More on the Calendar this Week!

Here is more to keep an eye on this week. This information comes from the NC Justice Center Newsletter:

House Bill 265—Establish High-Risk Pool
Scheduled for: Tuesday before the Senate Committee On Commerce, Small Business and Entrepreneurship. This bill has already passed the House with strong bipartisan support.
The Issue: Insurance companies charge excessively high premiums—often tens of thousands of dollars a year—to North Carolinians with chronic medical conditions.
This Bill: Creates a high-risk insurance pool for people who are charged excessively high insurance premiums. The premium for the pool would be 175% of what a person would pay if he were healthy. Insurance companies would contribute to the cost, which helps to prevent them from pushing sick people off their plans and into the pool.
Contact: Adam Searing, NC Health Access Coalition Director, (919) 856-2568

House Bill 973—mENTAL hEALTH eQUITABLE COVERAGE
Scheduled for: Wednesday before the Senate Committee on Health Care. This bill has already passed the House with strong bipartisan support.
The Issue: Many health insurance plans do not adequately cover mental health services.
This Bill: Requires insurers to provide benefits for the necessary care and treatment of mental illness that are no less favorable than benefits for physical illness generally.
Contact: Adam Searing, NC Health Access Coalition Director, (919) 856-2568

sENATE BILL 334—FAIR HOUSING ACT AMENDMENT
Scheduled for: Tuesday before the Senate Commerce Committee.
The Issue: Many low-income households who wait years to receive Section 8 rental assistance cannot find landlords to accept the assistance.
This Bill: Amends NC’s Fair Housing statute to prohibit discrimination against households with family members who are disabled or over age 62 solely because they receive Section 8 assistance.
Contact: Bill Rowe, General Counsel, (919) 856-2177

hOUSE BILL 898—EXPUNGE NONVIOLENT FELONY/YOUTHFUL OFFENDER
Scheduled for: Tuesday before the House Committee on Juvenile Justice.
The Issue: The juvenile’s felony conviction can follow him throughout his life, making it difficult for him to find a job or secure housing.
This Bill: Allows certain felonies committed by people under age 18 to be expunged if certain conditions are met.
Contact: Bill Rowe, General Counsel, (919) 856-2177

hOUSE BILL 1711—ESTABLISH PAID SICK DAYS
Scheduled for: Wednesday before the House Commerce Committee.
The Issue: In North Carolina, 42% of the workforce lacks paid sick days and may be fired for missing work to care for sick children or elderly parents. No state or federal law exists that provides a right to sick days.
This Bill: Requires employers to allow employees to earn up to seven sick days a year that may be taken by employees to care for themselves, sick children, spouses, and parents. In addition, employees could not be fired or otherwise retaliated against for taking sick days.
Contact: Bill Rowe, General Counsel, (919) 856-2177