SB 159/HB 177 – State Health Plan Administrative Changes
SB 159/HB 177 – State Health Plan Administrative Changes
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Joyce Krawiec (R-Davie, Forsyth); Rep. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett, Johnston, Lee); Rep. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir, Wayne)
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth); Rep. Allen McNeill (R-Moore, Randolph); Rep. Pat Hurley (R-Randolph)
Summary
This bill would make the following technical and administrative changes to the laws related to the State Health Plan:
- Requires the Board of Trustees to approve Plan contracts in excess of $5M (was previously $500,000).
- Eliminates prohibition against dependent child eligibility for coverage under the Plan if the child is eligible for employer-based health care outside of the Plan, other than a parent’s claim.
- Permits coverage of a dependent disabled child to be extended beyond the child’s 26th birthday if the child was covered by the Plan on the child’s 26th
- Modifies the administrative review process for appealed claims by eliminating participation by the Plan’s Board of Trustees.
- Authorizes the Executive Administrator to make binding decisions on matters determined not to be subject to external review.
- Removes obligation to provide written summaries regarding administrative review decisions to employing units, health benefit representatives, relevant health care providers, or any other parties requesting a written summary.
Movement
SB 159
Filed – 2/25/2021
HB 177
Filed – 2/25/2021
HB 159 – Education Law Changes
HB 159 – Education Law Changes
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. John Torbett (R-Gaston); Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke)
Summary
This bill seeks to make numerous changes to education laws as recommended by the Department of Public Instruction including the following:
- Provide a one-time bonus to every teacher employed as a teacher in a school for students with visual and hearing impairments.
- Allows teachers to elect to be paid in 12 monthly installments even if not employed in a year-round school.
- Gives the State Board of Education an additional year to report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee regarding unpaid meal charges.
- Prohibits public school units which provide school nutrition services to assess indirect costs to a school nutrition program unless the program has an operating balance of at least 3 months.
- Require public school units to report information related to the total number of school resource officers to the Center for Safer Schools.
Movement
Filed 2/24/2021
HB 158 – Const. Amend./Life at Fertilization
HB 158 – Const. Amend./Life at Fertilization
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Larry Pittman (R-Cabarrus); Rep. Mark Brody (R-Anson, Union)
Summary
This bill seeks to amend the North Carolina Constitution by including language stating that human life begins at the moment of fertilization and that new human life is recognized as an individual person entitled to the protection of State law. Language would also be added stating that “any person who willfully seeks to destroy the life of another person, by any means, at any stage of life, or succeeds in doing so, shall be accountable for attempted murder or for first degree murder.
The bill would require the proposed amendment to be submitted to voters at the general election in 2022.
Movement
Filed 2/24/2021
HB 154 – Funds/Hoke New Parks & Rec Facility
HB 154 – Funds/Hoke New Parks & Rec Facility
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Garland Pierce (D-Hoke, Scotland)
Summary
This bill would appropriate $3M in nonrecurring funds for the 2021-2022 fiscal year to assist Hoke County in constructing a new parks and recreation facility.
Movement
Filed – 2/24/2021
HB 153 – Funds/Scotland Co. Recreation Center
HB 153 – Funds/Scotland Co. Recreation Center
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Garland Pierce (D-Hoke, Scotland)
Summary
This bill would appropriate $250,000 in nonrecurring funds for the 2021-2022 fiscal year to aid Scotland County in constructing a community center in the Laurel Hill area.
Movement
Filed – 2/24/2021
HB 149 – Improving Access to Care Through Telehealth
HB 149 – Improving Access to Care Through Telehealth
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth); Rep. Donna White (R-Johnston); Rep. Larry Potts (R-Davidson); Rep. Kristin Baker (R-Cabarrus)
Summary
This bill would require health benefit plan coverage for the delivery of health care services through telehealth. This bill:
- Defines telehealth as the delivery of health care services by a health care provider who is licensed in the State through (1) an encounter conducted through real-time interactive audio and video technology, (2) store and forward services that are provided by asynchronous technologies as the standard practice of care where medical information is sent to a provider for evaluation, or (3) a communication in which the provider has access to the patient’s medical history prior to the telehealth encounter.
- Excludes the delivery of services solely through email, text chat, or audio communication from the definition of telehealth unless additional medical history and clinical information is communicated electronically between the provider and patient.
- Requires health benefit plans to cover health care services provided via telehealth, specifically including reimbursement for patient monitoring using telehealth.
- Requires health benefit plans to reimburse for provider-to-provider consultations conducted via telehealth if the plan would provide reimbursement for a face-to-face consult.
- Allows plans to require a deductible, copayment, or coinsurance for a health service/procedure offered via telehealth but notes the amount cannot exceed the amount required if the service had been provided in person.
- Prevents plans from requiring prior authorization for the delivery of health care services via telehealth if prior authorization would not be required if the service had taken place in person.
