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Read. Follow. Verify.North Carolina Updates Labor Laws to Exempt Department Staff from Subpoenas and Raise Safety Inspection Fees
Last action · June 27, 2025: Ch. SL 2025-28Sponsors: Kyle Hall and 5 others
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What This Bill Would Do
North Carolina shields Department of Labor officials and employees from routine subpoenas during safety inspections, streamlines OSHA standard adoptions, and increases maximum safety inspection fees for elevators and amusement devices to $1,000.
Property owners, employers, and amusement device operators face higher maximum inspection fees and new procedural rules during workplace safety investigations, while subpoena issuers must pay a $500 daily witness fee to the Department of Labor.
- The North Carolina Department of Labor oversees workplace safety, standards, and various equipment inspections across the state. context
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.
Department of Labor Employees
Employees receive protection from routine subpoenas regarding occupational safety and health inspections unless specific legal exceptions are met.
Elevator and Amusement Device Owners
Owners face increased maximum inspection fees of up to $1,000 and updated regulatory standards for equipment operation and out-of-service compliance.
Parties Issuing Subpoenas
Any party issuing a subpoena to Department personnel must pay a witness fee of $500 per day to the Department.
Key Facts
- Neither the Commissioner nor any Department of Labor employee is subject to a subpoena for safety inspection inquiries unless specific conditions are met, such as an enforcement proceeding or court order.
- A party that issues a subpoena to a Department of Labor employee must pay a witness fee of $500 per day.
- The Occupational Safety and Health Division is not required to publish notice or hold public hearings for rules identical to federal OSHA regulations.
- The Chief Medical Examiner must forward fatal workplace injury investigation reports to the Commissioner of Labor within 30 days of receipt.
Show all 7 facts
- The maximum fee for elevator and lifting device inspection and certificate issuance is increased up to $1,000.
- The maximum fee for amusement device inspection and certificate issuance is increased up to $1,000.
- Devices and equipment out of service for one or more years must comply with all rules for existing installations before returning to service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Department of Labor employees be subpoenaed for safety inspections?
Does the OSHA division have to hold public hearings when adopting rules identical to federal regulations?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
29 actions- Jun 17, 2025HouseOrdered Enrolled
- Jun 17, 2025HouseConcurred In S Com Sub
- Jun 12, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 06/17/2025
- Jun 12, 2025HouseCal Pursuant 36(b)
- Jun 11, 2025HouseRegular Message Received For Concurrence in S Com Sub
- Jun 11, 2025SenateRegular Message Sent To House
Show 23 earlier actions
- Jun 10, 2025SenatePassed 3rd Reading
- Jun 10, 2025SenatePassed 2nd Reading
- Jun 9, 2025SenateReptd Fav
- Jun 4, 2025SenateRe-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- Jun 4, 2025SenateCom Substitute Adopted
- Jun 4, 2025SenateReptd Fav Com Substitute
- May 27, 2025SenateRe-ref to Judiciary. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate
- May 27, 2025SenateWithdrawn From Com
- Apr 30, 2025SenateRef To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- Apr 30, 2025SenatePassed 1st Reading
- Apr 30, 2025SenateRegular Message Received From House
- Apr 30, 2025HouseRegular Message Sent To Senate
- Apr 29, 2025HousePassed 3rd Reading
- Apr 29, 2025HousePassed 2nd Reading
- Apr 28, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 04/29/2025
- Apr 28, 2025HouseCal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
- Apr 28, 2025HouseReptd Fav
- Apr 15, 2025HouseRe-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Apr 15, 2025HouseSerial Referral To Commerce and Economic Development Stricken
- Apr 15, 2025HouseReptd Fav Com Substitute
- Mar 31, 2025HouseRef to the Com on Judiciary 2, if favorable, Commerce and Economic Development, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Mar 31, 2025HousePassed 1st Reading
- Mar 27, 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- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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