Rep. Jake Johnson

Maddy summaryHB 837 is a study bill requiring North Carolina to examine alternative highway funding methods, primarily to address potential revenue gaps as electric/hybrid vehicle adoption grows. It directs the Legislative Services Officer and Transportation Oversight Committee to hire a consultant to study mileage-based fees (VMT) for electric/hybrid vehicles and a new "Access User Fee" for all non-diesel vehicles (replacing gas taxes). The study must be completed by May 2026, with findings reported to key legislative committees. This bill does not implement new fees but assesses options affecting all vehicle owners, particularly electric/hybrid drivers and non-diesel vehicle registrants. It allocates $125,000 from the Highway Fund for the study, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 768 clarifies exemptions from in-building emergency responder communication system requirements in North Carolina's fire code. It exempts specific small buildings: R-2 apartment buildings of Type V construction meeting egress rules, and hotels/motels under two stories with direct exterior egress from each unit. The bill also provides rules for disconnecting existing communication systems in these exempt buildings and requires the Building Code Council to adopt formal rules incorporating these changes. These provisions directly affect property owners and developers of qualifying residential buildings by reducing compliance requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 412 aims to reform North Carolina's child care system by separating the quality rating system (QRIS) from state-subsidized child care program requirements, directly affecting licensed child care providers and families using subsidies. Key provisions require the state Division of Child Development to develop a plan by May 2026 to decouple QRIS from subsidy reimbursement rates, using a unified market rate study (not segmented by star ratings) to inform potential rate adjustments. The bill also updates facility regulations, allowing school buildings approved for school occupancy to meet child care licensing standards for after-school programs without separate outdoor play area requirements. These changes seek to increase child care supply and optimize state funding while maintaining federal compliance, though the current subsidy system remains in effect until legislative approval.

Maddy summaryHB 819 creates North Carolina's Longitudinal Data System, which links student education data (like test scores, graduation records, and course enrollment) with workforce data (such as employment and wages) to track student outcomes. It directly affects public schools, universities, the Department of Public Instruction, and workforce agencies by requiring them to share de-identified student data through this centralized system. Key provisions include strict privacy safeguards (complying with FERPA and HIPAA), mandatory data security plans, a 5-year limit on linking education and workforce data, and annual reporting requirements for the system's oversight body. The bill aims to improve education policy decisions while ensuring data privacy and security for students.

Maddy summaryHB 612, the "Fostering Care in NC Act," updates North Carolina's laws governing child abuse, neglect, and dependency cases. It expands the definition of "abused juveniles" to include specific offenses like sexual crimes, human trafficking, and certain violent acts, affecting how cases are classified. The bill requires county social services directors to use either a family-centered assessment or a formal investigation when reviewing reports, and to collect military affiliation details of the juvenile's caregiver. It also clarifies that court jurisdiction over juveniles continues until age 18, emancipation, or death. These changes standardize responses to child welfare reports and improve information gathering for safety decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 251 prohibits North Carolina state agencies from denying disaster recovery assistance (like grants) based on a person's political affiliation or political speech. It applies to all applicants for state disaster aid, including U.S. citizens, nationals, and qualified aliens, and sets penalties of a Class I felony for violations. The bill also defines "temporary housing" (such as trailers or tents) and adds criminal penalties for stealing such housing during declared emergencies. These changes aim to ensure state disaster aid is distributed fairly and protect emergency housing resources.

Maddy summaryHB 59 would increase the income eligibility limit for North Carolina's elderly or disabled property tax homestead exclusion from $25,000 to $48,000 for taxable years beginning July 1, 2026. This change would directly affect homeowners aged 65 or older, or those who are totally and permanently disabled, who meet other criteria (like being a North Carolina resident and owning their home as a permanent residence). The bill modifies the existing rule that currently limits eligibility to those with incomes under $25,000, raising the threshold to $48,000 while maintaining the exclusion amount as the greater of $25,000 or 50% of the home's appraised value. The change aims to expand access to this property tax relief for qualifying low-to-moderate income homeowners. (Note: The bill was withdrawn in June 2025 and has not become law.)

Maddy summaryHB 348 extends the period for carrying forward deferred property taxes on agricultural, horticultural, and forest land from three to six years. It creates local grant programs for counties and cities, using the excess tax funds generated by this change, to provide financial support to qualifying farmers for farm sustainability. The bill also requires cities to obtain county commission approval before annexing land classified under present-use value taxation. These provisions directly affect farmers who qualify for present-use value property taxation and local governments managing tax funds and annexation decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 14 allows North Carolina taxpayers who itemize deductions to claim a state income tax deduction for gambling losses, aligning with federal tax treatment. It directly affects individual taxpayers who itemize deductions on their North Carolina state tax returns and have wagering losses exceeding winnings. The bill amends state tax code to explicitly permit deducting gambling losses under Section 165(d) of the federal tax code, subject to federal rules. This change takes effect for taxable years beginning January 1, 2024. The bill does not alter federal tax rules or affect taxpayers using the standard deduction.

Maddy summaryHB 808, the NC Infrastructure Protection Act, prohibits North Carolina government entities from contracting with companies owned by citizens of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or countries later designated as threats. It specifically blocks foreign-owned companies from gaining access to critical infrastructure like electric grids, water treatment facilities, and cybersecurity systems. The bill also mandates criminal background checks for all individuals granted access to these systems, applying to government contracts and public utility operations. These requirements will take effect for new contracts after the bill’s passage, with background check rules for utilities needing to be implemented by October 2026.