- Prohibits plans from placing limits on the originating site or the distant site for the delivery of health care through telehealth.
- Prohibits the use of telehealth for any health care services related to an abortion, including a medication abortion, except in the case of an emergency therapeutic abortion.
Movement
Filed – 2/24/2021
This bill was referred to the following House Committees:
-Health
-Insurance
-Rules, Calendar, and Operations
HB 147 – Restore State Emp/Teacher Retiree Med Benefit
HB 147 – Restore State Emp/Teacher Retiree Med Benefit
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Julie von Haefen (D-Wake); Rep. Cynthia Ball (D-Wake); Rep. Marvin Lucas (D-Cumberland); Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford)
Summary
This bill would reinstate the retiree medical benefit for teachers and State employees first earning contributory service in the retirement system after January 1, 2021.
Movement
Filed – 2/24/2021
SB 155/HB 100 – Highway Cleanup Act of 2021
SB 155/HB 100 – Highway Cleanup Act of 2021
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. David Craven, Jr. (R-Guilford, Randolph); Sen. Dean Proctor (R-Alexander, Catawba); Sen. Michael Lazzara (R-Jones, Onslow)
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. John Bell, IV (R-Greene, Johnston, Wayne); Rep. Brenden Jones (R-Columbus, Robeson); Rep. Charles Miller (R-Brunswick, New Hanover); Rep. Harrison (D-Guilford)
Summary
This bill would increase the fine range for various offenses related to littering.
This bill would also establish the Cops Clean NC Grant Program for Rural Counties, which would require the Department of Transportation to award grant funds to sheriffs’ offices located in rural counties to provide officers overtime pay for litter cleanup efforts.
This bill would also require the Department of Transportation to raise awareness and program participation in the following anti-litter programs: (1) Adopt-A-Highway, (2) Litter Sweep, (3) Sponsor-A-Highway, (4) Swat-A-Litter Bug, and (5) Cops Clean NC.
Movement
SB 155
Filed – 2/24/2021
HB 100
Filed – 2/16/2021
This bill was referred to the following House committees:
-Transportation
-Appropriations
-Rules, Calendar, and Operations
SB 154 – Fully Fund School Social Wkrs & Psychologists
SB 154 – Fully Fund School Social Wkrs & Psychologists
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed (D-Mecklenburg); Sen. Natalie Murdock (D-Durham); Sen. Julie Mayfield (D-Buncombe)
Summary
This bill would appropriate various amounts over the next 10 years to be allocated to local school administrative units to increase positions for school social workers and school psychologists with the goal of reaching statewide ratios of 1:250 for social workers and 1:700 for psychologists by the 2030-2031 fiscal year.
Movement
Filed – 2/24/2021
SB 152 – Access to Sports/Extracurr. For All Students
SB 152 – Access to Sports/Extracurr. For All Students
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Yancey); Sen. Warren Daniel (Rep-Avery, Burke, Caldwell); Sen. Norman Sanderson (R-Carteret, Craven, Pamlico)
Summary
This bill would allow a public high school student who attends a school without an interscholastic athletics program in any given sport to participate in the sport at the public high school closest to the student’s school subject to the terms and conditions applicable to students enrolled in that high school’s student body. The high school may charge a reasonable fee for participation.
This bill would also allow a private school or home school student to participate in the sport at the base public high school, or at the public high school closest to student’s base public high school if the base school does not offer a program in that sport, subject to the terms and conditions applicable to students enrolled in that high school’s student body. The high school may charge a reasonable fee for participation.
Movement
Filed – 2/24/2021
SB 148 – Wastewater System Permit Extension
SB 148 – Wastewater System Permit Extension
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain)
Summary
This bill allows an improvement permit or authorization for wastewater system construction issued by a local health department from January 1, 2000, to January 1, 2015, which has not been acted on and would have otherwise expired, to remain valid until January 1, 2024, unless the hydraulic flows or wastewater characteristics have changed since the original local health department evaluation.
Movement
Filed – 2/24/2021
SB 146/HB 144 – Teledentistry/RDH Admin. Local Anesthetic
SB 146/HB 144 – Teledentistry/RDH Admin. Local Anesthetic
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir, Wayne)
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth)
Summary
This bill seeks to establish standards for the practice of teledentistry. This bill:
- Defines the practice of teledentistry as the “provision of dental services by use of any electronic or other digital means, as authorized in G.S. 90-29(b)(11) and provided for in G.S. 90-30.2(b)
- Notes that acts will be consider “under the supervision of a licensed dentist when performed pursuant to a licensed dentist’s order, control, and approval” and do not require the dentist’s physical presence.
- Establishes a series of teledentistry requirements related to who may provide teledentistry services, encounter location, data transmission, the licensee-patient relationship, and patient evaluations.
