State Rep. Lindsey Prather has introduced a bill in the North Carolina House that would create statewide minimum wage standards for direct care and health care support workers, the North Carolina State House said.
The measure, labeled HB 1045 and filed April 23 during the 2025 regular session, carries the short title: ‘Fair Wages in Health Care Act/Funds.’
This summary draws from the actual bill text and may include explanatory interpretation to clarify details.
Under the Fair Wages in Health Care Act, minimum hourly pay rates would be set statewide for specific care and support roles: $18 for home care aides and direct support professionals, $20 for certified nursing assistants, $22 for psychiatric aides, and $24 for licensed practical nurses. Employers would be prevented from bypassing these requirements by altering job titles, and overlapping responsibilities would be paid at the highest specified wage. The bill instructs the Department of Health and Human Services and related state agencies to revise Medicaid, waiver, and other public payment structures to support compliance. It appropriates $500,000 from the General Fund for implementation on July 1, 2026, and overall, would take effect January 1, 2028.
Among the bill’s four sponsors, Maria Cervania introduced the largest number of bills (35) during the 2025 regular session.
North Carolina’s legislative process involves several phases. A bill is first filed by a legislator, then referred to a committee for vetting. The legislation must be heard three times in each chamber and, if amended in one after passing the other, must be reconciled so that identical language is approved. Following approval by both chambers, the bill proceeds to the governor, who can sign, veto, or take no action for up to 10 days (or 30 if lawmakers are out of session), allowing it to become law with or without a signature.
More information about related bills and actions can be found here.
Prather earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina Asheville in 2008.
Prather, a Democrat, was elected in 2023 to represent North Carolina’s 115th House district in place of former representative John Ager.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lindsey Prather, Gloristine Brown, Maria Cervania, and Tracy Clark | HB 1045 | 04/23/2026 | Fair Wages in Health Care Act/Funds. |
| Lindsey Prather, Marcia Morey, Mary Belk, and Renée A. Price | HB 1044 | 04/23/2026 | Justice in Mental Health Act. |
| Lindsey Prather, Cynthia Ball, Julie von Haefen, and Zack Hawkins | HB 1017 | 04/21/2026 | Sound Basic Education for Every Child. |
| Lindsey Prather, Cynthia Ball, Julie von Haefen, and Monika Johnson-Hostler | HB 941 | 04/10/2025 | Expand & Enhance the Teaching Fellows Program. |
| Lindsey Prather, Jordan Lopez, Marcia Morey, and Tim Longest | HB 970 | 04/10/2025 | Preventing Algorithmic Rent Fixing. |
| Lindsey Prather, Brian Turner, and Eric Ager | HB 863 | 04/09/2025 | Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part 1(b). |
| Lindsey Prather, Amber M. Baker, Frances Jackson, PhD, and Julie von Haefen | HB 807 | 04/07/2025 | Strong Public Schools for a Strong NC. |
| Lindsey Prather, Cynthia Ball, Julie von Haefen, and Phil Rubin | HB 815 | 04/07/2025 | Voucher School Accountability Act. |
| Lindsey Prather, Cecil Brockman, Cynthia Ball, and Phil Rubin | HB 816 | 04/07/2025 | Voucher School Transparency Act. |
| Lindsey Prather, Beth Helfrich, Brandon Lofton, and Julie von Haefen | HB 651 | 04/01/2025 | Reduce Parent Copays/Child Care Subsidy/Funds. |
| Lindsey Prather, Allen Buansi, and Maria Cervania | HB 667 | 04/01/2025 | Reduce Barriers to College Completion. |
| Lindsey Prather, Maria Cervania, and Pricey Harrison | HB 689 | 04/01/2025 | Expanding Workforce and Education Act. |
| Lindsey Prather, Brian Turner, Eric Ager, and Rodney D. Pierce | HB 599 | 03/31/2025 | Award NC Forest Service Pay Increase. |
| Lindsey Prather, Cynthia Ball, Julie von Haefen, and Rodney D. Pierce | HB 531 | 03/26/2025 | Addressing NC’s Teacher Crisis/NTSP. |
| Lindsey Prather, Becky Carney, Carolyn G. Logan, and James Roberson | HB 550 | 03/26/2025 | Modify Mileage and Per Diem. |
| Lindsey Prather, Dante Pittman, Monika Johnson-Hostler, and Rodney D. Pierce | HB 507 | 03/25/2025 | The Children First Act. |
| Lindsey Prather, Carla D. Cunningham, Julie von Haefen, and Renée A. Price | HB 500 | 03/24/2025 | NC Adopt ERA. |
| Lindsey Prather, Bryan Cohn, Robert T. Reives, II, and Vernetta Alston | HB 503 | 03/24/2025 | Don’t Tread on Me Act. |
| Lindsey Prather, Beth Helfrich, Bryan Cohn, and Dante Pittman | HB 473 | 03/20/2025 | Right to IVF. |
| Lindsey Prather, Beth Helfrich, Julia Greenfield, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 474 | 03/20/2025 | Right to Use Contraception. |
| Lindsey Prather, Amos L. Quick, III, Cynthia Ball, and Julie von Haefen | HB 445 | 03/18/2025 | Fairness & Transparency in Education Salaries. |
| Lindsey Prather, Donny Lambeth, Julia C. Howard, and Pricey Harrison | HB 410 | 03/17/2025 | NCIOM Study/Medical Aid in Dying. |
| Lindsey Prather, Cynthia Ball, Julie von Haefen, and Zack Hawkins | HB 420 | 03/17/2025 | Sound Basic Education for Every Child. |
| Lindsey Prather, Beth Helfrich, Marcia Morey, and Pricey Harrison | HB 322 | 03/06/2025 | Make General Assembly Records Public. |
| Lindsey Prather, Brian Turner, and Eric Ager | HB 228 | 02/26/2025 | City of Asheville/Funds for Study. |
| Lindsey Prather, Brian Turner, and Eric Ager | HB 238 | 02/26/2025 | Reimburse Buncombe Co. for Cost of Study. |
| Lindsey Prather, Brian Turner, and Eric Ager | HB 194 | 02/25/2025 | SchCalFlex/Asheville/Open Cal. |
| Lindsey Prather, Allen Buansi, Gloristine Brown, and Tim Longest | HB 181 | 02/24/2025 | Tax Relief for Working Families Act. |
| Lindsey Prather, Brian Turner, and Eric Ager | HB 104 | 02/11/2025 | SchCalFlex/Buncombe/Open Cal. |
| Lindsey Prather, Eric Ager, Mitchell S. Setzer, and Pricey Harrison | HB 84 | 02/10/2025 | The Pollinator Protection Act. |
| Lindsey Prather, Marcia Morey, Pricey Harrison, and Zack Hawkins | HB 20 | 01/29/2025 | Fair Maps Act. |
