Bill Tells NC Hospitals To Let In Clergy During Emergency

North Carolina hospitals would be required to let a clergy member visit a patient even during a declared emergency like a pandemic in legislation that received final General Assembly approval. The Senate gave the final OK to the bill on Wednesday and will send it along to Gov. Roy Cooper.  The bill would require the minister to comply with health screenings and other infection controls that don’t interfere with religious beliefs. The measure was named for an eastern North Carolina resident who died at a hospital last year. His family and pastor had trouble getting in to visit him due to COVID-19 restrictions.