- Requires a licensee to obtain informed consent before providing services through teledentistry.
This bill also expands the definition of “dental hygiene” to include the administration of local anesthetics by infiltration and block techniques by dental hygienists provided the hygienist conducts the administration under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist. Direct supervision in the context of this provision requires the administration to be performed in a locale where the supervising dentist is physically present.
This bill also requires training programs needed for dental hygienists to qualify to administer local anesthetics to include a minimum of a 30-hour session composed of 16 didactic hours and 14 clinical hours. Clinical instruction must be provided by a dentist holding a DDS or DMD degree, and the faculty to student ratio can be no greater than 1:5 for the laboratory and clinical instruction.
Movement
SB 146
Filed – 2/24/2021
HB 144
Filed – 2/24/2021
SB 144/HB 127 – WF Baptist Health Regional Autopsy Ctr Funds
SB 144/HB 127 – WF Baptist Health Regional Autopsy Ctr Funds
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Paul Lowe, Jr. (D-Forsyth); Sen. Joyce Krawiec (R-Davie, Forsyth)
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth); Rep. Jeff Zender (R-Forsyth); Rep. Amber Baker (D-Forsyth); Rep. Lee Zachary (R-Forsyth, Yadkin)
Summary
This bill appropriates $3,628,119 for the 2021-2022 fiscal year and the sum of $17,972,362 for the 2022-2023 fiscal year to help fund the construction of the new Wake Forest Baptist Health Regional Autopsy Center in Winston-Salem
Movement
SB 144
Filed – 2/24/2021
HB 127
Filed – 2/23/2021
SB 143 – Juneteenth Observance Day in NC
SB 143 – Juneteenth Observance Day in NC
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Paul Lowe, Jr. (D-Forsyth); Sen. Joyce Krawiec (R-Davie, Forsyth)
Summary
This bill seeks to designate June 19th as Juneteenth Observance Day in North Carolina.
Movement
Filed – 2/24/2021
HB 139 – Soil Scientist/On-Site Wastewater Cert. Bd
HB 139 – Soil Scientist/On-Site Wastewater Cert. Bd
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Mark Brody (R-Anson, Union)
Summary
This bill seeks to add a licensed soil scientist with experience in the soil and site evaluation for on-site wastewater systems to the North Carolina On-Site Wastewater Contractor and Inspectors Certification Board.
Movement
Filed – 2/23/2021
HB 136 – Encourage Healthy NC Food in School
HB 136 – Encourage Healthy NC Food in School
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Julia Howard (R-Davie Rowan); Rep. Jeffrey Elmore (R-Alexander, Wilkes); Rep. Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba); Rep. Jimmy Dixon (R-Duplin, Onslow)
Summary
This bill would require public schools to make 100% muscadine grape juice available to students as part of the student’s nutrition program or through the operation of the school’s vending facilities.
This bill would also require the Food Distribution Division of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to revise its bidding, procurement, and ordering procedures for the Farm to School Program to include fruit and products derived from fruit to the list of foods made available to school nutrition programs where the fruit/fruit product (1) meets all requirements for nutrition and packaging under federal and State law and (2) is produced by a participant in the Department’s “Got To Be NC” marketing program.
Movement
Filed – 2/23/2021
HB 135 – Funds for MARC, Inc.
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Julia Howard (R-Davie; Rowan); Rep. Harry Warren (R-Rowan); Rep. Timothy Moffitt (R-Henderson); Rep. Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba)
Summary
This bill appropriates $350,000 recurring for each year of the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium for Marketing Association for Rehabilitation Centers (MARC), Inc. to be used for staffing and positions focused on business development leadership and technical support for advanced manufacturing and to create new job opportunities for individuals who are chronically unemployed.
Movement
Filed – 2/23/2021
HB 134 – 2nd Amendment Protection Act
HB 134 – 2nd Amendment Protection Act
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Jeffrey McNeely (R-Iredell); Rep. Jason Saine (R-Lincoln); Rep. Jay Adams (R-Catawba); Rep. Jerry Carter (R-Rockingham)
Summary
This bill would permit a person with a valid concealed handgun permit or a person who is exempt from obtaining a permit to carry a weapon on a campus or educational property if: (1) the person carries a handgun on property that in a nonpublic school; (2) the property is the location of both a school and a building that is a place of worship; (3) the weapon is a handgun; (4) the handgun is possessed/carried on educational property outside of school operating hours; and (5) the person in legal possession/control of the premises has not posted a conspicuous notice prohibiting the carrying of a concealed handgun on the premises.
This bill would also allow emergency medical services personnel to carry a concealed weapon while on duty when providing tactical medical assistance to law enforcement operations in emergency situations following completion of an approved tactical medical assistance course for supporting law enforcement operations.
