North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 6 D cosponsors

SB 536 — Birth Freedom Act.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 26% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 6 sponsors

    1 primary, 5 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (6 D).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

12 added · 13 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the most recent version of Senate Bill 536, a section has been removed that likely contained additional details or instructions regarding the legislation. However, the core provision about funding maternity care at birthing centers and ensuring reimbursement rates stays intact. This change is significant because it streamlines the bill and focuses directly on the critical funding aspect, which aims to ensure that rates for maternity care remain competitive with those of hospitals. This could help improve access and quality of care for expectant mothers using birthing centers.

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FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA Mar 25, 2025 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 536 Short Title:
536 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS15223-MRa-84 Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ENACT THE BIRTH FREEDOM ACT.
Rules and Operations of the Senate March 26, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ENACT THE BIRTH FREEDOM ACT.
Thefollowing provisionsofChapter58oftheGeneral Statutesapply to theStateHealthPlan:
Thefollowingprovisions ofChapter58oftheGeneral Statutesapplyto theStateHealthPlan:
…." SECTION 3.(b) Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of State Treasurer the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to be used to create greater access to maternity care provided at birthing centers in this State under the North Carolina State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees (State Health Plan).
…." SECTION 3.(b) Effective July1, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of State Treasurer the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to be used to create greater access to maternity care provided at birthing centers in this State under the North Carolina State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees (State Health Plan).
Incentives to be considered by the Board of Trustees of the State Health Plan shall ultimately result in cost-savings to the State Health Plan and may include subsidies not to exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) formaternity care at abirthing centerand reimbursement ratesfortheseservices thatarenolower *DRS15223-MRa-84* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 thanninety percent (90%)ofthe averagecommercialratepaid to hospitals forthesameorsimilar maternity care services.
Incentives to be considered by the Board of Trustees of the State Health Plan shall ultimately result in cost-savings to the State Health Plan and may include subsidies not to exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) formaternitycare at abirthingcenterand reimbursement ratesfortheseservices thatarenolower *S536-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 thanninetypercent (90%)ofthe averagecommercialratepaid to hospitals forthesameorsimilar maternity care services.
Page 2 DRS15223-MRa-84
Page 2 Senate Bill 536-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 173 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (173)

173 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

civil-rights healthcare health-insurance
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 536?
SB 536 is sponsored by Joyce Waddell (Democratic), Julie Mayfield (Democratic), Woodson Bradley (Democratic), Natalie S. Murdock (Democratic), Sophia Chitlik (Democratic), and Kandie D. Smith (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 536?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 536?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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