AN ACT appropriating funds to the department of health and human services, division of public health, to provide grants to nonprofit community health centers for the purchase and distribution of long‑acting reversible contraceptives.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2023‑2024 fiscal year to be used to award grants on a competitive basis to nonprofit community health centers. Nonprofit community health centers selected to receive these grant funds shall use all such funds to purchase and make available long‑acting reversible contraceptives for underserved, uninsured, or medically indigent patients. As used in this section, the term long‑acting reversible contraceptives means a contraceptive drug or device that meets all of the following criteria:

(1)        Is a method of birth control that provides effective contraception for an extended period of time without depending upon user action.

(2)        Is designed as a temporary method of birth control that the user can elect to discontinue.

(3)        Has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for use as a contraceptive.

(4)        Is obtained under a prescription written by a health care provider authorized to prescribe medications under the laws of this State.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2023.