.
This bill allocates $7.5 million in state funds to help counties support people participating in local judicially managed accountability and recovery courts. The money will be given out through a competitive grant process to pay for job training, transportation, and other employment-related costs like tools or childcare. These services must be tailored to each participant's individual recovery and treatment plans and can be provided by community colleges, workforce boards, or other approved organizations. Counties are limited to receiving up to $150,000 per year unless they request an exception based on specific needs, and officials will report on how the funds are used and the results achieved.
SB 533 raises North Carolina's minimum age to purchase tobacco products, including smart vapes and other vapor products, from 18 to 21 years old. It requires retailers to display clear age restriction signs, verify customer age through ID for in-person sales, and use third-party age verification for online orders. The bill also prohibits tobacco sales via vending machines except in 21+ establishments and mandates employee training on age restrictions. Additionally, it directs lottery gaming revenues to fund gambling addiction education and treatment programs. The bill directly affects retailers, vendors, and anyone under 21 seeking these products.
HB 682 allows North Carolina to override federal restrictions that block food and cash assistance (TANF) for people convicted of certain drug-related felonies. It directly affects individuals with Class H or I controlled substance felony convictions who complete substance abuse treatment (while incarcerated or in the community) and avoid new drug offenses for six months. The bill requires counties to offer food and cash benefits to eligible individuals who meet these conditions, making treatment participation a requirement for accessing aid. This change aims to support successful reintegration by removing a barrier to basic needs assistance for this group.
HB 463 establishes a supplemental insurance plan for North Carolina first responders diagnosed with specific mental health conditions (like anxiety, depression, or PTSD) directly resulting from their job. It provides three key benefits: up to $5,000 annually for out-of-pocket mental health costs, 75% of salary or $5,000 monthly (max 12 weeks/year) for leave due to treatment, and disability benefits (75% salary or $5,000/month, max 36 months) if unable to work. Eligibility requires a job-related diagnosis, current employment as a defined first responder (including police, firefighters, EMTs, and dispatchers), and exclusion from workers' compensation benefits. The plan aims to support recovery and return to duty while limiting benefits to cover gaps not met by other sources.
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.
This North Carolina bill (SB 346) provides limited legal immunity for people who seek medical help during drug or alcohol overdoses. It protects individuals from minor charges (like possession of less than 1 gram of drugs or underage alcohol consumption) if they call 911 or assist others in calling for overdose emergencies, provided they act in good faith, provide their name, and weren’t seeking help during an active arrest. The immunity also extends to the overdose victim themselves and prevents probation/parole revocation for these covered offenses. The law applies to acts occurring on or after October 1, 2025, and does not affect evidence collection for other crimes.
This bill requires most North Carolina employers to provide earned paid sick leave to workers. Employees would earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, with small businesses (10 or fewer employees) limited to 32 hours annually and other employers to 56 hours. Workers could use this time for their own illness, family medical care, or safety-related needs like domestic violence or sexual assault recovery. The law applies to most private-sector employees but excludes volunteers and certain exempt workers, directly affecting over 1.6 million North Carolinians currently without access to paid sick days.
HB 733, the "Everybody Eats Act," would allow North Carolina to bypass federal rules that block food assistance benefits for people convicted of certain drug-related felony offenses (Class H or I). It requires individuals to complete substance abuse treatment or avoid new drug offenses for six months after release or conviction to qualify for benefits, and extends the period for renewing eligibility from less than a year to 12 months. The bill directly affects formerly incarcerated individuals with specific drug felony convictions who meet treatment or offense-free conditions. It makes no changes to federal law but adjusts North Carolina's program implementation for food assistance and temporary aid.
This bill, HB 519, revises laws regarding when minors can consent to medical treatment and parental access to their children's medical records. It restricts the medical services a minor can consent to on their own to primarily pregnancy-related care, removing their ability to consent for venereal diseases, substance abuse, or emotional disturbance treatment. The bill also requires written parental consent for minors to receive vaccines authorized for emergency use but not yet fully FDA approved. Additionally, it grants parents the right to access all their minor child's medical records, including those for care the minor could consent to, with exceptions for suspected abuse or neglect, court orders, or active law enforcement investigations.
