HB 1172, known as the Ciji Graham Act, establishes a High-Risk Pregnancy Care Navigation Program in North Carolina to assist patients with high-risk pregnancies by providing licensed nurse consultants who help coordinate care and address access barriers. The bill also creates a statewide pregnancy consultation hotline for healthcare providers and community organizations to offer real-time clinical guidance and referrals, alongside a centralized digital hub containing clinical guidelines and provider directories. Funded through the state's General Fund starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year, these measures aim to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce disparities by ensuring timely access to specialized care and resources.
This bill allocates state funding to ensure that every public school in Edgecombe and Pitt Counties employs at least one full-time, permanent school nurse. Starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the legislation provides specific recurring funds to the Department of Public Instruction for each county, with the money designated to supplement existing resources rather than replace them. The act takes effect on July 1, 2026, and applies only to public schools within these two specific counties.
The Allergy Safe Schools Act aims to improve food allergy safety in North Carolina public schools by mandating that every school employ at least one full-time, permanent nurse. To support this staffing requirement, the bill allocates $92 million in recurring funds starting in the 2026-2027 school year to increase the number of school health personnel. Additionally, the legislation requires school staff to complete standardized training on recognizing and treating anaphylaxis and mandates that schools create individualized medical action plans for students with diagnosed medical emergencies. The bill also prohibits food at school celebrations and provides legal protections for employees who administer emergency medication or perform lifesaving duties in good faith.
SB 907, known as the Ciji Graham Act, establishes a new High-Risk Pregnancy Care Navigation Program in North Carolina to assist patients with high-risk pregnancies by providing licensed nurse consultants who help coordinate care and address barriers like transportation and insurance. The bill also creates a statewide pregnancy consultation hotline for healthcare providers and community organizations to offer immediate clinical guidance and referrals, alongside a centralized digital hub containing clinical guidelines and a directory of specialists and facilities. Funded through the state General Fund, these measures aim to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce disparities by ensuring timely access to appropriate medical resources and services.
This bill creates the Midwifery Education Grant Program to increase the number of midwives in North Carolina by funding training programs at specific University of North Carolina institutions. It provides up to $20 million in state funds to support eligible universities that offer advanced nursing degrees but currently lack certified nurse-midwife training programs. To receive grants, institutions must partner with a hospital, submit a budget, and commit to graduating at least 20 midwives within five years, with priority given to historically black colleges and universities. The legislation appropriates $4 million per institution and requires the university system to report on grant usage and program timelines to state oversight committees.
This bill defines the practice of nursing for advanced practice registered nurses, including nurse practitioners, midwives, anesthetists, and clinical specialists, to clarify their roles in North Carolina. It establishes specific duties for each type of provider, such as diagnosing illnesses, prescribing treatments, and ordering diagnostic tests, while also listing the various patient populations they serve. The legislation aims to remove current legal ambiguities surrounding these roles and align state statutes with the education and training that APRNs have received. By codifying these definitions, the bill seeks to ensure that over 20,000 licensed APRNs can practice to the full extent of their licensure without regulatory barriers.
This North Carolina bill requires training programs for sexual assault nurse examiners to submit annual reports to the state Board of Nursing regarding graduate employment details. It also mandates that active nursing licensees register with the Board to provide and update their training credentials and practice locations. The legislation creates a database for this information and allocates $50,000 to help the Board implement these reporting requirements. These changes take effect in 2026 and apply to active nurses and their training programs within the state.
HB 534 appropriates $700,000 from North Carolina's General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to establish sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) training programs at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and Wake Technical Community College. Each college receives $350,000 to hire a full-time faculty member ($105,000), a clinical coordinator ($105,000), purchase equipment/supplies ($45,000), and cover program development and accreditation costs ($95,000). The bill directly affects these two community colleges and future healthcare professionals seeking SANE certification. It creates a concrete funding mechanism to expand training capacity for nurses specializing in sexual assault victim care.
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 710 establishes a three-year pilot program to fund mental health crisis units in North Carolina public schools. It allocates $2 million total (up to $250,000 annually per district) to select up to eight school districts starting in 2025-2026, prioritizing those with high student mental health needs or trauma history. Each participating district must staff units with at least a school nurse, social worker, and licensed counselor to provide crisis intervention during school hours and rotate across schools. The program requires annual reports on participating districts and student mental health impacts, ending June 30, 2028.
