A new bill filed by State Sen. Jarvis seeks to reduce continuing education demands for specific occupational and professional licensing boards in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina State Senate.
The bill, filed as SB 451 on March 24 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Occupational/Professional Licensing Relief.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates a 50% reduction in continuing education requirements for specific occupational and professional licensing boards in North Carolina. Boards can either halve the current education hours per renewal cycle or double the time allowed to complete them. The bill identifies affected boards, including landscape architects, soil scientists, engineers, geologists, athletic trainers, and others. Exceptions are made if reductions invalidate accreditations or conflict with federal laws. The bill also allows for carryover of education hours between compliance windows, with uniform guidelines. This act takes effect Oct. 1, 2025, impacting applications and renewals from that date onward.
Of the three sponsors of this bill, Timothy D. Moffitt proposed the most bills (52) during the 2025 regular session.
Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
Jarvis graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government.
Jarvis, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 30th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Phil Berger.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Jarvis, Timothy D. Moffitt, and Tom McInnis | SB 451 | 03/24/2025 | Occupational/Professional Licensing Relief. |
| Steve Jarvis, Timothy D. Moffitt, and Tom McInnis | SB 387 | 03/24/2025 | Brownfields Property Reuse Act Revisions. |
| Steve Jarvis, Timothy D. Moffitt, and Tom McInnis | SB 388 | 03/24/2025 | DOT Permit Review Time Periods. |
| Steve Jarvis | SB 445 | 03/24/2025 | Reg. Relief for Hospitals in Disaster Zones. |
| Steve Jarvis, Timothy D. Moffitt, and Tom McInnis | SB 472 | 03/24/2025 | Amend 401 Certification Process. |
| Steve Jarvis, Phil Berger, and Timothy D. Moffitt | SB 474 | 03/24/2025 | The DAVE Act. |
| Steve Jarvis, Amy S. Galey, and Benton G. Sawrey | SB 370 | 03/20/2025 | Repeal Certificate of Need Laws. |
| Steve Jarvis and Timothy D. Moffitt | SB 314 | 03/17/2025 | Eliminate ETJ Overlap. |
| Steve Jarvis, Benton G. Sawrey, and Timothy D. Moffitt | SB 290 | 03/13/2025 | NC REINS Act. |
| Steve Jarvis, Brad Overcash, and Buck Newton | SB 280 | 03/12/2025 | Private School Security Act. |
| Steve Jarvis | SB 205 | 02/27/2025 | Swimming Pools/Housing Regulatory Reform. |
| Steve Jarvis, Tom McInnis, and Warren Daniel | SB 207 | 02/27/2025 | Litter Law/Rebuttable Presumption. |
| Steve Jarvis | SB 53 | 02/05/2025 | 30th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
