Coronavirus/COVID-19News

Governor Signs Executive Order to Provide Regulatory Flexibility for Health Care System During Response to COVID-19

Last Updated on May 13, 2020 12:42 pm

RALEIGH: Tuesday, Governor Roy Cooper Issued Executive Order No. 139, which will provide additional regulatory flexibility to help ensure capacity in the state’s health care system and improve its ability to effectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s critical that our health care professionals are able to remain on the job during this crisis and this Order provides the flexibility to waive certain regulations impacting our health care system during the response to COVID-19,” said Governor Cooper.

The Executive Order temporarily gives the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (“DHHS”) the ability to waive or modify regulations for accreditation for asbestos and lead testing professionals, accreditation of local health departments, and regulations impacting child care and high-risk health care facilities. The Executive Order ensures that DHHS can utilize certain authority provided by the federal government to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This temporary flexibility will ensure capacity and continuity in services in North Carolina’s health care system while the state continues to respond to COVID-19. Executive Order 139 is effective immediately and remains in effect until 5:00 pm on June 26, 2020.

The Council of State concurred with the Order today. 

Read Executive Order 139.

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