Bill > S585

This bill modifies North Carolina law to expand tuition and registration fee waivers for community college courses for certain municipal and county emergency medical services (EMS) and rescue department personnel. Specifically, the bill adds a provision that allows tuition waivers for departments that embed mental health clinicians in 911 call centers to help direct and provide appropriate resources during service calls, as well as departments that pair mental health clinicians, peer support specialists, and other trained professionals with first responders. These waivers are designed to support specialized training needs for these departments, helping to make instruction more accessible and potentially improve emergency response services by supporting professional development for mental health and emergency service workers. The bill is set to become effective on July 1, 2025, giving local governments and community colleges time to prepare for implementing this new tuition waiver opportunity.

Budget and Finance

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S585