GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2013
SESSION LAW 2013-20
SENATE BILL 44
AN ACT to permit disclosure of certain information pertaining to workers' compensation coverage by the north carolina industrial commission, as recommended by the joint legislative committee on workers' compensation insurance coverage compliance and fraud prevention and detection.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 58-36-17 reads as rewritten:
"§ 58-36-17. Bureau to share information with the North Carolina Industrial Commission.
The Bureau shall provide to the
North Carolina Industrial Commission information contained in the Bureau's
records indicating the status of workers' compensation insurance coverage on
North Carolina employers as reported to the Bureau by the Bureau's member
companies. The North Carolina Industrial Commission shall take such steps,
including obtaining software or software licenses, as are necessary to be able
to receive and process such information from the Bureau. The records provided
to the North Carolina Industrial Commission under this section shall be
confidential and shall not be public records as that term is defined in
G.S. 132-1. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, sentence and
with respect to policies becoming effective on and after January 1, 2012, the
North Carolina Industrial Commission may release data showing workers workers'
compensation insurance policy information that includes only only
employer name and address, carrier name, address, and telephone number; policy
number; policy effective dates,dates; policy cancellation dates,dates;
and policy reinstatement dates. This data shall not be confidential data and
shall be a public record as that term is defined in G.S. 132-1. The North
Carolina Industrial Commission shall use the information provided pursuant to
this section only to carry out its statutory duties and obligations under The
North Carolina Workers' Compensation Act. The Bureau shall be immune from civil
liability for releasing information pursuant to this section, even if the
information is erroneous, provided the Bureau acted in good faith and without
malicious or willful intent to harm in releasing the information."
SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 28th day of March, 2013.
s/ Daniel J. Forest
President of the Senate
s/ Thom Tillis
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ Pat McCrory
Governor
Approved 4:49 p.m. this 3rd day of April, 2013