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Read. Follow. Verify.North Carolina Bill Returns Office of State Fire Marshal Oversight to Department of Insurance Commissioner
Last action · April 14, 2025: Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (House action)Sponsors: John Blust and 5 others
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill eliminates the independent status of the Office of the State Fire Marshal and places its authority back under the Commissioner of the Department of Insurance, effective October 1, 2025.
Changes administrative governance and supervisory authority over fire safety and insurance regulations by transferring oversight responsibilities back to an elected commissioner.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Office of the State Fire Marshal Employees
Employees continue their employment under the authority of the Commissioner of the Department of Insurance.
Department of Insurance Commissioner
Regains oversight authority, rule-amending power, and appointment responsibilities over the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
Key Facts
- Repeals Section 30.8 of S.L. 2023-134, Parts X, XI, and XII of S.L. 2023-151, and Section 6.4 of S.L. 2021-1.
- Retains existing Office of the State Fire Marshal employees and positions as of October 1, 2025, subject to commissioner action.
- Maintains existing rules adopted by the State Fire Marshal until amended by the Commissioner under Chapter 150B of the General Statutes.
- Preserves existing unique fire department identification numbers (FDID) issued under G.S. 58-84-41.
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- Allows current members of boards or commissions appointed by the State Fire Marshal to serve out their terms.
- Grants the Commissioner authority to appoint successors upon the expiration of terms for members previously appointed by the State Fire Marshal.
- Sets the effective date of the act as October 1, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to current employees of the Office of the State Fire Marshal?
Do existing rules and fire department identification numbers remain valid?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
3 actions- Apr 14, 2025HouseRef To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Apr 14, 2025HousePassed 1st Reading
- Apr 10, 2025HouseIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 1 more sponsor
Connected Entities
Sources
www.ncleg.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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