Rep. Caleb Rudow

Maddy summaryHB 1077 extends voter registration and absentee ballot return deadlines for residents in specific North Carolina counties affected by Hurricane Helene. The bill moves the final date to submit voter registration forms to October 16, 2024, and allows absentee ballots to be received by election day, November 8, 2024, rather than the usual earlier cutoff. These changes apply only to a designated list of counties that experienced storm damage, ensuring affected voters have more time to participate in the upcoming election. The law remains in effect until the November 2024 election is certified and does not alter voting rules for other areas of the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the state constitution to eliminate the literacy test requirement for voting. By removing this specific provision, the legislation ensures that all eligible citizens can vote regardless of their reading or writing abilities. The change directly affects voters who previously might have been disenfranchised by this barrier. It does not alter other voting qualifications or the overall structure of the election process.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes McDowell County, North Carolina, to levy an additional one percent occupancy tax on hotel and lodging rentals, which would be added to existing local and state taxes. The new tax revenue must be sent to a newly created Tourism Development Authority, which is required to use at least two-thirds of the funds for marketing and promoting tourism in the county. The Authority will be composed of seven voting members, including hotel owners and tourism promoters, who will oversee how the money is spent on travel promotion and tourism-related projects. This legislation also establishes the rules for appointing these members and requires the Authority to report its financial activities to the county board.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new rules for companies in North Carolina that boot or tow vehicles from private property without the owner's consent. It requires these businesses to obtain an annual permit and maintain a public database that logs details about each tow, including the reason for removal and the fees charged. Private property owners must display specific signs at parking lot entrances listing the towing company's contact information and fees before any vehicle can be removed. The legislation also sets limits on how far a towed vehicle can be transported and prohibits booting cars that are currently occupied. Additionally, it clarifies that residential properties with four or fewer units are exempt from the mandatory signage requirements.

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina bill requires health insurance plans sold in the state to cover transcranial magnetic stimulation services without denying, reducing, or limiting reimbursement for properly submitted claims. It specifically protects licensed healthcare providers from being penalized based on their medical specialty when submitting these claims. To support this change, the state will allocate one million dollars to the North Carolina State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees to ensure compliance. The law takes effect on October 1, 2024, for new, renewed, or amended insurance contracts.

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina bill establishes a legal mechanism to hold manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) financially responsible for cleaning up contaminated drinking water. It defines "responsible parties" as companies that produce PFAS chemicals and orders them to pay for the actual costs public water systems incur to remove or fix contamination that exceeds safety limits. If a manufacturer refuses to pay, the state can take legal action in court to enforce the order, and the bill allows water systems to lower future customer rates if they recover these costs. The legislation also creates a special fund with initial funding to support implementation and requires the state to report annually on how these funds and enforcement orders are used.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new section to the North Carolina Constitution to guarantee the public's right to access government records and attend public meetings. It declares that public records belong to the people and mandates that records and meetings for all state and local government branches be open for inspection and duplication. The amendment allows restrictions on this access only if the government can prove a compelling public interest exists and that the restriction is narrowly tailored to protect that interest. If voters approve this change in the November 2024 election, it will become part of the state constitution immediately upon certification.