Movement
Filed – 2/23/2021
HB 132 – Juvenile Code Rev’s/CIP Recommendations
HB 132 – Juvenile Code Rev’s/CIP Recommendations
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Sarah Stevens (R-Alleghany, Surry, Wilkes)
Summary
This bill makes a series of changes to the juvenile code pursuant to recommendations by the Court Improvement Program. Changes include:
- Authorizes a juvenile or the juvenile’s guardian ad litem to review and request all information received by DSS unless prohibited by federal law. Also requires DSS to provide copies of the requested information within a reasonable period of time.
- Requires DSS directors to make reasonable efforts to place juvenile siblings who are removed and placed in the nonsecure custody of DSS in the same home unless doing so would be contrary to the safety or well-being of the siblings.
- Requires a copy of petitions alleging juvenile abuse, neglect, or dependency to be provide to each named parent’s attorney appointed as provisional counsel by the clerk.
- Specifies that an individual who has been ordered to comply with a plan of treatment for substance use disorder is not in violation of the court’s order if she or she is compliant with medication-assisted treatment.
- Specifies the purpose of post termination of parental rights’ placement review is to ensure every reasonable effort is being made to provide for the permanent plan for the juvenile who has been placed in the DSS director’s custody or in the custody of a licensed child-placing agency consistent with the juvenile’s best interest.
- Allows a young adult to terminate a voluntary agreement for placement in foster care without a return to court.
- Requires the court to ask the juvenile whether the juvenile has his or her identification, educational, and medical records and information about how the juvenile can participate in the foster care 18-21 program at or before the permanency planning hearing immediately following the juvenile’s seventeenth birthday.
- Permits a juvenile/a juvenile’s guardian ad litem to review records maintained by the Director of the Department of Social Service unless prohibited by Federal law.
Movement
Filed – 2/23/2021
HB 130 – East Coast Greenway/State Trails
HB 130 – East Coast Greenway/State Trails
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Donna White (R-Johnston); Rep. Pat McElraft (R-Carteret, Jones); Rep. Larry Strickland (R-Harnett, Johnston)
Summary
This bill authorizes the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to add the portion of the East Coast Greenway traversing North Carolina to the State Parks System as the “East Coast Greenway State Trail.”
Movement
Filed – 2/23/2021
HB 129 – Access to Sport in Schools/Certain Counties
HB 129 – Access to Sport in Schools/Certain Counties
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Kyle Hall (R-Rockingham, Stokes, Surry); Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth); Rep. Jerry Carter (R-Rockingham)
Summary
This bill requires public/nonpublic schools, community colleges under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Community Colleges, and constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina in Forsyth County, Rockingham County, Stokes County, Surry County, and Yadkin County to adhere to the following requirements regarding spectator attendance at indoor and outdoor sporting events:
- Permit no more than 50% and no less than 25% of the facility’s capacity as provided on the facility’s certificate of occupancy.
- Comply with guidance provided by the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit, Interim Guidance for Administrators and Participants of Youth Amateur Sports Programs, and the Interim Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education.
Movement
Filed – 2/23/2021
HB 128 – Increase Access to Sporting Venues in Schools
HB 128 – Increase Access to Sporting Venues in Schools
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Kyle Hall (R-Rockingham, Stokes, Surry); Rep. Jeffrey Elmore (R-Alexander, Wilkes); Rep. Destin Hall (R-Caldwell); Rep. David Willis (R-Union)
Summary
This bill requires public/nonpublic schools, community colleges under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Community Colleges, and constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina to adhere to the following requirements regarding spectator attendance at indoor and outdoor sporting events:
- Permit no more than 50% and no less than 25% of the facility’s capacity as provided on the facility’s certificate of occupancy.
- Comply with guidance provided by the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit, Interim Guidance for Administrators and Participants of Youth Amateur Sports Programs, and the Interim Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education.
Movement
Filed – 2/23/2021
HB 67 – GSC Technical Corrections 2021
HB 67 – GSC Technical Corrections 2021
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Ted Davis, Jr. (R-New Hanover)
Summary
This bill makes a series of technical corrections to several General Statutes and session laws.
Movement
Filed – 2/10/2021
This bill was referred to the following House committees:
-Judiciary 1
-Rules, Calendar, and Operations
SB 137 – Study and Abate Ocular Melanoma/Funds
SB 137 – Study and Abate Ocular Melanoma/Funds
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Natasha Marcus (D-Mecklenburg)
Summary
This bill appropriates $150,000 for the 2021-2022 fiscal year to be allocated to the Nicholas School of Environment at Duke University to study the potential causes of and solutions for abating ocular melanoma in the towns of Huntersville and Cornelius.
This bill also requires the Nicholas School of Environment at Duke University to coordinate with the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when conducting the study and to submit a report summarizing the study results to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services no later than December 1, 2022.
