How HB 895 changes current law

Compared against the N.C. General Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

This bill establishes an Emergency Citizen Pilot Training Program and amends existing provisions to include emergency citizen pilots in leave entitlement and emergency management definitions.

• G.S. 166A-19.76

  emergency medical service personnel called into service. → emergency citizen pilots, and emergency medical service personnel called into service.

  The amendment allows emergency citizen pilots to also take leave without pay when called into service during emergencies.

• G.S. 166A-19.60(e)

  performing emergency management services at any place in this State, subject to the order or control of or pursuant to a request of the State government or any political subdivision thereof. → performing emergency management services services, including emergency citizen pilots with active status certification, at any place in this State, subject to the order or control of or pursuant to a request of the State government or any political subdivision thereof.

  This change includes certified emergency citizen pilots in the definition of emergency management workers, granting them associated rights and responsibilities.

• Article 7. North Carolina Emergency Citizen Pilot Training Program.

  This addition creates a new Article in Chapter 166A for the Emergency Citizen Pilot Training Program.

• The purpose of the Program is to set standards and certification for citizen pilots to assist emergency response and recovery operations after declared disasters.

  This sets a clear purpose for the newly established Emergency Citizen Pilot Training Program within emergency management.

• The Division shall maintain and update an Emergency Citizen Pilot Registry that lists all certificated emergency citizen pilots who have an active or inactive certificate awarded by the Program.

  This establishes a registry to track emergency citizen pilots certified under the new program.

• Coordination. – The Division shall work with the State Emergency Response Team, units of local governments, the Civil Air Patrol Section of the Department, other State agencies, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop standards, criteria, best practices, safety standards, and any other criteria necessary in the discretion of the Division to integrate emergency citizen pilot training into the North Carolina Emergency Operations Plan and other disaster response plans.

  This mandates coordination with various agencies to ensure the integration of the emergency citizen pilot training into broader emergency management frameworks.