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2025-2026 Legislative and Public Policy Priorities

North Carolina's General Assembly is currently in session. NCPA staff and lobbyists are monitoring bills and have been on hand for legislative discussions of great significance to psychiatry. NCPA is available to serve as a resource to policy leaders in the state. We are focused on the following issues of importance to mental health...

  • Enforce Mental Health Parity in North Carolina

  • Ensuring Adequate and Qualified Workforce

  • Promoting Quality Behavioral Health Care Access

  • Decriminalizing Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders

For more information regarding NCPA's legislative priorities, email [email protected] View NCPA's Weekly Legislative Updates. 

Where Can I See What APA is Doing? Visit APA’s Advocacy Action Center at psychiatry.org/advocacy for the latest information on APA’s advocacy activities. The members-only Advocacy Action Center has an up-to-date list of recent actions taken by APA.

Weekly Legislative Updates 

April 27, 2026

As session begins to gain momentum, overall floor activity remained relatively limited, with both the House and Senate holding light voting sessions alongside a handful of committee meetings. The primary focus this week centered on bill filings, with the General Assembly surpassing 150 filed bills. These proposals span a broad range of issues, including social media and artificial intelligence regulation, affordable housing initiatives, and funding for rural town hall renovations.

The Senate Appropriations Committee met to discuss SB 800 – Zero-Based Budgeting, focusing on identifying inefficiencies and potential cost savings through a restructuring of the budgeting process.

The first law of the session was enacted Thursday, as Josh Stein signed HB 696—Medicaid & HHS Adjustments and Other Critical Needs—into law. The legislation provides full funding for Medicaid, addressing immediate budgetary pressures within the program. While the bill does not resolve all underlying challenges, Governor Stein emphasized his commitment to working collaboratively with the General Assembly to ensure a productive short session and to pursue additional solutions moving forward.

As the short session progresses, legislative activity is expected to accelerate, with increased floor votes and committee engagement in the coming weeks.

April 23, 2026

Lawmakers returned to Raleigh this week to begin the 2026 legislative short session. Traditionally, the short session focuses on making adjustments to the state budget and advancing key legislation that did not pass during the long session. This year, major priorities include finalizing a budget, addressing Medicaid funding and rebasing, and revisiting several high-profile and previously stalled bills.

The opening week primarily centered on legislative proceedings, including the swearing-in of new members and the introduction and discussion of various House and Senate bills.

In the House, significant attention was given to HB 696 (Medicaid and HHS Adjustments). This legislation addresses several critical areas within Medicaid, including funding, expansion, cost control, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy guidelines. The bill provides approximately $319 million towards the state’s Medicaid rebase for the remainder of the fiscal year and reflects a compromise package developed collaboratively by both the House and Senate. Additionally, the bill includes reforms to ABA therapy, introducing guardrails and clearer standards aimed at ensuring appropriate treatment for children with autism while also seeking potential cost savings for the state.

On the Senate side, a new caucus—the National Security Technology and Innovation Caucus—has been established. The caucus is designed to strengthen collaboration between North Carolina’s research universities, military installations, and private-sector innovators. Its goal is to position the state to better compete nationally in the defense industry and in emerging dual-use and critical technologies, addressing a current gap in North Carolina’s economic portfolio.

As the short session progresses, we expect continued developments and potential shifts in priorities. We will closely monitor legislative activity and provide timely updates as key issues evolve.
 

NCPA's Advocacy Efforts

The NC Psychiatric Association is a non-partisan organization that works to represent and advance the practice of medicine and psychiatry in North Carolina through the policy-making and legislative process. But what does that actually mean, and how do we advocate for our members and the mental health field?

  • We have registered lobbyists who works hard to make sure psychiatrists, providers, and mental health professionals are at the table during important policy-making discussions and meetings. 
  • We attend legislative meetings and talk to legislators and other policymakers to ensure they have the facts about how legislative decisions will affect patients, providers, and others. 
  • We track legislation that affects the mental health field, including issues related to substance use disorders, and the practice of psychiatry. 
  • We are part of statewide coalitions, committees, and work groups that discuss mental health and substance use disorders to monitor issues, trends, and policies. 
  • We sponsor and participate in advocacy events at the General Assembly. Our members also participate in White Coat Wednesday events, where physicians attend the General Assembly to raise awareness of medical issues and the practice of medicine in North Carolina. 
  • We issue position statements and communicate with legislators, the Governor, and other government officials about the benefits and potential consequences of specific legislation and policies. 

We encourage our members and the public to stay informed and involved, and we hope the resources found here will help you do that.
 

NCPA's Advocacy Events

Each year, NCPA holds Legislative Advocacy Days where members travel to Raleigh to meet with legislators at the NC General Assembly. These advocacy days allow members to experience the legislative process first-hand, meet directly with their district's legislators, and educate government officials about policy issues. 

Many times, NCPA Advocacy Days will coincide with the NC Medical Society's White Coat Wednesdays. Members attend a policy education and training session and learn how to best approach legislators about important health care issues. These days are fast-paced and make an impact.

If you are interested in learning about or participating in an Advocacy Day, contact us!