Movement
Filed – 2/23/2021
SB 132/HB 138 – Adopt Wounded Heroes Day
SB 132/HB 138 – Adopt Wounded Heroes Day
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Todd Johnson (R-Union)
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. David Willis (R-Union)
Summary
This bill would adopt April 24 of each year as Wounded Heroes Day.
Movement
SB 132
Filed – 2/23/2021
HB 138
Filed – 2/23/2021
SB 124 – Access to HS Graduations/Certain Counties
SB 124 – Access to HS Graduations/Certain Counties
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Todd Johnson (R-Union); Sen. Tom McInnis (R-Anson, Moore, Richmond, Scotland); Sen. Vickie Sawyer (R-Iredell, Yadkin)
Summary
Requires all public and nonpublic high schools in Anson County, Iredell County, Moore County, Richmond County, Scotland County, Union County, and Yadkin County to adhere to the following when permitting access to outdoor graduation ceremonies:
- Limit attendees to no more than 50% of an outdoor facility’s approved capacity as stated on the facility’s certificate of occupancy, or no more than seven persons for every 1,000 square feet if the facility does not have a certificate of occupancy. The bill notes that the term “attendee” does not include graduating students, public/nonpublic high school employees, entertainers, or staff providing support for a graduation ceremony.
- Schools must comply with the requirements of the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit.
Movement
Filed – 2/22/2021
This bill was referred to the following Senate committees:
-Rules and Operations
SB 134/HB 48 – Concealed Carry/Emergency Personnel
SB 134/HB 48 – Concealed Carry/Emergency Personnel
Primary Senate Sponsors: Se. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir, Wayne); Sen. Danny Britt, Jr. (R-Columbus, Robeson); Sen. Tom McInnis (R-Anson, Moore, Richmond, Scotland)
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Harry Warren (R-Rowan); Rep. Allen McNeil (R-Moore, Randolph); Rep. Carson Smith (R-Columbus, Pender)
Summary
This bill would exempt on duty EMS personnel from the concealed carry prohibition while providing tactical medical assistance to law enforcement in an emergency situation. To qualify, EMS must have completed an approved tactical medical assistance course for supporting tactical law enforcement operations.
Movement
SB 134
Filed – 2/23/2021
HB 48
Filed – 2/2/2021
The bill was referred to the following House Committees:
-Judiciary
-Rules, Calendar, Operations
SB 135/HB 95 – Improve Anatomical Gift Donation Process
SB 135/HB 95 – Improve Anatomical Gift Donation Process
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir, Wayne); Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett, Johnston, Lee); Sen. Joyce Krawiec (R-Davie, Forsyth)
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Wayne Sasser (R-Cabarrus, Rowan, Stanly); Rep. Larry Potts (R-Davidson); Rep. Becky Carney (D-Mecklenburg); Rep. Kristin Baker (R-Cabarrus)
Summary
This bill requires a donor who originally became a donor in another jurisdiction to authorize that a statement/symbol be imprinted on the donor’s drivers licensure or ID card issued in this State in order for the anatomical gift to be valid.
This bill also requires that a statement/symbol indicating consent to make an anatomical gift remain on a donor’s drivers license or ID card until the donor revokes consent to make an anatomical gift by asking for the statement/symbol to be removed.
Movement
SB 135
Filed – 2/23/2021
HB 95
Filed – 2/16/2021
This bill was referred to the following House committees:
-Health
-Rules, Calendar, and Operations
HB 106 – School Calendar Flexibility/Pitt County
HB 106 – School Calendar Flexibility/Pitt County
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Brian Farkas (D-Pitt); Rep. Chris Humphrey (R-Lenoir, Pitt); Rep. Kandie Smith (D-Pitt)
Summary
This bill allows additional flexibility to the Pitt County Board of Education to determine, with some statutory limits, the dates of opening and closing for the public schools in its school system provided the Board holds public hearings to allow for parent and community input. This additional flexibility would apply for the 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024 school years only.
Movement
Filed – 2/17/2021
This bill was referred to the following House committees:
-Education - K-12
-Local Government
-Rules, Calendar, and Operations
SB 80/HB 89 – September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
SB 80/HB 89 – September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Carl Ford (R-Rowan, Stanly)
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Wayne Sasser (R-Cabarrus, Rowan, Stanly); Rep. Ben Moss, Jr. (R-Montgomery, Richmond, Stanly); Rep. David Willis (R-Union); Rep. Howard Penny, Jr. (R-Harnett)
Summary
This bill seeks to designate the month of September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Movement
SB 80
Filed – 2/10/2021
Referred to the following Senate committees:
-Rules and Operations
HB 89
Filed - 2/16/2021
Referred to the following House committees:
-Health
-Rules, Calendar, Operations
HB 96 – Allow Pharmacist to Admin. Injectable Drugs
HB 96 – Allow Pharmacist to Admin. Injectable Drugs
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Wayne Sasser (R-Cabarrus, Rowan, Stanly); Rep. Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba); Rep. Donna White (R-Johnston); Rep. Gale Adcock (D-Wake)
Summary
This bill seeks to expand the statutory definition of the “practice of pharmacy” to include the ability to administer injectable drugs. If passed, this bill would be effective October 1, 2021.
