GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 513 Short Title: Strengthen Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. (Public) Sponsors: Representatives Buansi, Iler, Price, and Cotham (Primary Sponsors). For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site. Referred to: Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House March 26, 2025 *H513 -v-1* A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND H UMAN 2 SERVICES, DIVISION OF AGING, TO STRENGTH EN NORTH CAROLINA'S 3 LONG-TERM CARE OMBUD SMAN PROGRAM BY FUND ING ADDITIONAL 4 OMBUDSMAN POSITIONS TO MOVE NORTH CAROLI NA TOWARDS NATIONAL 5 STANDARDS FOR LONG -TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN P ROGRAMS. 6 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 7 SECTION 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 8 Health and Human Services, Division of Aging, the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) in 9 recurring funds for each year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to be allocated and used as 10 follows: 11 (1) The sum of one hundred forty-five thousand dollars ($145,000) for the 12 2025-2026 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred six thousand seven hundred 13 fifty dollars ($106,750) for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to support the 14 operational expenses of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, including 15 costs associated with equipment, supplies, and transportation. 16 (2) The sum of eight hundred fifty-five thousand dollars ($855,000) for the 17 2025-2026 fiscal year and the sum of eight hundred ninety-three thousand two 18 hundred fifty dollars ($893,250) for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to fund nine 19 additional full-time Regional Ombudsman positions to move North Carolina 20 toward national standards for long-term care ombudsman programs. These 21 nine positions shall be dedicated to the Regional Ombudsman Programs 22 within the Area Agencies on Aging most in need of additional ombudsman 23 support, as determined by the Office of the State Long-Term Care 24 Ombudsman. 25 SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 26