A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT directing the LEgislative research commission to study whether certain medical offices should be required to have emergency generators for use during power outages.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  As used in this section, the term "physician offices" means any premises where a person licensed to practice medicine under Chapter 90 of the General Statutes, or where a professional association or corporation organized under Chapter 55B of the General Statutes, engages in the practice of medicine, as that term is defined in Article 1 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes.
SECTION 1.(b)  The Legislative Research Commission (LRC) shall study whether North Carolina should enact legislation requiring that physician offices be capable of providing emergency electrical service for use in the event of failure of the normal electrical service.
As part of its study, the LRC shall do all of the following:
(1)	Examine any current requirements imposed on physician offices in the event of failure of the normal electrical service.
(2)	Examine whether other states require that physician offices be capable of providing electrical service for use in the event of failure of the normal electrical service; and in the states that impose such a requirement, examine their experiences.
(3)	Investigate the positive and negative impacts of such a requirement on the practice of medicine in this State.
(4)	Consult with the North Carolina Medical Board to determine its support or objection to such a requirement and the reasons why.
(5)	Any other matters the LRC deems relevant to its efforts.
SECTION 1.(c)  The LRC shall report its findings, together with any proposed legislation, to the 2020 Regular Session of the 2019 General Assembly upon its convening.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.