Makes the following changes to Article 28C of GS Chapter 106, retitling the Article, Grade "A" Milk and Raw Milk Sanitation.

Adds raw milk and small herd operation to the defined terms set out in GS 106-266.30.

Enacts GS 106-266.31A, establishing standards for the production and processing of raw milk intended for human consumption, including requiring all raw milk be produced and processed on the same premises. Exempts from the standards raw milk dispensed to the independent or partial owner of a cow, goat, or other lactating animal for the owner's personal use or consumption. 

Expands the permitting requirement set out in GS 106-266.32 for Grade "A" milk production, transport, processing, and distribution. Now requires a raw milk permit for any producer of raw milk for human consumption who has a dairy herd for production of raw milk that is larger than a small herd operation, and a Small Herd Raw Milk permit for any producer of raw milk who owns a small herd operation, for the production, transportation, processing, or distribution of raw milk for human consumption. Small herd operation is defined in GS 106-266.30, as amended, to mean a dairy farm with a herd of lactating cows, goats, or sheep not exceeding ten, though the herd may include more lactating animals producing milk for purposes other than raw milk for human consumption. Exempts from the permitting requirements dispensing of raw milk for personal use or consumption to an independent or partial owner of a cow, goat, or other lactating animal. Sets forth further specifications for Small Herd Raw Milk permits and permittees. 

Enacts GS 106-266.33A, allowing testing of raw milk produced by raw milk and Small Herd Raw Milk permittees at the request of the permittee. Requires Small Herd Raw Milk permittees to provide quality test results if requested by any person.

Amends GS 106-266.35, allowing raw milk produced subject to a valid raw milk or Small Herd Raw Milk permit to be sold or dispensed directly to consumers for human consumption (currently, raw milk and raw milk products are required to be sold or dispensed only to a permitting milk hauler or to a processing facility, as specified). Adds new labeling requirements for raw milk and raw milk whose sale does not occur at the premises on which the raw milk is produced. Prohibits raw milk from being sold or offered for sale through restaurants. Sets out requirements for the retail sale of raw milk, including requiring separate, labeled, refrigerated display cases for Grade "A" milk and raw milk. Makes conforming changes.

Makes conforming changes to GS 106-266.34 (clarifying other authorities of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services not repealed or limited) and GS 106-266.36 (providing for milk embargo). Makes technical changes to GS 106-266.36.

Directs the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to develop a plan to increase the use of Central Prison Healthcare Complex (CPHC) in order to contain medical costs for inmates as required by GS 143B-707.3(b) (concerning DPS reimbursement of providers and facilities providing medical services to inmates and juvenile offenders outside the facility). Specifies required components of the plan and requires DPS to submit the plan by December 1, 2019, to the specified NCGA Committee. Also requires DPS to submit progress reports regarding cost savings and increased usage of the health service facilities at CPHC and the NC Correctional Institution for Women (NCCIW).

Additionally directs DPS to identify and eliminate lapsed salary positions used to fund inmate health care services for 2016-17, and transfer the salary funds to a DPS, Health Services Section (HSS) budget code. Further requires DPS to reflect all expenditures for inmate health care services in a DPS, HSS budget code, and develop accounting mechanisms for inmate health care expenditures at the prison facility level. Requires the above described information to be included in DPS’s plan to increase the use of the CPHC.

Amends GS 143B-707.3. Requires DPS to reimburse the lesser amount of either a rate of 70% of the then-current prevailing charge or 100% of (was, two times) the then-current Medicaid rate for any given service, beginning July 1, 2019. Adds new requirement for DPS to reimburse providers identified as necessary to ensure continued access to care the lesser amount of either a rate of 70% of the provider’s then-current prevailing charge or 200% of the then-current Medicaid rate for any given service. Adds further requirement for any contract extensions for medical services provided to inmates by contracted providers and facilities to include the specified reimbursement rates. Requires DPS, HSS to develop an electronic supply inventory management system, meeting the minimum requirements described. Adds the reimbursement rate for contracted providers to the data included in the quarterly report. Makes the statute applicable to vendors that are not billed on a fee-for-service basis.

Enacts GS 143B-707.5, directing DPS and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to work together to enable social workers in DPS, HSS to qualify and receive federal reimbursement for performing Medicaid eligibility activities for inmates. Requires DPS, HSS to develop policies and procedures to account for time social workers spend on Medicaid eligibility for inmates. Also requires all DPS, HSS staff who perform activities related to Medicaid eligibility to receive eligibility determination training provided by DHHS at least quarterly. Requires DPS, HSS to require social workers enter specified data when performing Medicaid eligibility activities for inmates. Adds monthly reporting requirements to the DPS, HSS Director for the social workers. Requires each DPS, HSS social worker to submit Medicaid applications and any supporting documents electronically, unless federal law requires paper copies, beginning October 1, 2019. Requires DPS and DHHS to jointly report to the specified NCGA Committee by October 1, 2019, and quarterly thereafter until full implementation, and requires DHHS to report to the specified NCGA Committee on the implementation of the documentation of criteria for Medicaid application submissions by October 1, 2019.

