Rep. Rodney Pierce

Maddy summaryHB 8 requires all North Carolina state departments, community colleges, and local school systems to prioritize purchasing compostable or recyclable materials for food service and supplies, where economically feasible. It mandates annual reporting on purchases of these materials and recycling collections to the Department of Environmental Quality. The bill also directs UNC's Policy Collaboratory to study food service ware impacts and requires legislative and state park pilot programs to reduce single-use food service ware. These provisions directly affect state agencies and schools responsible for procurement and waste management, aiming to reduce single-use waste through policy changes rather than bans.

Maddy summaryHB 79, "North Carolina Work and Save," creates a voluntary retirement savings program for North Carolina workers without access to employer-sponsored plans. It allows covered employers (small businesses not already offering tax-qualified retirement plans) to set up payroll deduction IRAs (traditional or Roth) for employees, enabling automatic retirement savings. The program is administered by a 12-member Board under the Department of Commerce, with funds held in a trust managed by private entities. It directly affects approximately 1.7 million North Carolina workers in small businesses, focusing on moderate- and lower-income households to improve retirement security. Participation is voluntary for both employers and employees, with no state funding required for employer participation.

Maddy summaryHB 50 creates two new options for retired state and local law enforcement officers with at least 30 years of service or 55 years old with 5+ years of service. It allows officers retiring before age 62 to choose between two calculation methods for an annual separation allowance: either 0.85% of their most recent base pay for each year of service, or a fixed amount based on pay at 30 years of service. The allowance stops when officers turn 62 or pass away. This directly affects qualifying law enforcement officers who retire under North Carolina's state retirement system.

Maddy summaryHB 569 requires PFAS manufacturers (those who produce PFAS compounds like GenX) to pay public water systems for cleaning up PFAS contamination in drinking water when levels exceed EPA safety limits. It allows the Environmental Quality Secretary to order polluters to cover actual cleanup costs, including technology to reduce PFAS levels, and applies retroactively to expenses since 2017. The bill appropriates $300,000 for implementation and mandates annual reports on fund use, with water systems refunding ratepayers when manufacturers cover costs. This directly affects water systems burdened by PFAS cleanup, PFAS manufacturers deemed responsible, and ratepayers who may see reduced future water rates.

Maddy summaryHB 485 requires North Carolina's Medicaid agency to request federal approval to extend Medicaid coverage for personal care services to adults living in licensed adult care homes who earn more than the current State-County Special Assistance income limit but stay below 180-200% of the federal poverty level. The bill specifically targets individuals who would qualify for lower-income Medicaid assistance if not for their higher earnings. Before implementing this coverage, the agency must submit a CMS request meeting three conditions: covering the specified income group, ensuring cost savings offset new expenses, and complying with legal requirements. This bill does not immediately change coverage - it only authorizes a federal request, pending CMS approval.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates May 17th of each year as "Lafayette Day" in the State of North Carolina. It amends the General Statutes to officially recognize this day in honor of Marquis de Lafayette's contributions to American independence and his visit to North Carolina.

Maddy summaryHB 572 authorizes the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to establish a statewide pilot program providing Electroencephalogram combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (eTMS) treatment. This program is for veterans, first responders, and their immediate family members experiencing conditions such as substance use disorders, mental illness, sleep disorders, traumatic brain injuries, and PTSD. The Department will select a provider to create a network for in-person and off-site care, aiming for statewide access. Participants in the program will also receive neurophysiological monitoring, counseling, wellness programming, and access to a peer-to-peer support network. The selected provider must collect and report treatment outcomes and expenditures to the Department and legislative committees by September 15, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 121 provides local boards of education with additional flexibility in adopting their school calendars. It removes the current state-mandated earliest opening date for students (the Monday closest to August 26) and the latest closing date (the Friday closest to June 11). This change allows local boards to determine the specific opening and closing dates for public schools under their authority. The bill directly affects public schools and students in North Carolina and would apply starting with the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 772, titled the North Carolina Student Lifeline Act, requires public schools and community colleges in North Carolina to provide students with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline phone number. It mandates that institutions display the phrase "To reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 988 or text HOME to 741741." in several locations. These locations include new student identification cards issued to students in grades six through 12, the school website, and the home screen of any electronic device issued to students. The information must also appear on school agendas or calendars, documents used during suicide awareness activities, and registration documents. Additionally, schools are required to annually verify the accuracy of the Lifeline contact information.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 283 establishes the Small Business Investment Grant (SBIG) Program within the One North Carolina Fund, designed to provide financial assistance to eligible small businesses looking to establish or expand facilities in the state. The bill allocates up to $10 million from the Fund to this new account. Through the SBIG Program, competitive grants are offered to businesses meeting specific criteria, such as having 250 or fewer employees or less than $5 million in annual revenue, investing $10-$30 million, and creating new jobs with competitive wages. Grants are capped at $500,000 annually per recipient, up to $2.5 million total, over a maximum of five years. Additionally, the bill renames the "One North Carolina Small Business Account" to the "Small Business Research and Technology Account," which continues to support federal SBIR/STTR grant incentive and matching programs.