Senate panel to take up health care competition bill

A North Carolina Senate committee is scheduled to take up a health care competition measure Tuesday as lawmakers continue committee work during the short session.

Senate Bill 978, titled “Healthcare Competition Reforms,” is listed on the June 16 agenda for the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee is scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. in Room 544 of the Legislative Office Building, according to the General Assembly calendar.

The bill page describes the measure as a public bill with appropriations and local appropriations. The bill has changed since it was filed and has a sequential referral to the Senate Appropriations/Base Budget Committee after Judiciary.

The bill’s listed keywords include attorney general, audits, consumer protection, hospitals, health services, medical care commission, physicians, public meetings, state auditor, state treasurer, whistleblowers and patient rights. The bill cites statutes in chapters dealing with hospitals, commerce, unfair trade practices and labor.

Sen. Jim Burgin is listed as the primary sponsor. The bill’s last action was June 15, when a sequential referral to Appropriations/Base Budget was added after Judiciary.

The measure is one of several bills on Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary agenda. The same committee calendar also lists House Bill 368, “Revise Child Passenger Restraint System Law,” House Bill 517, “Modify Nonprofit Corp. Act/Charitable Org.,” and Senate Bill 1047, “Regulatory Reform Act of 2026,” for discussion only.

Because Senate Bill 978 is still in committee, the measure would need additional committee action and chamber approval before becoming law. No final vote is indicated on the bill page as of the latest posted action.

Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.