SB 226 – Amend HIE Mandatory Participation & Enforcement
SB 226 – Amend HIE Mandatory Participation & Enforcement
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Joyce Krawiec (R-Davie, Forsyth); Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett, Johnston, Lee); Sen. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir, Wayne)
Summary
This bill extends the deadline for mandatory participation in the HIE Network for most providers of Medicaid and State-funded health care services to begin submitting demographic and clinical data from October 1, 2021 to October 1, 2022.
This bill requires participation by ambulatory surgical centers, licensed dentists, licensed physicians with a primary practice in psychiatry, the State Lab of Public Health, registered pharmacies, and state health care facilities under DHHS’ jurisdiction no later than June 1, 2022.
This bill would permit the Health Information Exchange Authority to assess a civil penalty (no more than $10 per claim that the provider/entity fails to submit through the Network during any period of noncompliance) against any provider/entity that fails to connect to the HIE Network and submit required demographic and clinical data through the Network.
The bill would require providers/entities to do one of the following within 30 days of receiving a notice of a civil penalty: (1) pay the fine; (2) contact the HIE Authority and execute a participation agreement; (3) contact the Department of Information Technology to request an exemption or contact DHHS to request a hardship extension; or (4) file a petition for a contested case with the Office of Administrative Hearings.
This bill also authorizes the HIE Authority to institute an action in the superior court of the county in which the entity or provider has a principal place of business to recover the unpaid penalty if the provider/entity fails to take any action following receipt of a penalty.
Movement
Filed – 3/10/2021
HB 267 – Concealed Handgun Permit/Photo
HB 267 – Concealed Handgun Permit/Photo
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Garland Pierce (D-Hoke, Scotland)
Summary
This bill would require applicants for a concealed handgun permit or a permit renewal to provide a copy of a current and valid photo identification and further requires the inclusion of the photo from the ID on the permit.
Movement
Filed – 3/10/2021
SB 217 – Early Childhood Data Analytics/Pilot/Guilford
SB 217 – Early Childhood Data Analytics/Pilot/Guilford
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Gladys Robinson (D-Guilford); Sen. Michael Garrett (D-Guilford); Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance, Guilford)
Summary
This bill appropriates $1M in nonrecurring funds beginning with the 2021-2022 fiscal year and ending after the 2026-2027 fiscal year to Guilford County to be used to support the building, testing, and improving of an integrated data system technology for early childhood development programs.
This bill also appropriates $808,000 in nonrecurring funds to Ready for School Ready for Life, a nonprofit organization that provides a system of care for children prenatally to 5 years of age in Guilford County, to be used to establish a 3-year pilot program for improving the quality of care and education for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children in Guilford County.
Movement
Filed – 3/9/2021
SB 208 – Labor Law Changes
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Yancey); Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance, Guilford); Sen. Mike Woodard (D-Durham, Granville, Person)
Summary
This bill makes various modifications to NC labor laws and provides the Director of Occupational Safety and Health with the power and authority to obtain medical records complied and maintained by DHHS by hospitals participating in the statewide trauma system, or by emergency management services providers in connection with the dispatch, response, and treatment, or transport of individual patients relating to investigations and enforcement proceedings under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Movement
Filed – 3/9/2021
HB 254 – Const. Amend./Concealed Carry
HB 254 – Const. Amend./Concealed Carry
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Larry Pittman (R-Cabarrus); Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort, Craven)
Summary
This bill would revise, subject to voter approval at the general election in 2022, Section 30 of Article I of the NC Constitution to grant the right to carry any legal weapon for self-defense, either openly or concealed, with or without a permit, to any citizen who has not been indicted or convicted of a violent crime or possession or distribution of a controlled substance and who has not been adjudicated mentally incompetent.
Movement
Filed – 3/9/2021
HB 249 – Children with Disabilities Funding Formula
HB 249 – Children with Disabilities Funding Formula
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Jeffrey Elmore (R-Alexander, Wilkes); Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke); Rep. John Bradford, III (R-Mecklenburg)
Summary
This bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to study and propose a change to the formula for State funding for children with disabilities from the current model allocating funding based on required service levels to a model allocating funding based on severity of disability type.
This bill also appropriates $7,725,690 to the Department of Public Instruction for the purpose of allocating funds for children with disabilities to local school administrative units for at least 13% of each local school administrative unit’s 2021-2022 allocated average daily membership.
