House committee substitute to the 3rd edition removes the content of the previous edition and replaces it with the following. Makes conforming changes to the act’s titles.

Part I.

Amends GS 130A-93 to require the State Registrar to share copies or abstracts of information, including health and medical information, contained on birth certificates with: (1) the vital records jurisdiction of the county where the individual resides within the state and (2) when requested, a local, State, federal, or tribal public health agency for public health purposes. Makes conforming changes. Requires providing copies or abstracts of the health and medical information contained on birth certificates, and  copies of or abstracts from any computer or microform database containing individual-specific health or medical birth data, to a person who will use the information for research purposes (was, medical research purposes).

Amends GS 130A-103 to allow registering a birth more than 10 days (was, five days) and less than one year after birth in the same way as births are registered within 10 days (was, five days) of birth. Makes conforming changes. Makes conforming changes to GS 130A-104.

Effective October 1, 2026.

Part II.

Requires UNC’s School of Medicine's Area Health Education Center (UNC AHEC) to consult with the Department of Health and Human Services, the North Carolina Medical Board, North Carolina Board of Nursing, North Carolina Medical Society, North Carolina Pediatric Society, North Carolina Board of Pharmacy, North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, and North Carolina Nurses Association to gather evidence-based information on sudden unexpected death in epilepsy from publications and nonprofit organizations to create standard information to provide to all health care practitioners in this state. Specifies that the information must include, at a minimum, current and evidence-based information about sudden unexpected death in epilepsy risk factors and conditions and contact information for nonprofit organizations that provide support services for epilepsy conditions. Requires that the information be made available on the NC AHEC website and readily accessible to health care practitioners in this state. Requires NC AHEC to report to the specified NCGA committee a completed summary or booklet of information provided to health care practitioners in the report by no later than September 1, 2026.

Part III.

Requires the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (Department) to select a provider to establish a statewide pilot program to make eTMS available for veterans, first responders, and their immediate family members experiencing one or more of the nine listed conditions, including substance use disorders, mental illness, sleep disorders, and sexual trauma. Defines eTMS (Electroencephalogram combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment) as treatment in which transcranial magnetic stimulation frequency pulses are tuned to the patient's physiology and biometric data. Defines veteran as a person who (1) served in the US Armed Forces on active duty, for reasons other than training, and has been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions, (2) served in a reserve component, and (3) served in the National Guard of any state.

Requires the program’s provider to display a history of serving veteran and first-responder populations statewide. Requires establishment of a network for in-person and off-site care with the goal of providing statewide access. Allows the provider to use nonmedical portable magnetic stimulation devices to improve access to underserved populations in remote areas or to be used to serve as a pre-post treatment or a stand-alone device and requires establishing and operating a clinical practice and evaluating outcomes of such clinical practice.

Sets out minimum program components, including requiring that protocols and outcomes of any treatment provided by the clinical practice be collected and reported by the provider not later than September 15, 2027, to the Department and specified NCGA committee and division.

Allows the Department to adopt rules to implement the provisions of this act.

Part IV.

Directs the Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services (Commission) to amend the rules applicable to outpatient opioid treatment programs, as specified, to be more consistent with the federal regulations governing medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder.

Mandates that the Commission’s changes must include (1) removing the patient eligibility criteria of a stable home environment and social relationships; (2) explicitly prohibiting discharge from treatment due to continued substance use, missed doses, and nonparticipation in ancillary services like counseling; (3) removing structured counseling session schedules; (4) reducing the number of drug tests; and (5) explicitly permitting opioid treatment programs to administer methadone to patients who are not enrolled with the program as a patient but can be verified as a patient in another outpatient opioid treatment program through contacting the patient’s home outpatient opioid treatment program, checking the central registry, or other means that the Commission establishes.

Specifies that the Commission must engage with current and former treatment program clients and providers for input on how to align requirements with the federal regulations and improve patient care.

Requires the Commission to publish a proposed text of amended rules by January 1, 2027.

Part V.

Amends the following statutes requiring giving students the phone numbers for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and the NC Peer Warmline on any new student ID issued to a student in grades 6-12, on the school website, on the home screen of any electronic devise issued to students, on any digital or printed school agenda or calendar, on a document during any suicide awareness activity, and on a document when the student registers: (1) GS 115C-47, applicable to local boards of education; (2) GS 115C-150.12C, applicable to schools for deaf and blind students; (3) GS 115C-218.75, applicable to charter schools; (4) GS 115C-238.66, applicable to regional schools; (5) GS 116-239.8, applicable to laboratory schools; (6) new GS 115C-550.2, applicable to private church schools or schools of religious charter; and (7) new GS 115C-558.2, applicable to each qualified nonpublic school. Applies beginning with the 2026-27 school year.

Part VI.

Amends Article 3 of Chapter 58, which regulates insurance offered in North Carolina, by adding a new section, GS 58-3-286, regarding the coverage of prosthetic and orthotic devices.

New GS 58-3-286 applies to all health benefit plans offered in the state except Small Employer Group Health Insurance and Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements. Requires coverage by these health benefits plans for all prosthetic and orthotic devices required to be covered under Medicare Part B. Requires coverage by applicable health benefit plans for prosthetic and orthotic devices deemed by the insured’s healthcare provider as adequate for completing activities of daily living, essential job-related activities, and meeting the medical needs of the insured for performing physical exercise and maximizing the insured’s whole-body function. Coverage extends to custom devices and shall not be limited to one prosthetic or orthotic device. Coverage is required for replacement of a prosthetic or orthotic device, or a part thereof, and including custom devices, if the prescribing healthcare provider determines the replacement is necessary for specified reasons, such as a physiological change in the insured’s condition, and the insurer may require confirmation from the prescribing healthcare provider if the device being replaced is less than 3 years old.

By February 1, 2029, applicable health benefits plans must report the number and value of claims paid pursuant to GS 58-3-286 to the Commissioner of the Department of Insurance.

By March 1, 2029, the Commissioner of Department of Insurance must aggregate data from applicable health benefits plans and provide it to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on General Government and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services.

Effective October 1, 2026, and applies to the earlier of insurance contracts issued, renewed, or amended on or after October 1, 2026.

Part VII.

Amends GS 131E-78.4 by amending the definition of smoke evacuation/filtering system so that the equipment must use either an electrocautery device with a smoke removal collar or assistant-held smoke evacuation device. Makes technical changes.

Amends GS 131E-147.2 by amending the definition of smoke evacuation/filtering system so that the equipment must be stand-alone and must use either an electrocautery device with a smoke removal collar or assistant-held smoke evacuation device. Makes technical changes.