Directs DPS, HSS and the Office of State Human Resources to study the salaries of all in-prison health services employees to determine necessary adjustments to increase new hire and existing salaries to market rates. Further directs DPS to establish a vacancy rate benchmark for each correctional facility and create a plan to reduce vacancy rates, including considering the seven identified initiatives. Requires DPS to establish methods to measure effectiveness of the initiatives to reduce vacancy rates and estimate budgetary impact and anticipated savings, and submit its findings by February 1, 2020, to the specified NCGA Committee.

Directs DPS, HSS to establish performance measures for its current telemedicine pilot program to inform a business case for potential expansion of the pilot program and propose an implementation plan to expand the use of telemedicine with accompanying cost savings. Requires DPS, HSS to report by April 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, on its business case for telemedicine to the specified NCGA Committee. Prohibits DPS, HSS from expanding the pilot program until the results of the current pilot program can be demonstrated and reported to the General Assembly.

Effective July 1, 2019.

Amends GS 162-39 concerning the transfer of county jail prisoners for safety and security. 

Adds new requirement for the Department of Public Safety (DPS), Health Services Section (HSS), to maintain records of prisoners transferred to a State prison from a county jail pursuant to the statute, utilizing unique identifiers for each transfer and recording data as specified. Modifies the county’s current duty to reimburse the state for transferred prisoners for the cost of maintaining the prisoner and the cost of extraordinary medical care incurred while in the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice (Division) custody, to now require the county to pay the Division for the costs of maintaining the prisoner and the costs of medical care (was, extraordinary medical care) incurred while in the Division’s custody. Adds to the defined costs for State reimbursement to include (1) transportation and custody costs associated with the transfer of prisoners receiving health care outside of the prison facility and (2) cost of sick call encounters at the rate charged to State prison inmates. Adds that the county must reimburse the State for services provided to transferred prisoners at the mileage reimbursement rate and hourly custody rate that are reimbursed by the Statewide Misdemeanant Confinement Program. 

Limits a safekeeping order transferring a prisoner to a unit of the State prison system to an initial period not to exceed fifteen days (currently, there is no such limitation). Adds that a sheriff seeking to extend the order beyond the initial fifteen-day period must request the Division to conduct an assessment of treatment and venue needs, to be conducted as specified, and provide the assessment to the court to determine whether to extend the transfer beyond the initial period. Makes conforming changes. 

Prohibits the DPS Secretary from accepting a safekeeper for medical or mental health treatment from a county that: (1) has failed to pay DPS for services rendered pursuant to the statute for 120 days or more or (2) does not participate in the Statewide Misdemeanant Confinement Program by receiving misdemeanants for housing (excluding counties determined to be filled to capacity pursuant to GS 148-32.1(b4)).

Makes a county liable to the State for an additional per day, per inmate rate not exceeding $20 per day for each day a sheriff fails to assume custody of a county prisoner from a State prison facility after five days of receiving notification and request for transfer from DPS pursuant to new GS 149-19.3(a) (in addition to the actual transport and maintenance costs per day, per inmate). Authorizes the HSS chief to waive up to ten days of the additional per day rate if the sheriff provides documentation of extenuating circumstances. 

Makes organizational and technical changes. Makes language gender neutral. 

Enacts GS 149-19.3, requiring DPS to determine Medicaid eligibility and ensure applications are completed and submitted for county prisoners housed in the State prison system pursuant to safekeeping orders under GS 162-39. Requires documentation and presentation of nonreimbursed charges for health care services to the county for payment pursuant to GS 162-39. Requires DPS to notify the sheriff or the sheriff’s designee by phone or email and request transfer to county custody upon the expiration of the order’s terms and a safety determination. Further requires DPS to annually update the medical services schedule of charges assessed to counties for the provision of health care services to county prisoners housed in the State prison system pursuant to safekeeping orders, considering the actual rate for services provided and the current established Medicaid rates. Directs DPS to assess charges to counties for health care services provided to county prisoners at all State prison facilities. Directs DPS to submit a report on the updated schedule to the specified NCGA Committee on or before December 1, 2019. 

Effective July 1, 2019.

Blank bill.

Makes the following changes to Article 8B of GS Chapter 105, retitling the article Taxes Upon Insurance Companies and Prepaid Health Plans.