Movement
Filed – 3/9/2021
HB 246 – Huntersville Ocular Melanoma Study
HB 246 – Huntersville Ocular Melanoma Study
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. John Bradford, III (R-Mecklenburg)
Summary
This bill appropriates $150K in nonrecurring funds for the 2021-2022 fiscal year to the Town of Huntersville to be used to study and abate the cause of frequent cases of ocular melanoma in the area.
Movement
Filed – 3/9/2021
HB 243 – UNC Legislative Priorities/COVID-19 Impacts
HB 243 – UNC Legislative Priorities/COVID-19 Impacts
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford); Rep. Pat Hurley (R-Randolph); Rep. Ray Pickett (R-Ashe, Watauga); Rep. Evelyn Terry (D-Forsyth)
Summary
This bill:
- Authorizes the UNC President to implement a temporary salary reduction for UNC employees to offset budget and revenue reductions at a constituent institution so long as the reductions are implemented across-the-board to impact an entire constituent institution or its major subdivisions.
- Sets limits for the reductions, including a requirement that salary reductions cannot result in an annual salary of less than $45,000 or an amount to more than 20% of the employee’s annual base salary.
- Requires the UNC President to report quarterly on salary reduction.
- Permits the UNC Board of Governors to authorize the adoption of an early retirement program to provide long-term cost savings and improved operational efficiencies to remain in effect until December 31, 2022.
- Authorizes the UNC President to approve a reduction in force for positions subject to the Human Resources Act provided the reduction is in accordance with the policies of Office of State Human Resources.
- Allows UNC employees subject to the Human Resources Act to use accrued leave for any COVID-19 related absences.
- Permits the UNC Board of Governors to allocate non-State funds to pay for the employee portions of monthly premiums in the State Health Plan that would have been paid if the participating employee is currently on emergency furlough placing the employee below half-time employment for a calendar month.
Movement
Filed – 3/9/2021
SB203/HB 231 – Allow Durham Public Schools to Provide Housing
SB203/HB 231 – Allow Durham Public Schools to Provide Housing
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Mike Woodard (D-Durham, Granville, Person); Sen. Natalie Murdock (D-Durham)
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Vernetta Alston (D-Durham); Rep. Marcia Morey (D-Durham); Rep. Zack Hawkins (D-Durham)
Summary
This bill authorizes the Durham Public Schools Board of Education to contract with any person/business entity to construct/maintain affordable rental housing on property owned by the Board of Education or by Durham County.
This bill also permits the Durham Public Schools Board of Education to enter into residential housing unit lease agreements for housing units owned by the Board as long as the Board rents the units exclusively to Durham Public Schools teachers or employees.
Movement
SB 203
Filed 3/9/2021
HB 231
Filed 3/4/2021
This bill was referred to the following House committees:
-Rules, Calendar, and Operations
-Education – 1-12
-Appropriations
-Local Government
SB 200 – CPS Intake Screening/PED Study
SB 200 – CPS Intake Screening/PED Study
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Chuck Edwards (R-Buncombe, Henderson, Transylvania); Sen. Carl Ford (R-Rowan, Stanly); Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett, Johnston, Lee)
Summary
This bill:
- Prohibits county departments of social services from utilizing child protective services intake screening criteria with county policy more stringent than, or in addition to, state policy.
- Requires DHHS to implement a rapid consultation system no later than June 30, 2022 to provide consultation to counties when making decisions regarding the safety of children.
- Requires DHHS to periodically assess county department of social services workers’ and supervisors’ comprehension and implementation of State policy and their training needs regarding the screening of reports of alleged child maltreatment.
- Requires DHHS to increase the frequency of intake training, develop an intermediate intake screening course, and require county social services workers and supervisors to complete an intake screening training at least every 3 years.
- Requires DHHS to revise the child protective services structured intake form to ensure it continues to meet federal and State requirements and provides consistency for use statewide.
- Requires DHHS to report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services on its progress towards improved program monitoring and continuous quality improvement.
Movement
Filed – 3/8/2021
SB 191 – No Patient Left Alone Act
SB 191 – No Patient Left Alone Act
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Warren Daniel (R-Avery, Burke, Caldwell); Sen. Joyce Krawiec (R-Davie, Forsyth); Sen. Danny Britt, Jr. (R-Columbus, Robeson)
Summary
This bill requires hospitals, nursing homes, hospice care facilities, adult care homes, special care units, and residential treatment facilities to provide the opportunity for at least one visitor to visit a patient admitted to a facility and clarifies that these visitation rights may not be terminated, suspended, or waived by the facility, DHHS, or the Governor in response to declared disasters or emergencies. Visitors may be required to submit to health screenings as needed to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, and a facility may restrict a visitor who does not pass a health screening requirement or who has tested positive for an infectious disease.
