HB 381 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

On-Site Wastewater System Amendments.

HB 381 amends state law concerning the approval of innovative on-site wastewater systems. This bill streamlines the approval process for manufacturers whose systems have been evaluated and approved by a nationally recognized certification body. It removes the previous requirement for these systems to have performed acceptably for at least two consecutive years under such a protocol. The Department is now directed to approve applications and issue innovative wastewater system approvals upon verifying the national certification and consistent design and installation plans.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 12, 2025 Last action May 18, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Edition 2 → Edition 3 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill text was updated to reflect a new committee substitute version, adding a requirement that advanced pretreatment systems must be part of a ground absorption system. The definition of 'septic tank system' was slightly adjusted to 'septic tank', and the document version number was incremented from 2 to 3.

Scope change

The scope of applicability remains unchanged; the bill continues to regulate on-site wastewater systems in North Carolina.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'advanced pretreatment' was modified to explicitly require that such systems be part of a ground absorption system.

The phrase 'septic tank system' was changed to 'septic tank' in the definition of advanced pretreatment.

TECHNICAL

The document header was updated to reflect the new version number (3) and the date of the latest committee substitute.

Floor votes · House Apr 30, 2025

How they voted

109–0

Passed · 12 other

Total votes 121

Apr 30, 2025

D Democratic46

40 Yea 6

86% Yea

I Independent2

2 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican73

67 Yea 6

91% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 18, 2026

Committee

Re-ref to Agriculture, Energy, and Environment. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate

upper

May 1, 2025

Committee

Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed 3rd Reading

lower

Apr 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav

lower

Apr 16, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Apr 16, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav Com Sub 2

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Agriculture and Environment

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav Com Substitute

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Committee

Ref to the Com on Housing and Development, if favorable, Agriculture and Environment, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Introduced

Filed

lower

3 primary · 2 co-sponsors