HB 295 requires the North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) to install permanent property corner markers after acquiring land for transportation projects. It directly affects property owners whose land is used for DOT projects, ensuring clear boundary identification. The bill mandates DOT to survey and place durable markers (like metal stakes) along acquired property lines after project completion, using coordinates tied to North Carolina's State Plane Coordinate system. This ensures accurate, long-term documentation of property boundaries for future reference.
HB 302 changes Pitt County's school board elections from nonpartisan to partisan, requiring candidates to run under political party affiliations. It affects Pitt County residents who vote in school board elections and candidates seeking those seats, as members will now be elected in partisan races during even-numbered years. The bill mandates single-member districts where only local voters can choose their district's representative, with vacancies filled by appointed members from the same district. This change applies to elections starting after December 1, 2026, while current members elected in 2022/2024 retain their terms.
HB 15 clarifies that including property in a non-financially constrained comprehensive transportation plan does not require disclosure as a "material fact" in real estate transactions. It removes the obligation for sellers, agents, or buyers to disclose this detail when selling, leasing, or exchanging property, covering transactions listed under North Carolina law (G.S. 47E-1). The bill also prohibits knowingly making false statements about such property inclusions. It directly affects real estate transactions involving properties near planned transportation projects, changing disclosure requirements effective October 1, 2025.
HB 370 establishes the Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act in North Carolina, creating legal tools for courts to prevent child abduction before it occurs. The bill requires courts to consider specific risk factors - such as prior abduction attempts, domestic violence, unusual financial activity, passport applications, or plans to travel to unsafe countries - when ordering prevention measures like travel restrictions. It directly affects children at risk, parents or custodians in custody disputes, and courts handling child custody cases. Key provisions mandate that petitions for prevention measures must include evidence of risk factors and existing custody orders, with courts able to act on their own motion or via petition. The law aligns North Carolina with national uniform standards for addressing abduction risks in custody proceedings.
HB 71, the Respiratory Care Modernization Act, updates North Carolina's laws governing respiratory care practice. It creates a new "Advanced respiratory care practitioner" (ARCP) category for licensed professionals with postgraduate training, requiring Board-endorsed competency for advanced procedures. The bill clarifies that ARCPs cannot diagnose, prescribe, or perform invasive procedures without physician supervision, while defining their scope to include cardiopulmonary care and tasks delegated by physicians. This directly affects respiratory care practitioners and patients by standardizing advanced practice rules and ensuring procedures align with current professional standards. The changes aim to reflect modern respiratory care practices without altering basic licensing requirements.
HB 331 designates the North Carolina Rice Festival, held annually on the first weekend in March at the Brunswick Town State Historic Site in Winnabow, as the official state rice festival. The bill directly affects the festival organizers and the Winnabow community by granting the event formal recognition. It does not create new regulations, funding, or policy changes - only establishes ceremonial status through a statutory reference. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on naming the event, with no impact on state laws or resources.
HB 189 clarifies the timing requirements for red light cameras in North Carolina, ensuring they only issue tickets after the red light has been displayed for a legally required period. The bill specifies that cameras cannot enforce violations for vehicles entering an intersection before the red clearance interval expires (the time after the light turns red before the camera can activate). It requires all traffic signals with cameras to follow engineering plans approved by a licensed professional engineer and comply with the standard Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. This affects municipalities using red light cameras under state law, setting clear technical standards for when violations can be recorded.
HB 382 allows North Carolina's Wildlife Resources Commission to issue elk hunting permits through a raffle and an auction for the 2026 season. Residents can enter a $20-per-ticket raffle (max 30 tickets for $500), while a nonprofit focused on elk conservation must conduct an auction where the nonprofit keeps ≤25% of proceeds, with all other funds going to elk conservation. Permits are nontransferable, and the Commission must reserve 50% of raffle permits for North Carolina residents in future seasons. All revenue supplements existing elk management funding, and the Commission must report annually on program effectiveness to legislative committees.
HB 666 changes the term structure for North Carolina's Wildlife Resources Commission by standardizing all appointments to two-year terms and limiting members to no more than three consecutive terms. It affects all Commission members appointed by the Governor, the Commissioner of Agriculture, and the General Assembly. Current members with terms expiring in 2027 or 2029 will serve their existing terms, but all future appointments will follow the new two-year limit. The bill takes effect June 30, 2025.
HB 700, the Patients' Restoration of Rights Act, allows patients or their representatives to file medical malpractice or wrongful death lawsuits for injuries or deaths occurring after March 1, 2020, if those claims would otherwise be barred by statute due to missed deadlines. It specifically excludes cases where the death or injury was directly caused by contracting COVID-19. The bill temporarily revives time-barred claims from March 2020 onward for one year after the law takes effect, applying to cases under North Carolina’s civil procedures for medical malpractice (Chapter 90, Article 1B) or wrongful death (Chapter 28A). This provides a limited window for eligible claimants to pursue legal action without needing to prove new harm. The law expires one year after enactment, with no permanent change to standard statute of limitations rules.
HB 679 appropriates $5.4 million in one-time state funds to the Town of Spring Lake for specific public projects. The funding directs $200,000 for restoring the Historic Spring Lake Civic Center, $100,000 to the Spring Lake Fire Department, $5 million for general infrastructure, and $100,000 to support the Manchester Fire Department or other rural fire departments serving the Spring Lake area. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, and directly affects Spring Lake town operations and the designated fire departments through these targeted grants.
HB 676 allocates $1,524,978 in one-time state funds to Haywood County Schools for specific facility improvements. The bill directs $998,538 for a turf field at Tuscola High School, $26,440 for a multipurpose locker room building at C.E. Weatherby Stadium, and $500,000 for stadium upgrades at Bethel Middle School. These funds are designated for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and must be used solely for the specified projects. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, and does not change existing school policies or programs.