This bill also requires DHHS to develop and disseminate free informational materials explaining patient visitation rights to each of these facilities.
Movement
Filed – 3/8/2021
SB 190 – Prohibit Weapons at Voting Place
SB 190 – Prohibit Weapons at Voting Place
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Julie Mayfield (D-Buncombe); Sen. Milton Fitch, Jr. (D-Edgecombe, Halifax, Wilson); Sen. Natasha Marcus (D-Mecklenburg)
Summary
This bill prohibits individuals from possessing/carrying a dangerous weapon at a location used as a voting place, within 100 feet from the entrance to a location used as a voting place, or while in line to vote.
Movement
Filed 3/4/2021
SB 189/HB 226 – School Calendar Flex/Mecklenburg County
SB 189/HB 226 – School Calendar Flex/Mecklenburg County
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Natasha Marcus (D-Mecklenburg); Sen. Deandrea Salvador (D-Mecklenburg); Sen. Joyce Waddell (D-Mecklenburg)
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Terry Brown, Jr. (D-Mecklenburg); Rep. Becky Carney (D-Mecklenburg); Rep. Wesley Harris, PhD (D-Mecklenburg); Rep. Carolyn Logan (D-Mecklenburg)
Summary
This bill allows the local boards of education for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to determine the opening and closing dates for public schools and specifically permits first semester examinations to be given before winter break regardless of a school’s opening date.
Movement
SB 189
Filed – 3/4/2021
HB 226
Filed – 3/4/2021
SB 187 – School Calendar Flexibility/Cleveland County
SB 187 – School Calendar Flexibility/Cleveland County
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Ted Alexander (R-Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln)
Summary
This bill allows a local board of education located in Cleveland County to align a school’s calendar with the calendar of a community college serving the city or county in which the school is located.
Movement
Filed – 3/4/2021
SB 186 – Strengthening DWI Laws
SB 186 – Strengthening DWI Laws
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Chuck Edwards (R-Buncombe, Henderson, Transylvania); Sen. Norman Sanderson (R-Carteret, Craven, Pamlico); Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain)
Summary
This bill establishes the offense of revoked driving felony death by vehicle and specifies the elements of the offense. This bill also requires the Division of Motor Vehicles to revoke the registration of all motor vehicles registered in the convicted person’s name upon receipt of notice of conviction for the offense of revoked driving felony death by vehicle.
Movement
Filed – 3/4/2021
SB 184 – Prostate Cancer Outreach & Screening/Funds
SB 184 – Prostate Cancer Outreach & Screening/Funds
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Milton Fitch, Jr. (D-Edgecombe, Halifax, Wilson)
Summary
This bill allocates $50K in nonrecurring funds to Emmanual Health Education, Inc., a nonprofit corporation to support the provision of prostate cancer educational outreach and screenings to historically underserved and at-risk populations in NC.
Movement
Filed – 3/4/2021
HB 232 – LRC Study – Affordable Housing
HB 232 – LRC Study – Affordable Housing
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Vernetta Alston (D-Durham); Rep. John Autry (D-Mecklenburg); Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford); Rep. Marcia Morey (D-Durham)
Summary
This bill would require the Legislative Research Commission to study the availability of affordable housing in the State and report its findings to the 2022 Regular Session of the 2021 General Assembly.
Movement
Filed 3/4/2021
HB 230 – NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021
HB 230 – NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Harry Warren (R-Rowan); Rep. William Richardson (D-Cumberland)
Summary
This bill:
- Requires the Secretary of the NC Department of Revenue to credit or distribute 5% of certain collected taxes to cites and counties in the State that provide plastics recycling services within their jurisdictions.
- Requires these funds to be used by the city or county solely for plastics recycling and food service ware waste reduction programs and services.
- Requires State agencies/entities to report the amounts and types of materials/supplies with recycled content that were purchased during the previous fiscal year to the Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service.
- Requires State agencies/entities to report the amounts and types of materials collected for recycling within the agency/entity to the Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service.
- Requires the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources to study the issue of food service ware and reports its findings and recommendations to the 2022 Regular Session of the 2021 General Assembly.
- Requires the Legislative Services Officer to evaluate opportunities to reduce the use of food service ware in food establishments operated by the General Assembly.
- Instructs the Division of Services for the Blind to implement a pilot program to eliminate the sale or provision of food or beverages for consumption on or off the premises.
Movement
Filed 3/24/2021