Rep. Warren files bill in North Carolina House to amend wastewater system approval criteria

A new bill filed by State Rep. Harry Warren in the North Carolina House seeks to update wastewater system approval criteria to recognize nationally certified systems as innovative under state law, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 381 on March 12 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘On-Site Wastewater System Amendments.’

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

In essence, this bill amends the on-site subsurface wastewater statutes in North Carolina, specifically altering the criteria for a wastewater system to receive approval as an innovative system. It outlines that if a wastewater system has not been evaluated or approved under the state’s provisional system guidelines, but has received approval under protocols from a nationally recognized certification body for at least two consecutive years, the manufacturer can apply for the system’s innovative approval. The department must approve this application if the nationally recognized certification body’s approval is verified and the system’s design and installation are consistent with the approved protocols. The bill is effective upon becoming law and applies to applications filed after this date.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Warren proposed the most bills (19) 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.

Warren graduated from Kent State University in 1972 with a BA.

Warren, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2019 to represent the state’s 76th House district, replacing previous state representative Carl Ford.