NC S702

Repeals North Carolina's Certificate of Need (CON) and Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) laws effective January 1, 2017, eliminating state regulatory requirements for new health care facilities and services.

Removes references to CON requirements from multiple state statutes governing hospitals, home health agencies, chemical dependency treatment facilities, and other health care providers.

Allows inpatient chemical dependency facilities serving inmates to operate without obtaining a certificate of need, while removing the requirement that they be exempt from licensure.

Modifies attorney's fees provisions in administrative law to allow recovery of fees in contested cases against state agencies that acted without substantial justification, applicable to cases arising on or after January 1, 2017.

Amends definitions in insurance and health care statutes to replace references to repealed CON statutes with direct statutory definitions for hospice, intermediate care facilities, and health service facilities.