Senate Bill 656 Summary

• Establishes a Criminal Investigation Unit within the Industrial Commission with sworn law enforcement officers authorized to make arrests, investigate fraud, and enforce workers' compensation laws throughout North Carolina.

• Grants fraud investigators authority to inspect records of insurance companies, agents, and brokers; makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to refuse record inspection or make false statements about records.

• Modifies drug reimbursement provisions to include prescribed over-the-counter drugs and Schedule IV controlled substances, limits initial controlled substance supply to five days, and requires use of original manufacturer's National Drug Code numbers on billing documents.

• Clarifies appeal procedures for Industrial Commission decisions by allowing the full Commission to conduct hearings within 90 days and establishing timelines for issuing decisions on appeals.

• Makes technical and conforming changes to workers' compensation laws including modifications to safety fee provisions, employer accident reporting requirements, and claims adjuster licensing standards.