HB 126 - Amend Certificate of Need Laws.

HB126, Amend Certificate of Need Laws, as passed by the Senate in July 2019, repeals the state’s restrictive Certificate of Need (CON) requirements for psychiatric and chemical dependency treatment facilities. It also raises the expenditure thresholds for CON reviews. Civitas Action opposes CON laws because they promote a government-protected oligopoly, which limits competition and drives up prices. While the bill did not go nearly far enough to remove government barriers, it was a step in the right direction. Although the bill was later replaced with language dealing with state employee pay raises, the version of HB126 passed originally by the Senate was a bill that would expand freedom in North Carolina. The vote for freedom is yes.