Rep. Lindsey Prather

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina legislation aims to reduce healthcare expenses and boost competition by adding a low-cost plan option to the state's insurance marketplace. It establishes a purchasing consortium for public entities to negotiate better rates and allocates funds for chronic disease prevention initiatives. The bill also removes regulatory barriers for rehabilitation facilities and limits hospital consolidation to maintain market diversity. These provisions impact residents seeking coverage, public employers, healthcare providers, and hospital systems within the state.

Maddy summaryHB 1167 establishes the 2026 Governor's Budget for North Carolina by providing specific funding amounts to state departments, institutions, and agencies for their current operations. The bill directly affects a wide range of public services, including education, health and human services, agriculture, justice, and general government functions. Key provisions include allocating funds for public schools, universities, healthcare programs, and law enforcement, with detailed dollar amounts specified for each fiscal year of the 2025-2027 biennium. Any unused funds from these appropriations will revert to the appropriate state funds at the end of the fiscal year.

Maddy summaryHB 1155 proposes to amend the North Carolina Constitution to allow citizens to directly suggest changes to the state's foundational document through a petition process. To place a constitutional amendment on the ballot, supporters must collect signatures from at least 8% of the votes cast for governor in the last election, with a minimum of 3% from each congressional district. If approved by voters, any such amendment must receive a supermajority of 60% support to take effect. The bill also includes safeguards, such as a five-year waiting period before a defeated initiative can be submitted again and a requirement that the initiative process cannot alter the initiative power itself. This measure would be voted on by the public in a special election scheduled for November 3, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs North Carolina state agencies to stop using the current development tier system for various programs by July 1, 2028, and instead create their own specific criteria based on objective data. It applies to multiple departments, including those responsible for agriculture, transportation, health, and education, which must report their proposed replacement plans to relevant oversight committees by February 1, 2027. The legislation provides $1.1 million in funding to assist agencies in developing these new standards and includes a temporary clause preventing the downgrading of certain economic areas for the next three years. Ultimately, the bill aims to replace the existing tier designations with tailored measures that better align program goals with measurable outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 1082, titled the Tax Relief for Working Families Act, would reinstate North Carolina's state Earned Income Tax Credit for families with children. The bill establishes a refundable tax credit equal to 5% of the federal credit amount claimed by eligible taxpayers, with a specific provision for the 2013 tax year that sets the rate at 4.5%. If the calculated credit exceeds the taxpayer's state tax liability, the difference is refunded to them. Although the legislation includes a sunset clause that would repeal the credit after the 2013 tax year, the act is scheduled to take effect for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1107 allocates $2 million in recurring state funds to support families who provide foster care in North Carolina. Beginning in the 2026-2027 fiscal year, these funds will be distributed to county social services departments based on documented need to help with recruiting, training, and supporting foster families. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and aims to assist the Division of Social Services in its efforts to maintain foster care placements.

Maddy summaryHB 1130 aims to improve conditions for public school teachers and instructional staff in North Carolina by adjusting pay structures and offering financial incentives for advanced certification. The bill reinstates education-based salary supplements for the 2025-2026 school year and allocates funds to support these payments starting in 2026-2027. It also establishes a forgivable loan program to help teachers cover the costs of obtaining National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, provided they achieve this credential within five years. Additionally, the legislation sets a new monthly salary schedule based on years of experience and grants a 12% monthly salary increase to teachers who hold NBPTS certification. Local school administrators will gain more flexibility in setting school calendars as part of the broader changes to teacher employment and quality of life.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Affordable Maternal Access and Cancer Care Act to improve health outcomes for marginalized groups in North Carolina by establishing two new programs. The first part sets up a grant program that provides funding to community-led organizations to address maternal mortality and severe illness among underserved populations, with a focus on supporting social needs like housing, nutrition, and transportation. The second part ensures that patients do not face higher costs for necessary breast imaging tests compared to standard screening mammograms. The legislation appropriates five million dollars for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to fund these initiatives and hire staff to manage the grants.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $7.5 million in state funds to help counties support people participating in local judicially managed accountability and recovery courts. The money will be given out through a competitive grant process to pay for job training, transportation, and other employment-related costs like tools or childcare. These services must be tailored to each participant's individual recovery and treatment plans and can be provided by community colleges, workforce boards, or other approved organizations. Counties are limited to receiving up to $150,000 per year unless they request an exception based on specific needs, and officials will report on how the funds are used and the results achieved.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens the state's ability to handle complaints about cable service providers by allowing the Attorney General's office to seek financial penalties if a company repeatedly violates federal customer service rules or its own contract terms. It requires cable companies to print specific instructions on their bills guiding customers to contact the state agency for unresolved issues and clarifies that persistent violations are considered deceptive practices. The legislation also establishes a reporting requirement for the agency to track complaint statistics and excludes video streaming services from these regulations. To support these new enforcement powers, the bill appropriates funds to hire additional staff and cover implementation costs, with the measures taking effect in 2026 and 2027.