Senate Bill 473 Summary

• Reforms occupational licensing board financial reporting by requiring the State Controller to establish uniform financial audit formats, with reports due by October 31 annually to multiple state agencies and the Joint Legislative Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee.

• Merges the North Carolina Board of Barber Examiners and Board of Electrolysis Examiners into a single North Carolina Board of Barber and Electrolysis Examiners with seven members including four licensed barbers, one electrologist, one physician, and one public member, effective January 1, 2020.

• Allows agencies to make technical corrections to adopted rules (such as correcting citations, changing addresses, fixing typographical errors) without Rules Review Commission review, and authorizes the Codifier of Rules to make similar corrections.

• Clarifies that parties may commence contested case proceedings directly with an agency without first petitioning for rule making or obtaining a declaratory ruling.

• Expands the North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy from seven to nine members by adding two representatives holding licenses to operate massage and bodywork therapy establishments.