Rep. Aisha Dew

Maddy summaryHB 885 revises North Carolina public school discipline policies to limit suspensions, prohibit corporal punishment, and improve parental notification. It defines suspension lengths (short-term up to 20 days, long-term over 43 days), bans corporal punishment entirely, and requires schools to make documented, multi-channel attempts to contact parents within one hour of disciplinary actions. The bill mandates schools to collect and publicly report demographic data (race, gender, disability status, etc.) on all suspensions, expulsions, and disciplinary actions. These changes directly affect all public school students in North Carolina, with specific restrictions on suspending kindergarten through third graders and requiring in-school suspension to not exceed 40 cumulative days per year.

Maddy summaryHB 888 appropriates $1 million from the General Fund to the North Carolina Community Health Worker Association (a nonprofit) for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The funds will directly support the Association's work in mobilizing, training, and certifying community health workers across North Carolina. This grant enables the Association to expand its workforce development efforts, specifically targeting the training and certification of community health workers. The bill affects the Association's operations and the community health workers they certify, but does not change health service delivery or eligibility for residents. The appropriation becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 914 allows colleges and religious institutions in qualifying North Carolina cities (population over 50,000 in urban areas) to develop affordable housing on their owned land without needing special zoning approvals or permits. The bill requires 80% of new housing units to be reserved for low-income residents (at or below 80% of median income), with limited exceptions for staff housing. It includes location restrictions, such as avoiding historic districts, heavy industrial areas, and sites where over one-third is currently light industrial. This policy change streamlines development by treating such housing as a "use by right" under existing zoning.

Maddy summaryHB 915 reenacts a 25% tax credit for film production companies in North Carolina that spend at least $250,000 on qualifying expenses within the state. The credit applies to costs like equipment rentals, wages (excluding payments over $1 million to top earners), insurance, and employee benefits, but excludes political ads, news broadcasts, live sports events, and obscene content. The credit is capped at $20 million per feature film and requires producers to notify the North Carolina Film Office before claiming it. This reenactment makes the credit effective for qualifying expenses occurring on or after January 1, 2025, after a prior sunset clause expired in 2015.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Free to Learn Library Bill of Rights Act in North Carolina to protect residents' rights to access information, maintain privacy, and participate in library services without discrimination or undue restriction. It applies to all public libraries, including their online services and digital resources, and outlines specific rights such as unrestricted access to materials regardless of viewpoint, protection from surveillance and intimidation, confidentiality of library records, and fair access for all patrons regardless of personal characteristics. The legislation also includes anti-retaliation protections for library employees and volunteers who report violations, requires regional library systems to document compliance, and mandates strict data privacy practices for online usage tracking. Additionally, the bill appropriates funds to support implementation and directs the State Library to provide model language for interlocal agreements to ensure consistent compliance across the state.

Maddy summaryHB 842 clarifies that North Carolina public schools may conduct vision, hearing, dental, and developmental screenings for students without requiring parental consent, but must notify parents at the start of each school year about all screenings offered and provide results for their child. This bill directly affects parents of students in public schools across North Carolina, particularly for kindergarten through third grade as noted in the bill text. Key provisions require schools to provide written notice of screenings and results to parents (instead of seeking consent for each screening), while maintaining existing requirements for other health services that do require consent. The law updates school health screening procedures under North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-76.46.

Maddy summaryHB 852, "Safe Dogs, Safe Owners," creates uniform statewide leash laws and requires dog owners to pay for injuries caused when their dog runs unleashed in public and harms a person or domestic animal. The bill defines a dog as "at large" when not under reasonable physical control (e.g., off-leash without sufficient control to prevent an attack) and makes owners strictly liable for resulting damages. It also prohibits allowing dogs over six months old to run unleashed at night without an owner or authorized person present, with violations punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor and liability for damages. The law takes effect December 1, 2025, replacing inconsistent local ordinances.

Maddy summaryHB 879 requires landlords in North Carolina to provide and maintain operable air conditioning in residential rental units that supply AC. It directly affects landlords (who must ensure systems work at the start of each tenancy) and tenants (who gain a right to functional cooling during warm weather). The bill amends landlord obligations to explicitly mandate that air conditioning must cool premises to a reasonable indoor temperature, with repairs required upon written tenant notice (except emergencies). This applies to all new rental agreements and renewals entered into after the law takes effect. The legislation focuses on ensuring basic comfort and safety by making AC a standard maintenance requirement, not a discretionary amenity.

Maddy summaryHB 882 requires packaging producers in North Carolina to reduce non-reusable packaging by 10% within two years and 40% by eight years, while ensuring 50% of packaging is recycled within five years and 90% by twelve years. It directly affects manufacturers and sellers of packaged goods sold in the state, mandating they join producer responsibility organizations to meet these targets. The bill also bans intentionally added PFAS (forever chemicals) in covered products and requires packaging to include a minimum amount of postconsumer recycled content. These requirements apply to all packaging used for products sold, offered for sale, or distributed in North Carolina, excluding medical packaging and long-term storage materials. The law aims to reduce plastic waste and toxic chemicals in the state's waste stream through measurable, time-bound producer obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 867 creates a permitting program for large dry litter poultry operations in North Carolina (over 30,000 birds), requiring them to obtain permits before operating or expanding waste management systems. It directs the Environmental Review Commission to study the environmental and health impacts of these operations - including nutrient runoff, pathogens, and odor - and recommend regulations. The bill updates waste management plan requirements, mandating 180-day advance permit applications for new or expanded systems. This directly affects the state’s approximately 4,863 dry litter poultry facilities, which collectively handle over 544 million birds annually.