Rep. Julia Greenfield

Maddy summaryHB 418 mandates that all North Carolina public schools provide required arts education for K-5 students beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. It requires at least one 30-minute session per week in music, dance, or theatre arts (taught by a licensed instructor) and one session per week in visual arts (also taught by a licensed instructor), with classes kept at appropriate sizes. The bill directly affects every K-5 public school student and their educators across North Carolina, ensuring consistent arts instruction aligned with state curriculum standards. It does not alter funding or create new programs but sets specific instructional requirements for elementary schools.

Maddy summaryHB 416 appropriates $30,000 from the state General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Durham and Orange Counties. The funds will support a six-part youth development program focusing on teen recruitment, emotional safety, leadership, trauma-informed practices, cultural inclusion, and college/career readiness for area youth. This bill directly affects the Boys & Girls Clubs in those counties and the young people they serve, becoming effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 410 directs the North Carolina Institute of Medicine to study the legalization of medical aid in dying (MAID) in North Carolina. The study will examine processes, safeguards, and impacts in states where MAID is legal, including applicant qualifications, family effects, medication options, and healthcare system impacts. The Institute must hold a public hearing and submit findings by April 2027 to state health committees. The bill appropriates $150,000 for this study but does not legalize MAID or change current law. It aims to inform future policy decisions about adding MAID as an end-of-life option for terminally ill, mentally competent adults.

Maddy summaryHB 422, the "Beyond The Choice Act," eliminates a 12-month residency wait period for eligible veterans and their dependents at North Carolina public colleges and universities. It allows veterans who served 90+ days of active duty, their dependents, or other individuals covered under federal law (38 U.S.C. § 3679) to pay in-state tuition rates immediately upon admission, without needing to establish residency first. This change applies to all qualifying students enrolling in the 2025-2026 academic year and beyond. The bill directly benefits veterans and their families by reducing financial barriers to higher education in North Carolina.

Maddy summaryHB 420 allocates $4.3 million annually to fund teacher recruitment programs like "Grow-Your-Own" and "2+2" pathways in high-need schools, targeting efforts to recruit and prepare new educators. It requires the State Board of Education to develop a teacher licensure and compensation reform plan by March 2026, including pathways for new teachers and retention strategies. The bill also funds a study to expand educator preparation programs to graduate 5,000 in-state teachers annually, with a focus on increasing diversity among educators. These provisions directly affect public schools, teacher preparation programs, and prospective teachers through new funding streams and policy requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 391 appropriates $2.178 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and $4.542 million for 2026-2027 to hire 50 additional Adult Protective Services (APS) workers statewide. The funds, distributed based on need factors like case volume and senior population, directly support county social services departments overwhelmed by rising elder abuse reports. Counties must use the funds solely for APS worker salaries and benefits, not to replace existing funding. This addresses a critical staffing gap identified by counties, where federal funds are depleted early and reports of elder abuse have increased significantly.

Maddy summaryHB 401 allows North Carolina lottery winners who claim prizes of $50 million or more to keep their personal details (like name and address) confidential for 90 days after claiming the prize. This directly affects only winners of such large jackpots, not smaller prize winners. The bill requires the lottery commission to treat these winners' identifying information as confidential, except when disclosure is legally required - for example, to notify tax authorities (North Carolina Department of Revenue, IRS, or the winner’s state of residence), comply with debt collection laws, or follow court orders. The law does not change tax obligations or eligibility rules for winning the lottery.

Maddy summaryHB 403, the "Workers' Rights Act," fundamentally changes employment protections for all North Carolina workers. It abolishes at-will employment (meaning employers can only terminate workers for "just cause"), mandates paid 15-minute breaks for all employees working over 6 hours and a 60-minute paid meal break for longer shifts, and eliminates the subminimum wage for tipped workers by requiring employers to count tips only up to federal limits. The bill also prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who discuss wages or file complaints, and repeals the ban on public employee collective bargaining while creating an Ombuds Office to handle state employee workplace issues. These provisions directly affect every worker in North Carolina and state employees.

Maddy summaryHB 398, the "KinCare Act," allows North Carolina employees to use accrued sick leave to care for family members, directly affecting employers and workers in the state. The bill expands existing sick leave provisions to permit up to five consecutive days per year for caring for defined family members - including children, parents, spouses, domestic partners, or others with close family-like relationships - without requiring the employee’s own illness. Employers must permit this use under the same conditions applied to personal sick leave, while clarifying it does not alter federal Family and Medical Leave Act coverage or apply to certain benefits like workers’ compensation. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 404, the Fair and Affordable Housing Act, requires the Legislative Research Commission to study affordable housing availability across North Carolina - including rural and urban areas - and report findings to the 2026 General Assembly. The bill prohibits housing discrimination based on "source of income" (such as government housing vouchers, disability benefits, or rental assistance), making it illegal for landlords to refuse tenants using these payments. It also appropriates $45 million from the General Fund to the Housing Trust Fund for affordable housing development and bans credit reporting agencies from listing eviction lawsuits that don’t result in a landlord judgment. These changes directly affect renters (especially those using government assistance), landlords, housing providers, and credit agencies in North Carolina.