Movement
Filed – 2/16/2021
This bill was referred to the following House committees:
-Health
-Insurance
-Rules, Calendar, and Operations
SB 105 – 2021 Appropriations Act
SB 105 – 2021 Appropriations Act
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Brent Jackson (R-Duplin, Johnston, Sampson); Sen. Kathy Harrington (R-Gaston); Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Pol, Rutherford, Yancy)
Summary
This bill was filed as a placeholder for future budget/appropriations language.
Movement
Filed – 2/17/2021
This bill was referred to Rules and Operations on 2/18/2021 but withdrawn that same day.
This bill was re-referred to the following Senate committees:
-Appropriations/Base Budget
SB 106 – 2021 Appropriations Act
SB 106 – 2021 Appropriations Act
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Pol, Rutherford, Yancy) Sen. Kathy Harrington (R-Gaston); Sen. Brent Jackson (R-Duplin, Johnston, Sampson)
Summary
This bill was filed as a placeholder for future budget/appropriations language.
Movement
Filed – 2/17/2021
This bill was referred to Rules and Operations on 2/18/2021 but withdrawn that same day.
This bill was re-referred to the following Senate committees:
-Appropriations/Base Budget
SB 107 – 2021 Appropriations Act
SB 107 – 2021 Appropriations Act
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Kathy Harrington (R-Gaston); Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Pol, Rutherford, Yancy); Sen. Brent Jackson (R-Duplin, Johnston, Sampson)
Summary
This bill was filed as a placeholder for future budget/appropriations language.
Movement
Filed – 2/17/2021
This bill was referred to Rules and Operations on 2/18/2021 but withdrawn that same day.
This bill was referred to the following Senate committees:
-Appropriations/Base Budget
SB 108 – Tuition Grants for NCSSM Graduates
SB 108 – Tuition Grants for NCSSM Graduates
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Madison, McDowell, Mitchel, Polk, Rutherford, Yancey)
Summary
This bill establishes tuition grants for graduates from the North Carolina School of Science and Math if the graduate attends a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina. Students will be able to apply for up to 4 years of tuition grants.
This bill also appropriates $1,124,950 for 2021-22 for the awarding of tuition grants for the 2021-22 academic year for the 2020-2021 NCSSM graduating class, $2,249,000 for 2021-22 and $3,374,850 in recurring funds for 2022-2023 for the awarding of tuition grants, and states legislative intent to appropriate $4,499,800 in recurring funds for 2023-34 for the awarding of grants.
Movement
Filed – 2/17/2021
This bill was referred to Rules and Operations on 2/18/2021 but withdrawn that same day.
This bill was re-referred to the follow Senate committees:
-Appropriations/Base Budget
-Education/Higher Education
-Rules and Operations
SB 110 – Knight-LeCount Advocacy for Marrow Ed. & Reg
SB 110 – Knight-LeCount Advocacy for Marrow Ed. & Reg
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Sarah Crawford (D-Franklin, Wake); Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Madison, McDowell, Mitchel, Polk, Rutherford, Yancey); Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett, Johnston, Lee)
Summary
This bill seeks to designate the month of November as Narrow Donation Awareness Month in the State and would require DHHS to public a public service announcement containing medically accurate information regarding bone marrow donation on its website. A link to the public service announcement must also be published on the Department of Motor Vehicles website.
Movement
Filed – 2/17/2021
Referred to the following Senate committees:
-Rules and Operations
HB 102 – Clarify Cause of Death
HB 102 – Clarify Cause of Death
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Mike Clampitt (R-Haywood, Jackson, Swain); Rep. Mark Pless (R-Haywood, Madison, Yancey); Rep. Dudley Greene (R-Avery, McDowell, Mitchell)
Summary
This bill seeks to clarify that a county medical examiner’s jurisdiction include deaths resulting from motor vehicles collisions and seeks to include death by motor vehicle crash as a cause of death to be included on the death certificate completed by the medical examiner.
Movement
Filed – 2/17/2021
Referred to the following House committees:
-Transportation
-Rules, Calendar, and Operations
HB 111 – School Calendar Flexibility/WSFCS
HB 111 – School Calendar Flexibility/WSFCS
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Jeff Zenger (R-Forsyth); Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth); Rep. Amber Baker (D-Forsyth); Rep. Evelyn Terry (D-Forsyth)
Summary
This bill provides flexibility to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in adopting the school calendar by increasing the range of opening dates for students from August 26 to August 10 and by removing the requirement that the State Board of Education find "good cause" to waive a local board's compliance with specified parameters for the opening and closing dates of schools.
