North Carolina SB 247: Redirect Crisis Pregnancy Center Funds.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 247

Short Title: Redirect Crisis Pregnancy Center Funds. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Chitlik, Murdock, and Bradley (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 6, 2025
*S247-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT REDIRECTING FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 2
AND HUMAN SERVICES, DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH, FOR CRISIS 3
PREGNANCY CENTERS TO INSTEAD BE USED TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF 4
EVIDENCE-BASED MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH PROGRAMS; REQUIRING 5
THE STATE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT OF CAROLINA PREGNANCY 6
CARE FELLOWSHIP; AND ESTABLISHING ADDITIONAL REPORTING 7
REQUIREMENTS FOR CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTERS THAT RECEIVE STATE 8
FUNDS. 9
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 10
11
PART I. REDIRECT CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTER FUNDS TO EVIDENCE-BASED 12
MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH PROGRAMS 13
SECTION 1.(a) Section 9H.11 of S.L. 2023-134 is repealed. 14
SECTION 1.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 15
Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of six million two hundred fifty 16
thousand dollars ($6,250,000) in recurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and the sum of six 17
million two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($6,250,000) in recurring funds for the 2026-2027 18
fiscal year to be used to support the expansion of evidence-based maternal and infant health 19
programs and services administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. 20
SECTION 1.(c) This Part becomes effective July 1, 2025. 21
22
PART II. REQUIRE THE STATE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT OF 23
CAROLINA PREGNANCY CARE FELLOWSHIP 24
SECTION 2. By March 1, 2026, the State Auditor shall conduct a financial statement 25
audit of Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship, a nonprofit corporation. The State Auditor shall 26
report the results of the audit to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human 27
Services and the Fiscal Research Division. 28
29
PART III. ESTABLISH ADDITIONAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR CRISIS 30
PREGNANCY CENTERS THAT RECEIVE STATE FUNDS 31
SECTION 3.(a) Chapter 131E of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new 32
section to read: 33
"§ 131E-269.5. Crisis pregnancy centers; reporting requirements. 34
(a) Definitions. – As used in this section, the following terms have the following 35
meanings: 36

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 247-First Edition
(1) Crisis pregnancy center. – Any nonprofit organization that holds itself out as 1
providing services to pregnant women through pregnancy, birth, and the 2
postpartum period, including a birthing center, clinic, community-based 3
organization, or faith-based organization that holds itself out as providing 4
pregnancy counseling services, pregnancy testing, and other nonmedical 5
pregnancy services. The term does not include a hospital, as defined in 6
G.S. 131E-76, or an ambulatory surgical facility, as defined in G.S. 131E-106. 7
(2) Fiscal year. – The annual operating year of the crisis pregnancy center. 8
(3) State financial assistance. – State funds disbursed to a crisis pregnancy center 9
as a grant, cooperative agreement, noncash contribution, or direct 10
appropriation to a crisis pregnancy center. 11
(4) State funds. – As defined in G.S. 143C-1-1(d)(25). 12
(b) Reporting Requirements. – In addition to the reporting requirements specified in 09 13
NCAC 03M .0205, each crisis pregnancy center that is a recipient or subrecipient of any amount 14
of State financial assistance shall submit a report to the Department of Health and Human 15
Services, the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services, and the 16
Fiscal Research Division within 60 days after the end of the fiscal year in which the crisis 17
pregnancy center received State financial assistance. The report shall include all of the following 18
information with respect to the fiscal year in which the State financial assistance was received: 19
(1) The name of the center and each location where the center conducts business 20
or provides services. 21
(2) The total amount of State funds, federal funds, tax subsidies, or other 22
subsidies, if any, the center received, directly or indirectly, broken down by 23
location if the center conducts business or provides services at more than one 24
location. 25
(3) An explanation of whether the center is part of a larger umbrella organization 26
that operates within the State and, if so, the total amount of State and federal 27
funds or taxes or other subsidies, if any, the umbrella organization received, 28
directly or indirectly, broken down by location if the umbrella organization 29
conducts business or provides services at more than one location. 30
(4) An explanation of all services provided at the center and what services were 31
most frequently sought at the center, broken down by location if the center 32
conducts business or provides