Rep. Jake Johnson

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 38, known as the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, prohibits payment card networks from using a specific "firearms code" to identify or track purchases made at firearms merchants in North Carolina. It also forbids these networks from knowingly maintaining records of individuals in the state who own firearms. The bill aims to prevent the separate tracking of lawful firearm and ammunition purchases and protect the financial privacy of individuals exercising their right to bear arms. Payment card networks are also prohibited from discriminating against firearms merchants based on code assignment. Violations can lead to civil penalties assessed by the Attorney General or civil lawsuits from affected merchants or individuals.

Maddy summaryHB 163 regulates Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs) to ensure fair practices for pharmacies and insured individuals. The bill prohibits PBMs from charging insurers more for a prescription drug than they pay the pharmacy (spread pricing) and requires patient out-of-pocket costs to be based on the net price after any PBM concessions. It establishes minimum reimbursement standards for pharmacies, preventing PBMs from paying less than the national average drug acquisition cost plus a dispensing fee. Additionally, it clarifies that PBMs cannot restrict accredited pharmacies from dispensing specialty drugs and strengthens audit protections for pharmacies.

Maddy summaryHB 649 directs the North Carolina Collaboratory to study the state's county tier designation system. The study will examine potential changes to the criteria used for ranking counties, how tier designations are assigned, and the ranking timeframe. It will evaluate the impact of these changes on all 100 counties, programs that use the tier system, and the ease of doing business in the state. The Collaboratory is required to submit a preliminary report by December 2025 and a final report by December 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 570, the "Responsible Firefighting Foam Management Act," restricts the use of firefighting foams containing PFAS chemicals for training and testing. It prohibits any person, local government, or state agency from discharging Class B firefighting foam with intentionally added PFAS for training or practice purposes. For testing, these foams are also prohibited unless required by law or an authority, and the testing facility has implemented measures to prevent environmental releases. The bill mandates the use of non-fluorinated alternatives for training and is set to become effective on December 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 250 modifies the annual report filing requirements and fees for certain business entities in North Carolina. It directly affects domestic and foreign corporations and Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) where more than 50% of the ownership is held by one or more deployed members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The bill waives the annual report requirement and associated fees for these businesses while the owner is deployed. Instead, qualifying businesses must file a notice of deployment and can submit their annual report after the deployment ends (90 business days for corporations, April 15 of the following year for LLCs).

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 663, known as the Living Donor Protection Act, aims to support individuals who donate organs or bone marrow. The bill prohibits insurance companies from discriminating against individuals solely based on their status as a living organ donor in various insurance policies. It also establishes a state income tax credit of up to $5,000 for unreimbursed expenses, such as lost wages and travel, incurred by living donors. Furthermore, the act provides state employees and state-supported personnel with up to 30 days of paid leave for organ donation and seven days for bone marrow donation.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 584 seeks to eliminate the requirement for individuals under 18 to obtain a driving eligibility certificate when applying for a learner's permit or provisional driver's license. Currently, this certificate links a young person's driving privileges to their enrollment in school, academic progress, or possession of a high school diploma. The bill removes these educational prerequisites, along with conditions related to certain student disciplinary actions, for obtaining these licenses. This change directly affects young drivers seeking their initial permits and licenses.

Maddy summaryHB 613, titled "The Vehicle Registration Convenience Act," allows vehicle owners in North Carolina to choose their preferred month for annual registration renewal. When initially registering a vehicle, owners can select any month within a 12-month period for their registration to expire. The initial registration fee will be prorated based on the chosen renewal month to cover the period until the elected expiration date. The bill also authorizes the Division of Motor Vehicles to send electronic renewal notices if the owner provides consent. These changes apply to vehicle registrations issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 217 requires individuals aged 18 and older who are applying for a North Carolina driver's license and are not licensed in another state or haven't completed a state driver education course to complete a mandatory alcohol and drug abuse awareness course. This also applies to applicants licensed in other countries. The three-hour course, available online or in person, will cover the effects of substance abuse on driving, state traffic laws, and high-risk driving behaviors. Third-party vendors will offer these courses under the Division's oversight, and participants will pay a fee.

Maddy summaryHB 806, titled "Public School Operational Relief," proposes changes to North Carolina's public school regulations concerning class sizes and teacher licensure. The bill removes state-mandated class size requirements for kindergarten through third grade, making them recommendations, and eliminates penalties for exceeding these former maximums. It also introduces a new provision requiring that at least 50% of teachers in a public school hold a teaching license. Unlicensed teachers hired under this provision would need to complete preservice training in areas such as educating children with disabilities and managing student behavior. These changes would apply to public schools and local school administrative units beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.