Cooper
RALEIGH — North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed 11 bills into law on Monday.
Child Care Flexibility
The Child Care Flexibility bill states that the Department of Health and Human Services Division of Child Development and Early Education will develop and implement criteria that incorporate the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential for birth through three years of age and the CDA credential for 3 to 5 years of age to count toward satisfying the requirements for the star rating system for child care. This act will become effective on Oct. 1, 2023, and the criteria must be developed by March 31, 2024.
DST Technical Corrections
DST Technical Corrections makes technical corrections and other conforming and clarifying changes to the laws governing the teachers’ and state employees’ retirement system, the local governmental employees’ retirement system and other related statutes, as recommended by the department of state treasurer.
Unclaimed Property Division Changes
Unclaimed Property Division Changes makes various changes to the unclaimed property division statutes and waiving fees for estate administration limited to specific properties held in the escheat fund, as the Department of State Treasurer recommended.
Amend On-Site Wastewater/Environment Statutes
Amend On-Site Wastewater/Environment Statutes, House Bill 628, is an act to amend on-site wastewater systems statutes. It makes certain North Carolina onsite wastewater contractors and inspectors certification board changes, directs the building code council to create an onsite wastewater existing system affidavit, makes specific wastewater electrical changes, makes certain changes to private drinking water well building inspection and installation, prohibits forced sewer connections in certain situations, and establishes a registered environmental health associate certification under the state board of environmental health specialist examiners.
Movie Sets/Radon/Licensee Experience
The Movie Sets/Radon/Licensee Experience bill will amend the North Carolina building code exclusion for temporary motion picture, television and theater stage sets and scenery to exempt them from use and occupancy classification under the code. It also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish an approval process for radon proficiency programs. It also says that evidence of a licensee having maintained a license in good standing for at least fifteen years will be accepted as experience for plumbing and heating qualifications by the board of examiners of plumbing, heating, and fire sprinkler contractors.
Emergency Management Mods
The Emergency Management Mods bill makes various changes to the emergency management act and other provisions governing emergency management, as recommended by the Division of Emergency Management of the Department of Public Safety.
Treasury Administrative Changes
The Treasury Administrative Changes Act makes clarifying and administrative changes to laws relating to the Department of State Treasurer’s banking operations and investment programs, as the Department of State Treasurer recommends.
Medal of Valor Award for First Responders
The Medal of Valor Award for First Responders bill creates the Medal of Valor award for first responders, stating that a person may be recommended for it by the highest-ranking official or member of a first responder unit. The Governor may award up to two awards each calendar year. A third may be awarded only if special circumstances apply, as determined by the Governor.
Mental Health Confidential Information Disclosure
The Mental Health Confidential Information Disclosure Bill modifies the law on releasing confidential information by mental health providers to conform to federal regulations.
Child Advocacy Centers/Share Information
The Child Advocacy Centers/Share Information Bill sets criteria for children’s advocacy centers to be eligible to receive state funds, governs the sharing of information and records of children’s advocacy centers and multidisciplinary teams and establishes certain immunity for children’s advocacy centers.
Amend Rule 4/Acceptance of Service
The Amend Rule 4/Acceptance of Service bill amends Rule 4 of the North Carolina civil procedure rules to allow service acceptance using an official form. It also makes street takeovers unlawful, makes various changes to courtroom procedures, allows for even-year elections for certain sanitary district boards, and makes an abc technical correction.
To learn more and to read the bills in their entirety, visit www.governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2023/07/10/governor-cooper-signs-eleven-bills-law.