Adds capitation payment and prepaid health plan to the defined terms set out in GS 105-228.3. Makes organizational changes.

Amends GS 105-228.5, expanding the gross premium tax to subject prepaid health plans to a 1.9% gross premium tax, measured by gross capitation payments received by the prepaid health plan (PHP) by the Department of Health and Human Services for services provided to enrollees in the State Medicaid program or NC Health Choice program in the preceding calendar year. Makes conforming additions concerning calculating the tax base of PHPs. Provides that capitation payments refunded by a PHP to the State are the only allowable deductions. Adds clarification to the exclusion of Medicaid premiums, providing that the exclusion includes Medicaid premiums other than capitation payments, paid by or on behalf of a Medicaid beneficiary. Requires the net proceeds of the tax to be credited to the General Fund. Makes further technical and clarifying changes. 

Exempts the act from the provisions of GS 143C-5-2 concerning the order of appropriations bills. 

Effective October 1, 2019. 

Part I.

Amends GS 105-153.5 to allow an eligible firefighter or an eligible rescue squad worker to deduct $250 from their adjusted gross income when calculating income tax. Allows each spouse to qualify separately for the deduction when filing a joint return. Prohibits claiming a deduction as both an eligible firefighter and as an eligible rescue squad worker in a single taxable year. Defines an eligible firefighter as an unpaid member of a volunteer fire department who attended at least 36 hours of fire department drills and meetings during the taxable year. Defines an eligible rescue squad worker as an unpaid member of a volunteer rescue or emergency medical services squad who attended at least 36 hours of rescue squad training and meetings during the taxable year. Effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2019.

Part II.

Enacts new GS 105-277.1E to designate a permanent residence owned and occupied by a qualifying owner as a special class of property under Section 2(2) of Article V of the North Carolina Constitution and excludes the appraised value of the permanent residence from taxation. Prohibits a qualifying owner receiving this exclusion from receiving other property tax relief. Defines a qualifying owner as an owner, as defined in G.S. 105‑277.1, who is a North Carolina resident and is the surviving spouse who has not remarried of an emergency personnel officer (as defined in the statute) who was killed in the line of duty. Provides that an owner does not lose the benefit of this exclusion because of a temporary absence from his or her permanent residence for reasons of health or because of an extended absence while confined to a rest home or nursing home if the residence is unoccupied or occupied by a dependent of the owner. Sets out provisions governing multiple owners and establishing the application procedure.

Makes conforming changes to GS 105-282.1.

Effective for taxes imposed for taxable years beginning on or after July 1, 2019.

Part III.

Requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to study the needs of law enforcement, emergency medical and emergency management personnel, and firefighters to improve access to or within the interstate system within this State for the benefit of public safety. Allows consultation with the Division of Emergency Management of the Department of Public Safety, the Office of State Fire Marshal of the Department of Insurance, the Office of Emergency Medical Services of the Department of Health and Human Services, and any other State or local government organizations the DOT determines may be of assistance in the course of the study. Specifies steps DOT must take in performing the study. Requires DOT to report its findings and recommendations to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety, Joint Emergency Management Oversight Committee, and Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee by March 1, 2020.

Part IV. 

Amends GS 14-269 to exclude emergency medical services personnel while on duty who are deployed providing tactical medical assistance to law enforcement in an emergency from the prohibition on carrying concealed weapons. Requires that in order to qualify for the exemption, the emergency services personnel must have completed an approved tactical medical assistance course for supporting tactical law enforcement operations that includes specified elements and is sponsored by one of the listed organizations.

Requires state and local law enforcement agencies to provide paramedics rendering tactical medical assistance during a Special Weapons and Tactic Operation with the same protective equipment provided to other members of a Special Weapons and Tactic operation.

Effective December 1, 2019.

Part V. 

Effective when the act becomes law, unless otherwise provided.

Amends GS 69-25.5, which sets out authorized manner of providing protection for fire protection tax purposes. Adds a new qualification, requiring a fire department to meet the minimum public protection requirements established by the Office of the State Fire Marshall of the Department of Insurance in order to receive any portion the fire protection tax levied and collected pursuant to GS 69-25.4. Makes technical changes. 

Makes conforming changes to GS 153A-301, authorizing counties to create districts for fire protection, specifying by one or more departments that meet the minimum public protection requirements established by the Office of the State Fire Marshall. 

Effective July 1, 2019.

Amends GS 143B-905 by allowing the Department of Public Safety to impose a monthly fee of up to $21 on each user within a participating agency of the Criminal Information Network; deletes the current provisions that charged monthly circuit fees and monthly device fees on agencies that accessed the Network. Applies to fees imposed on or after July 1, 2019.