HB 1115 updates North Carolina laws regarding advance health care planning documents, such as health care powers of attorney and living wills, to align with recent recommendations from the General Statutes Commission. The bill primarily affects individuals creating these documents by simplifying the requirements for signing them and allowing multiple types of advance directives to be combined into a single document. Key provisions include clarifying how different documents interact, defining terms like 'life-prolonging measures' and 'mental health treatment,' and ensuring that the laws remain consistent with other state statutes.
House Bill 433 allows licensed registered nurses (RNs) to serve as school nurses in North Carolina public schools. The bill prohibits the State Board of Education from requiring a four-year degree for school nurse employment. It specifies that RNs with at least two years of experience in a hospital or health clinic can work as school nurses without needing additional certifications or licenses. These qualified registered nurses will be paid under the certified school nurse pay scale.
HB 727 modifies the licensure process for marriage and family therapists and therapy associates in North Carolina. It streamlines the process for professionals licensed in other states to obtain a North Carolina license through reciprocity, making it mandatory for qualified applicants. The bill adjusts experience requirements and expands acceptable examination options to include California's clinical examination. Additionally, it clarifies that all applicants, including those applying via reciprocity, must undergo criminal history record checks. These changes aim to facilitate licensing for out-of-state therapists while maintaining regulatory oversight.
HB 696, the Health Care Practitioner Transparency Act, requires health care providers in North Carolina to clearly state their license type, certification, or registration in all advertisements and public representations. It prohibits deceptive claims about qualifications and bans unlicensed individuals from using medical titles like "doctor," "surgeon," or specialty terms (e.g., "cardiologist") to mislead patients. The law applies to licensed professionals (doctors, nurses, dentists, etc.) who advertise services, but exempts those in non-patient settings without direct care interactions. Violations could lead to disciplinary action by their licensing board, with daily noncompliance treated as separate offenses. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.
HB 693 establishes the "Interstate Massage Compact" to create a multistate licensing pathway for massage therapists across participating states. It directly affects licensed massage therapists seeking to practice in multiple states and the public receiving those services. Key mechanisms include creating an Interstate Commission to administer the compact, enabling therapists to hold a single "multistate license" valid in all member states, requiring background checks and continuing competence, and allowing states to share disciplinary information and hold licensees accountable. The compact aims to improve public access to safe massage therapy while reducing regulatory burdens for therapists, particularly aiding military members and their spouses relocating between states.
HB 546 modernizes North Carolina's Medicaid program by requiring the state to develop team-based care coordination for individuals with alcohol and opioid use disorders, including screening, medication, and recovery support. The bill also allows telehealth-only providers to enroll in Medicaid without needing a physical office in the state and mandates a statewide specialty plan for children in foster care or receiving adoption assistance, to be implemented by December 2025. These changes directly affect Medicaid beneficiaries with substance use disorders, telehealth providers, and eligible children and families. The Department of Health and Human Services must report on the implementation of the substance use care and telehealth provisions by October 1, 2025.
SB 77 allows parents of students with disabilities to choose their preferred nurse for school-based nursing services required by an Individualized Education Program (IEP), provided specific conditions are met. The bill requires schools to assign the parent's chosen nurse if that nurse previously provided care to the student, the nursing agency agrees to contract under standard terms, and the rate matches other contracted nurses. This directly affects families of students needing nursing services under IEPs and ensures schools honor parent preferences without altering their obligation to provide a free appropriate public education. The policy applies starting the 2025-2026 school year.
HB 697 establishes North Carolina's first licensure requirements for genetic counselors. The bill creates a 5-member Genetic Counselors Licensure Board (with 3 licensed counselors, 1 physician, and 1 public member) to regulate the profession. Key provisions include defining "genetic counseling," setting standards for licensure (requiring ABGC certification or equivalent), establishing temporary licenses for interns, and granting the Board authority to issue, deny, suspend, or revoke licenses. This directly affects genetic counselors practicing in North Carolina, requiring them to obtain a license to legally provide services. The bill does not change healthcare access or funding but sets professional standards for this specific healthcare role.
HB 590 establishes licensing requirements for medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals in North Carolina, directly affecting radiographers, radiation therapists, sonographers, and others performing these procedures. The bill creates a new "Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Board of Examiners" to set education standards, administer licensing exams, and ensure practitioners are "educationally prepared and clinically competent." It requires all non-licensed practitioners (e.g., radiographers, radiation therapists) to hold a state license before performing procedures involving ionizing radiation or medical imaging, with limited exemptions for licensed physicians. The law aims to protect patients by mandating standardized training and oversight for these technical roles.
SB 344 ensures that North Carolina seniors aged 65+ who transfer funds into qualifying pooled special needs trusts (meeting federal standards) won't lose Medicaid or State-County Special Assistance eligibility. The bill requires the state health department to update eligibility rules so these transfers are treated as "fair market value" transactions - meaning the funds aren't counted against benefit eligibility if the trust uses the money to provide goods/services equal to the transfer value within the senior's life expectancy. It directly affects seniors using these trusts to manage assets while maintaining public benefits. The law amends state rules to align with federal guidelines (42 U.S.C. § 1396p(d)(4)(C)) and takes effect upon enactment.