Rep. Frank Iler

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Rural Healthcare Infrastructure Fund in North Carolina to help build, repair, and modernize healthcare facilities in rural areas. The fund will provide money through grants and low-interest loans to support construction and renovation projects, while also replacing an older stabilization program. A state council must first develop and get approval for a detailed plan outlining how the fund will be managed and who can apply before any money is awarded. The bill also updates the duties of the state health council and requires annual reports on how the fund is being used.

Maddy summaryHB 1191, titled the Fostering Care in NC Act 2026, introduces several changes to how North Carolina handles cases involving juveniles and child welfare. The bill increases privacy protections by sealing court records in abuse and neglect cases and clarifying who can access them. It also updates procedures for expunging names from the responsible individuals list and requires courts to schedule permanency planning hearings within 30 days. Additionally, the act mandates that siblings be placed together whenever possible and ensures counties communicate before transferring cases to improve coordination on care and financial support.

Maddy summaryHB 1186 directs the North Carolina Collaboratory to create a pilot program that provides participating law enforcement agencies with new, more accurate drug-detecting technology to replace traditional color-based field tests. The bill requires these new devices to be portable, avoid relying on visual color changes for identification, and generate digital records for auditing and tracking emerging substances. Additionally, the program must conduct a comprehensive study to measure the technology's impact on case outcomes, officer safety, and the accuracy of drug testing across different communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows wastewater treatment system operators in North Carolina to calculate sewage flow rates for new homes at a lower standard of 55 gallons per day per bedroom, provided the state environmental department approves the change based on local usage data. Under the new rules, operators must still ensure that reducing the flow rate does not harm public health or the environment, while systems without allocated capacity for future connections must continue using the standard rate of 75 gallons per day per bedroom. To support these changes, the state will allocate $10,000 to the Department of Environmental Quality in the 2026-2027 fiscal year to review and evaluate the proposed lower flow rates. The legislation is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new North Carolina-Ireland Trade Commission to strengthen economic and cultural connections between the state and Ireland. The commission will be composed of seven members appointed by state legislative leaders and the governor, including representatives from business, education, and Irish-American civic organizations. Its primary responsibilities include encouraging trade and investment, facilitating exchanges, and submitting annual reports to the state legislature. The state will allocate $10,000 for administrative support, and the commission is set to begin operations in October 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for secret peeping offenses in North Carolina when the victim is a minor under the age of 18. It reclassifies certain non-consensual viewing acts from misdemeanors to Class A1 misdemeanors and elevates crimes involving photography or image dissemination to felony levels, specifically Class H felonies for offenses against minors. The legislation also allocates $25,000 to fund a public awareness campaign about these updated laws. These stricter punishments and funding measures will take effect on July 1, 2026, with the new penalty provisions becoming active on December 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Child Welfare Case Escalation Team to provide an extra layer of safety review for juveniles with complex histories of abuse or neglect. The team, composed of state and local representatives, will be activated when cases meet specific risk criteria, such as multiple prior reports, patterns of medical neglect, or a history involving child fatalities. Once triggered, the team will conduct a thorough assessment of the case, identify gaps in services, and collaborate with county social services to develop improved safety plans. This new mechanism aims to ensure consistent quality assurance and better protect vulnerable children by addressing chronic issues that may have been missed in previous interventions.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Workforce Act of 2026, provides funding and policy changes to expand workforce development programs in North Carolina. It allocates $3.1 million to the Community Colleges System Office to support the ApprenticeshipNC program, which helps connect employers with learners through work-based training. The legislation also directs the Department of Commerce to maintain a list of industry-valued credentials and collect data on wages and job outcomes to better align education with labor market needs. Additionally, it increases financial aid for short-term workforce development grants to help students pursue credentials that are not eligible for federal funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1146 establishes the 2026 Governor's Budget for North Carolina by allocating specific funding amounts to state departments, institutions, and agencies for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium. The bill directly affects public education, health and human services, agriculture, justice, and general government entities by setting their operational budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. Key provisions include detailed dollar amounts for various programs, such as funding for public instruction, university operations, and health services, while also allowing for savings to revert to the state fund if not fully utilized. This legislation provides the financial framework necessary for state agencies to carry out their mandated duties and services during the specified period.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Keep NC Working Act, creates a new Short-Time Compensation Program in North Carolina to help employers avoid layoffs by reducing employee work hours instead. Starting in October 2026, eligible employers can submit a plan to the state Division of Unemployment Insurance to reduce employee hours by between 10% and 60% for up to one year. In exchange for these reduced hours, employees will receive additional unemployment benefits, while employers must ensure that health and retirement benefits continue as if the workers were still working full time. The program requires employers to maintain a clean record with the state regarding unemployment taxes and must have the agreement of any collective bargaining units involved.