Rep. Zenger files bill in North Carolina House to reform regulations

A new bill filed by State Rep. Jeff Zenger seeks to reform regulatory oversight and promote transparency in professional and public sectors in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 926 on April 10 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Regulatory Reform Act of 2025.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill, known as the Regulatory Reform Act of 2025, outlines various regulatory changes effective at different dates. It exempts certified reflexologists from oversight by the North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy beginning Oct. 1, 2025, and allows physical therapists to evaluate student-athlete head injuries during sports activities. It designates the second Sunday in November as SUDEP Awareness Week and encourages seizure awareness training for school staff. The bill exempts legislators from general contractor continuing education during their term and removes dual licensure requirements for audiologists. With an emphasis on transparency, it mandates disclosure and record-keeping for locked hearing aids, requiring sellers to provide explicit notices to purchasers and maintain records for seven years. Amendments to eminent domain law would require a public use justification and compensation determined by a jury. The bill also permits ungraded lumber use in certain construction scenarios and postpones mandatory reporting for some fish harvests. Agencies are encouraged to informally negotiate disputes, extending notice periods for contested hearings and prohibiting ex parte communications while aligning procedures with Rule 4.2 of professional conduct. This bill becomes law upon enactment unless otherwise specified.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Allen Chesser proposed the most bills (49) 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.

Zenger, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 74th House district, replacing previous state representative Wes Schollander.