Healthcare

signed · North Carolina · Senate Aug 11, 2026

SB 445: Regulatory Reform Act of 2026.

SB 445 automatically adopts federal temporary waivers or modifications issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services under specific Social Security Act sections (1135 or 1812(f)) for North Carolina hospitals during declared emergencies. This means hospitals in disaster zones no longer need separate state approval to implement federal rule changes, directly affecting hospitals operating under such declarations. Key provisions include automatically waiving state hospital regulations to align with federal waivers and allowing temporary increases in bed capacity without additional state review. The bill streamlines emergency hospital operations by eliminating bureaucratic delays in applying federally authorized relief measures.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAutomates federal waiver adoption for NC hospitals in disasters, removing state approval barriers to maintain healthcare access during emergencies, directly supporting hospital operations under crisis conditions.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed both · North Carolina · House Jun 25, 2026

HB 349: Modify Health Care Powers of Attorney/Advance Directives.

HB 349 updates North Carolina's requirements for healthcare powers of attorney (POA) and advance health care directives (like living wills). It clarifies witness and notary rules to prevent conflicts of interest (e.g., prohibiting facility staff from witnessing), standardizes forms for easier use, and allows electronic filing of directives with the Secretary of State’s registry. The bill directly affects residents planning ahead for medical decisions, ensuring their chosen agents or instructions are legally recognized. Key changes include revised witness eligibility criteria, simplified form language, and a new online filing option to improve accessibility. The bill does not alter medical care standards but streamlines the legal process for end-of-life planning.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareClarifies witness rules and standardizes healthcare directives, strengthening patient autonomy in medical decision-making without conflicts of interest.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill enables electronic filing of health directives via Secretary of State registry, directly supporting electronic government services under 'INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY' and 'ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT' subjects.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

signed · North Carolina · House Jun 22, 2026

HB 536: Physical Therapy Practice Act Modifications.

HB 536 modifies North Carolina's Physical Therapy Practice Act by establishing a new Board of Examiners to regulate the profession. The Board will consist of eight members (including a medical doctor, four physical therapists, two physical therapist assistants, and a public member) appointed to oversee licensing, discipline, and continuing education requirements for physical therapists and assistants. The bill clarifies that physical therapy practice excludes surgery, chiropractic, or medical diagnosis, and specifies that the Board may investigate complaints confidentially while making disciplinary decisions public. This legislation directly affects licensed physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and the public by setting standards for practice, licensure, and professional conduct in North Carolina.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes regulatory board to maintain physical therapy standards, ensuring quality care and professional oversight within healthcare services.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · North Carolina · House May 12, 2026

HB 433: State Fiscal Recovery Fund/NC Pandemic Recovery Office Revisions.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves degree barriers for RNs to serve as school nurses, expanding qualified staffing options without additional costs. Directly supports school staff accessibility in education.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows qualified RNs to work as school nurses without degree requirements, expanding access to school health services per bill's explicit language.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed both · North Carolina · House May 12, 2026

HB 390: Medicaid Prepaid Health Plan Practices.

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates smoke evacuation systems in hospitals to protect staff/patients from surgical smoke dangers, enhancing healthcare safety standards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

signed · North Carolina · House Apr 30, 2026

HB 696: Medicaid and HHS Adjust./Other Critical Needs.

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires accurate provider qualification disclosure, preventing patient deception and protecting consumer rights in healthcare advertising.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jul 9, 2025

SB 479: SCRIPT Act.

SB 479, the SCRIPT Act, requires health insurers in North Carolina to allow patients to choose any participating pharmacy without restrictions. It prohibits insurers from imposing unequal copayments, financial penalties, or incentives that steer patients toward specific pharmacies. The bill directly affects insurers offering prescription drug coverage, independent pharmacies (defined as groups of 10 or fewer under common ownership), and patients seeking pharmacy services. Key provisions ensure equal treatment for all pharmacies in a plan and prevent insurers from limiting patient choice based on financial incentives.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires insurers to allow patient pharmacy choice without restrictions or financial penalties, directly protecting patient rights and improving access to prescription drugs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jul 1, 2025

SB 77: School Contracted Health Services.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables parent choice in nursing services for IEP students, enhancing educational access and support for children with disabilities within school health services.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables parent choice in school nursing services for IEP students, improving access to continuity of care and patient-centered healthcare access within education settings.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · North Carolina · House Jun 27, 2025

HB 576: Department of Health and Human Services Revisions.

HB 576 makes technical revisions to North Carolina's laws governing the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). It designates DHHS as the agency managing school nurse funds, requiring school nurses to focus solely on health services (like health education and emergency response) rather than instructional duties. The bill extends until June 2028 the temporary use of the federal health insurance marketplace for determining Medicaid eligibility, and clarifies that Medicaid coverage for people released from prison continues for up to 12 months post-release. It also updates Medicaid provider screening rules to align with federal standards, particularly for Indian Health Program providers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends federal health insurance marketplace for Medicaid eligibility until 2028, ensuring continued coverage access; designates DHHS to manage school nurse health services focus.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jun 26, 2025

SB 344: Pooled Trust Transfers/Public Benefits Elig.

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents loss of Medicaid eligibility for seniors using qualifying trusts, protecting access to healthcare benefits without restricting coverage.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare