This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to North Carolina that would legally define human life as beginning at fertilization. If passed by voters in 2026, it would classify an unborn child as an individual person entitled to state protection from the moment of fertilization until natural death. The measure would also classify willful attempts to end a life at any stage as attempted murder or first-degree murder, while explicitly allowing individuals to use deadly force to defend their own lives or the lives of others. This change would fundamentally alter the state's legal framework regarding abortion and fetal rights by embedding these definitions directly into the constitution.
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 491 prepares North Carolina's Medicaid program to implement work requirements if authorized by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It requires the state's Division of Health Benefits to negotiate with CMS, notify oversight committees within 30 days of starting talks, and submit detailed reports after CMS approves any work requirements plan. The bill does not enact work requirements itself but establishes procedures for future implementation, including timelines for reporting funding needs. This would directly affect current Medicaid recipients if CMS approves work requirements, though the bill is procedural and conditional on federal approval. The legislation is currently in committee review and has not yet become law.
HB 690, "The Citizens Support Act," directs several state and local agencies to ensure that state-funded benefits are provided only to U.S. citizens and noncitizens legally authorized to reside in the United States. The Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Commerce, Housing Finance Agency, and local housing authorities must develop plans to review eligibility criteria and verify the immigration status of applicants for various benefits, including housing, welfare, and medical assistance. State-funded institutions of higher education are required to adopt policies to verify applicants' legal residency for tuition and educational benefits. Additionally, the Division of Employment Security must implement a policy to verify legal residency for unemployment benefit applicants. These agencies are also mandated to report on their implementation progress and any federal laws that prevent them from denying benefits.
SB 422 modifies North Carolina's licensure rules for marriage and family therapists, primarily affecting out-of-state therapists seeking to practice in the state. It requires applicants from other states to have held an unrestricted license for five continuous years, pass a North Carolina law exam, and have no unresolved complaints. The bill also adds a new requirement for criminal history background checks for all licensure applicants. These changes apply to new applications starting October 1, 2025, and aim to standardize licensing across jurisdictions.
This bill's title ("Ensuring Patient Safety with Mail Order Medications") does not match its actual content. The bill, formally titled "AN ACT REVISING ABORTION-INDUCING DRUG LAWS," restricts the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs in North Carolina. It prohibits mailing such drugs to pregnant women unless a qualified physician provides in-person counseling 72 hours prior, all other informed consent requirements are met, and the drugs are FDA-approved. Violations carry $5,000 fines per offense or Class H felony charges, and the bill creates civil remedies allowing women, parents, or the Attorney General to sue for damages or injunctions. The bill is currently pending in committee (referred March 31, 2025) and would take effect December 1, 2025.
HB 804, the "Human Life Protection Act of 2025," prohibits most abortions in North Carolina starting July 1, 2025, defining "abortion" as any act intending to cause fetal death after fertilization. The law permits exceptions only when a licensed physician determines, using reasonable medical judgment, that a pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk to the mother or causes serious impairment of a major bodily function - excluding risks from the mother's own actions. Violations carry criminal penalties (Class B1 felony for causing fetal death, Class B2 for other violations) and civil penalties of $100,000 per violation, plus potential license revocation for medical providers. This law directly affects pregnant individuals seeking abortions and healthcare providers performing them in North Carolina, replacing prior exceptions and repealing related statutes.
HB 595 restricts certain curriculum content in North Carolina public schools, directly affecting K-12 students and their parents. It bans instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality in grades K-6 (except answering student questions) and requires parental written consent for such topics in grades 7-12. The bill mandates that schools provide age-appropriate health education materials, including 60-day parental review periods for materials related to sexual health, HIV/AIDS prevention, and reproductive health. It also specifies that human growth education in 4th and 5th grades must be single-sex, scientifically based, and require annual parental consent.
HB 929 bans adding fluoride to public water systems in North Carolina, effective January 1, 2026. It directly affects municipal water utilities that currently add fluoride for dental health purposes. The bill includes exceptions for naturally occurring fluoride in water sources and industrial uses unrelated to water treatment. It does not apply to private wells, bottled water, or water systems using naturally present fluoride.
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.
