Legislative Update for the 2025/2026 Session #7

One of our priority bills was heard yesterday in the House Rules, HB 37, and received a unanimous favorable report and will move move to the House Floor for passage.

House Bill 37:

– Increases the Fire and Rescue Pension Benefit from $175 to $180 without an increase in Premiums.

– It also adds a fire service representative to the State EMS Advisory Board, giving the Fire Service input into EMS policies that affect our response operations and training.

Hopefully we can see movement on the Senate side of it’s companion Bill SB 86.

LEGISLATIVE DAY 2025 SCHEDULED APRIL 30TH

Please Mark Your Calendars and Plan to Attend!

Tim Bradley, Executive Director, NCSFA

Steven Roberson, 1st VP, NCSFA

Barry Overman, Incoming Executive Director, NCSFA

Listed below are the State bills introduced so far this session that we are currently tracking.

Provides authority for the State Fire Marshal office to do Fire Investigations. This was approved in the budget bill last session but was vetoed.

Correction. Sister Bill to SB 86.

In the 5th Edition, it adds in Section 5.12 that the start date of the 2024 building codes have been extended a year.

H 0061 | Assaults on First Responders | Feb 04, 2025 | Feb 06, 2025 – Ref to the Com on Judiciary 2, if favorable, Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House | A. Reece Pyrtle |

H 0097 | Support Firefighters Fighting Cancer | Feb 11, 2025 | Feb 17, 2025 – Re-ref to the Com on Pensions and Retirement, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House | Paul Scott |

Changes Cancers of the Small Intestines to “Cancers of the Stomach and Small Intestines”. Sister Bill to HB 97.

Increases the use, sale, and size of fireworks in NC.

Allows traveling to and from “duty” to be added to training to be covered by LODD

H 0211 | The Kelsey Smith Act | Feb 25, 2025 | Feb 27, 2025 – Ref to the Com on Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if favorable, Judiciary 2, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House | William Thomas Ward |

To an extent, allows law enforcement to utilize cell phone tracking information under certain emergencies.

H 0215 | Protect Charlotte Firefighters’ Ret. System | Feb 25, 2025 | Feb 27, 2025 – Ref to the Com on Pensions and Retirement, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House | Mike Clampitt |

Provides protection for Charlotte Firefighters retirement system against breach of data.

H 0219 | Counties/Franchise Ambulance Service | Feb 25, 2025 | Feb 27, 2025 – Ref to the Com on Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House | Mark Pless |

Allows the flying of a freedom flag under the American and State flag on 9/11 for remembrance.

H 0272 | The Sergeant Mickey Hutchinson Act | Mar 04, 2025 | Mar 05, 2025 – Ref to the Com on Pensions and Retirement, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House | Jeff Zenger |

Companion bill to HB 272 and allows Law Enforcement Officers to purchase up to four years in the retirement system if the complete certain law enforcement certifications.

This bill is a sister bill to Cancer Bill (Senate Bill 226) and again was introduced to provide that any Cancer Covered Under The Firefighters’ Cancer Insurance Program under GS 58-86A, or the original Firefighters’ Health Benefit Pilot Program, would be covered under the LODD program under GS 143-166.2(6), adding to the original 6 cancers currently covered. This would greatly increase the number of cancers covered by LODD and provide expanded Line of Duty Death Benefits for firefighter families and dependents.

H 0300 | Vet Care for Retired First Responder Dogs | Mar 05, 2025 | Mar 06, 2025 – Ref to the Com on Homeland Security and Military and Veterans Affairs, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House | Karl E. Gillespie |

Allows owners of retired service dogs to get reimbursed for Veterinarian services.

H 0309 | Bldg. Code Fam. Child Care Home Class | Mar 05, 2025 | Mar 06, 2025 – Ref to the Com on Judiciary 1, if favorable, Housing and Development, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House | Dean Arp |

_{Directs the NC Residential Code Council and Building Code Council to create a family child care classification within the State Building Code.}

H 0355 | LRC Study Future of Rural Firefighting | Mar 10, 2025 | Mar 12, 2025 – Ref to the Com on Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House | A. Reece Pyrtle |

The purpose of the study is for the Legislative Research Commission to examine current trends, problems, and opportunities confronting rural fire departments 8 and suggest funding and other legislative actions needed to keep those fire departments fiscally 9 sound and mission effective.

Safe Kids NC is in support of this Bill, They collaborated with the NC Child Fatality Task force to get it introduced. Basically, its just an update to our existing law and coincides with current best practice standards.

H 0387 | Eliminate Tax on Gov’t Retirees | Mar 12, 2025 | Mar 13, 2025 – Ref to the Com on State and Local Government, if favorable, Finance, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House | Mike Schietzelt |

Exempts Income received from a State, Local (LGERS), or Federal Government retirement plan exempt from State Income Tax.

Requires the review of all State Commissions and Committees not previously reviewed.

Allows sales tax on certain capital purchases by volunteer FDs to be refundable.

Correction. Sister Bill to SB 86.

Changes Cancers of the Small Intestines to “Cancers of the Stomach and Small Intestines”. Sister Bill to HB 97.

Increases the sale of fireworks ion NC.

Companion bill to HB 272 and allows Law Enforcement Officers to purchase up to four years in the retirement system if the complete certain law enforcement certifications.

Provides funding to DPS for Community Emergency Response Training

Legislative Update for the 2025/2026 Session #7

LEGISLATIVE DAY 2025 SCHEDULED APRIL 30TH

Your NCSFA

Conference and Expo

Resources

Regional Associations

Statewide Agencies

Contact NCSFA