IMPORTANT SPECIAL NOTE: On July 1^st changes to NC law made during the 2023-2024 Session take effect relative to minimum vehicle liability limits, inexperienced operator surcharge, some aspects of the Safe Driver Incentive Plan (SDIP), and UM/UIM coverage. IIANC is offering a webinar for our members covering these changes on February 25^th at 1 pm – click HERE to register.

It Begins

On Wednesday at 12 noon, the 2025 Session of the North Carolina General Assembly officially got under way. Bills have started to be filed by members, but it generally takes a few weeks before the legislative session swings into high gear.

House Speaker Destin Hall put forth an official calendar of when committees will meet and votes be taken, trying to give House members more certainty in terms of schedule; no word yet if the Senate leadership will follow Speaker Hall’s lead.

There were two legislative hearings held this week to talk about the state’s efforts to recover from hurricanes.

On Wednesday, the House Select Committee on Hurricane Helene heard reports from the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western NC (GROW NC) on the ongoing recovery efforts in that part of the state, and on Thursday the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations Subcommittee on Hurricane Response and Recovery heard from ReBuild NC Director Pryor Gibson on the need for an additional $217M to finish the housing program for victims of Hurricanes Matthew and Florence.

House Committees Announced

While the Senate had released their committees a few weeks back, the House just released their roster.

Two key House committees for IIANC are Insurance and Health:

Returning as a chair of the House Insurance Committee is IIANC member Rep. Chris Humphrey, who will be joined by Rep. Jennifer Balkcom. Previous Committee Chair Rep. Mitchell Setzer, who has been elected Speaker Pro Tem this Session, will serve now as a Vice Chair of the Committee.

The House Health Committee will have some familiar faces leading it this year, with Rep. Larry Potts returning as Senior chair, and Rep. Donny Lambeth and Rep. Donna White returning as chairs, with Rep. Timothy Reeder, who is a medical doctor, joining as a chair. IIANC member Rep. Chris Humphrey has also become a Vice Chair of the House Health Committee.

Speaking of health insurance issues, one of the first bills introduced (with IIANC member Sen. Jim Burgin as one of the sponsors) was SB 24 Government Mandates Increase Healthcare Cost, an attempt by the Senate to require any proposed legislative healthcare regulatory changes be accompanied by a report showing the cost to consumers (and taxpayers, for cost impacts on the State Employee Health Plan) from that change.

Even though the GOP holds the majority in both chambers of our state legislature, the state House and Senate have strongly disagreed on a range of healthcare and health insurance issues over the past decade, and it appears a few – such as the further regulation of pharmacy benefits management (PBM) companies and whether insurers can require medical providers to get prior authorization for certain medical procedures – are likely to surface this year.

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