This bill also notes that a local board of education that has implemented a school calendar with a fall semester concluding prior to December 31 shall be permitted to administer assessments before the semester’s conclusion.
Movement
Filed – 2/17/2021
This billed was referred to the following House committees:
-Education - K-12
-Local Government
-Rules, Calendar, and Operations
SB 85 – Allow Vision Service Corporations
SB 85 – Allow Vision Service Corporations
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Joyce Krawiec (R-Davie, Forsyth); Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett, Johnston, Lee); Sen. Mike Woodard (D-Durham, Granville, Person)
Summary
This bill seeks to make the following changes to Article 65 of GS Chapter 58, which governs hospital, medical, and dental service corporations:
- Includes corporations organized for the purpose of maintaining and operating a nonprofit vision service plan so that vision services can be provided by the corporation or optometrists participating in the plan, exempts such corporations from other state insurance law, authorizes certain corporations to (1) issue subscribers’ contracts or certificates for the provision of or payment of fees for services or care; and (2) enter into contracts with health care providers for the provision of or the payment of fees for services or care.
- Makes several technical changes to defined terms within the Article including (1) dental service corporation; (2) dental service plan; (3) full-service corporation; (4) hospital service corporation; (5) hospital service plan; (6) medical service plan; (7) preferred provider; (8) single-service corporation; (9) vision service corporation; and (10) vision service plan.
- Authorizes both full-service and single-service corporations to contract with other firms and corporations for joint assumption or underwriting of risks.
- Requires a certificate or license issued by the Commissioner for a corporation to issue contracts for the rendering of vision services to subscribers.
- Authorizes the Commissioner to require full-service and single-service plans or medical service associations to provide information as needed to determine the plan/service’s exemption status.
Movement
Filed – 2/11/2021
This bill was referred to the following Senate committees:
-Rules and Operations
SB 92 – Insurance Referral Fee Cap
SB 92 – Insurance Referral Fee Cap
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Todd Johnson (R-Union); Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett, Johnston, Lee); Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain)
Summary
This bill modifies current statute by capping commissions/fees paid to unlicensed person at $50 for referral of insurance business to a licensed insurance agent or broker and provides for up to a $2K fine for violations.
Movement
Filed – 2/11/2021
This bill was referred to the following Senate committees:
-Rules and Operations
SB 86 – Medicaid Recs./CWBTC
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Joyce Krawiec (R-Davie, Forsyth); Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett, Johnston, Lee); Sen Jim Perry (R-Lenior, Wayne)
Summary
This bill would require DHHS to develop and implement a plan to work with the Dept. of Public Instruction, local education administrative units, and local management entities/managed care organizations to increase awareness of school-based health services that are reimbursable under NC Medicaid.
The bill also requires the plan to assess the feasibility of enhanced rates and other incentives to encourage private entities to provide school-based health services to students who receive Medicaid and NC Health Choice benefits.
The bill requires DHHS to submit the plan and any proposed legislative changes to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and the Chairs of the House Appropriate Committee on Health and Human Services no later than August 1, 2022.
This bill also instructs the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee to revise the 2023-2024 work plan for the Program Evaluation Division to include an evaluation of the Integrated Care for Kids Medicaid pilot program.
Movement
Filed – 2/11/2021
Referred to the following Senate committees:
-Rules and Operations
SB 87 – Medicaid Reimbursement/Charter Schools
SB 87 – Medicaid Reimbursement/Charter Schools
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 seeks to classify charter schools as a local government entity that is responsible, either directly or indirectly through an agency, for the payment of the nonfederal share for reimbursable medical services, including administrative activities related to those services, that are medically necessary and for which federal payment is available under NC Medicaid.
Movement
Filed – 2/11/2021
This bill was referred to Rules and Operations on 2/15/2021 but withdrawn that same day.
This bill was referred to the following Senate committees:
-Health
-Rules and Operations
SB 60 – Disapprove Various Solid Waste Rule Changes
SB 60 – Disapprove Various Solid Waste Rule Changes
Primary Senate Sponsor: Sen. Brent Jackson (R-Duplin, Johnston, Sampson)
Summary
This bill would disapprove several administrative rules previously adopted by the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission and approved by the Rules Review Commission.
Movement
Filed - 2/4/2021
This bill was referred to Rules and Operations on 2/8/2021 and withdrawn from committee on 2/17/2021
This bill was re-referred to the following committees:
-Agriculture, Energy, and Environment
-Rules and Operations
SB 37 – In-Person Learning Choice for Families
SB 37 – In-Person Learning Choice for Families
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Deanna Ballard (R-Alleghany, Ashe, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes); Sen. Michael Lee (R-New Hanover); Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Yancey)
Summary
This bill seeks to require all local school administrative units to provide the option of in-person instruction to students grades kindergarten through 12 for the remainder of the scheduled 2020-2021 school year.
