North Carolina legislation · 2025-2026 Session
North Carolina S978: Healthcare Competition Reforms.
Status: Introduced, June 16, 2026
What the bill says
An act to provide whistleblower and employment protection to healthcare workers, to limit the chief executive officer compensation of not-for-profit hospitals that receive state funds, and to exempt the department of state treasurer from department of health and human services review.
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROVIDE WHISTLEBLOWER AND EMPLOYMENT PROTECTION TO HEALTHCARE WORKERS, TO LIMIT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION OF NOT-FOR-PROFIT HOSPITALS THAT RECEIVE STATE FUNDS, AND TO EXEMPT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE TREASURER FROM DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REVIEW. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: PART I. WHISTLEBLOWER AND EMPLOYMENT PROTECTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS SECTION 1.1. G.S. 75-1.1 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: "(c1) The learned profession exception of this section applies to health care providers, as defined in G.S. 90-21.11, only for acts and omissions directly related to the provision of medical, dental, or other health care that are subject to litigation under Article 1B of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes." SECTION 1.2.(a) Article 3 of Chapter 95 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read: "§ 95-28.1B. Health care professional whistleblower protection. (a) The following definitions apply in this section: (1) Health care professional. - An individual who is a licensed physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse as defined by the North Carolina Board of Nursing, or registered nurse. (2) Hospital. - Any of the following: a. A facility that has an organized medical staff and is designed, used, and operated to provide health care, diagnostic and therapeutic services, …
Sponsors
- Burgin, Jim (R, 12) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget
- : Reptd Fav
- : Sequential Referral To Appropriations/Base Budget Added After Judiciary
- : Sequential Referral To Rules and Operations of the Senate Stricken
- : Re-ref Com On Judiciary
- : Com Substitute Adopted
- : Reptd Fav Com Substitute
- : Re-ref to Health Care. If fav, re-ref to Judiciary. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate
- : Withdrawn From Com
- : Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
Subjects: HOSPITALS, CONSUMER PROTECTION, COUNCIL OF STATE, CORPORATIONS, NONPROFIT, PATIENT RIGHTS, CONTRACTS, COMMERCE, HEALTH SERVICES
Common questions
- What is S978?
- S978 is a bill in the North Carolina Legislature (2025-2026 Session): Healthcare Competition Reforms.
- What does S978 do?
- In its own words: An act to provide whistleblower and employment protection to healthcare workers, to limit the chief executive officer compensation of not-for-profit hospitals that receive state funds, and to exempt the department of state treasurer from department of health and human services review.
- What is the status of S978?
- Introduced as of June 16, 2026. Latest action: Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget (June 16, 2026).
- Who sponsored S978?
- Burgin, Jim (R, 12).
- Where is the official record for S978?
- On the North Carolina Legislature website: https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S978
Source: official North Carolina record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.