A 2/4/2021 Senate amendment requires local school administrative units to comply with the Strong Schools NC Public Health Toolkit as it existed on February 2, 2021 for implementation of Plan A (Minimal Social Distancing) and Plan B (Moderate Social Distancing).
Movement
Filed - 2/1/2021
This bill was referred to the following Senate committees:
-Education/Higher Education
Rules and Operations
This bill passed in the Senate on 2/10/21 and was referred to the following House committees:
-Education K-12
-Rules, Calendar, and Operations
This bill was re-referred to Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House on 2/10/2021.
This bill was presented to the Governor on 2/17/2021.
SB 81/HB 124 – Teacher Diversity/PED Study
SB 81/HB 124 – Teacher Diversity/PED Study
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Don Davis (D-Greene, Pitt); Sen. Kirk deViere (D-Cumberland)
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Cecil Brockman (D-Guilford); Rep. Marvin Lucas (D-Cumberland)
Summary
The bill modifies current statute to require the NC Teaching Fellows Commission to select at least one minority-serving institution with an approved educator preparation program to participate in the Teaching Fellows program.
Movement
SB 81
Filed – 2/10/2021
Referred to the following Senate committees:
-Rules and Operations
HB 124
Filed – 2/19/2021
HB 125 – School Calendar Flexibility/Lenoir County
HB 125 – School Calendar Flexibility/Lenoir County
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Chris Humphrey (R-Lenoir, Pitt)
Summary
This bill seeks to provide local boards of education in Lenoir County with flexibility when determining dates for opening and closing public schools.
Movement
Filed 2/19/2021
HB 120 – Funds for Sedalia Infrastructure Study
HB 120 – Funds for Sedalia Infrastructure Study
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford)
Summary
This bill allocates $20K to the Town of Sedalia to study the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of options for the provision of drinking water to the Town.
Movement
Filed 2/19/2021
HB 119 – Property Tax Relief for COVID Affected Businesses
HB 119 – Property Tax Relief for COVID Affected Businesses
Primary House Sponsors: Rep. John Bradford, III (R-Mecklenburg); Rep. John Bell, IV (R-Greene, Johnston, Wayne); Rep. Jason Saine (R-Lincoln); Rep. Hardister (R-Guilford)
Summary
This bill seeks to provide property tax relief for businesses impacted by COVID-19 as follows:
- Allows a qualifying property owner to enter into a payment plan for the property taxes owed on the affected property.
- The payment plan’s term cannot extend beyond December 31 of the same year the taxes become delinquent and must require equal monthly installments.
- Defines a qualified property owner as an owner demonstrating, for the applicable period of time as compared to 2019, that the COVID-19 pandemic caused (1) a reduction of at least 25% in gross revenues, (2) for retail businesses that collect and remit sales tax, a reduction of at least 25% in sales tax collections, or (3) both.
- Requires property assessors to recognize the effect of COVID-19 relief efforts in value determination resulting from a change in the permitted use of the property that affected normal business operations.
- Permits assessors to modify a property’s appraised value to recognize a change in value proportionate to the time during the year that resulted from economic changes due to the pandemic.
Movement
Filed 2/19/2021
SB 118 – Modernization of Drug Court Program
SB 118 – Modernization of Drug Court Program
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Danny Britt, Jr. (R-Columbus, Robeson); Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain)
Summary
This bill makes several changes to the North Carolina Drug Treatment Court Act, including the following modifications:
- Changes the title of the Act to the Judicially Managed Accountability and Recovery Court Act.
- Replaces references to “drug abuse” to “substance abuse” throughout the Act.
- Replaces references to “drug treatment courts” to “judicially managed accountability and recovery courts” throughout the Act.
- Adds the program goal of reducing the mental, behavioral, or medical health-related court workload.
- Adds to the categories of persons who can serve on judicially managed accountability and recovery court committees.
Movement
Filed – 2/18/2021
SB 116 – Let Them Play and Let Us Watch
SB 116 – Let Them Play and Let Us Watch
Primary Senate Sponsors: Sen. Todd Johnson (R-Union); Sen. Vickie Sawyer (R-Iredell, Yadkin); Sen. Kevin Britt (R-Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain)
Summary
This bill requires public and nonpublic high schools to limit the number of spectators able to attend an outdoor sporting event to no more than 40% of the outdoor facility’s approved occupancy capacity under the fire code or no more than 7 persons for every 1,000 square feet if the facility does not have an occupancy capacity under the fire code.
The bill also requires schools to comply with the requirements of the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit and the Interim Guidance for Administrators and Participants of Youth and Amateur Sports Programs when allowing access to outdoor sporting facilities in high schools.
Movement
Filed – 2/18/2021