Rep. Rodney Pierce

Maddy summaryHB 344, the Litter Reduction Act of 2025, requires a deposit on most beverage containers (like soda, water, and alcohol in glass, plastic, or metal) sold in North Carolina, with refunds available at certified redemption centers. It directly affects beverage distributors, retailers (excluding small businesses selling under 250,000 containers yearly), and consumers who purchase these products. The bill establishes a system where consumers pay a deposit at purchase and can return empty containers to redemption centers for a refund, aiming to reduce roadside litter from beverage containers. Key provisions include defining "beverage container," requiring redemption centers to accept containers, and setting recycling standards to avoid downcycling or waste-to-energy processing.

Maddy summaryHB 343 appropriates $380,000 for 2025-26 and $397,000 for 2026-27 to create four full-time ombudsman positions within North Carolina’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. This directly affects residents of nursing homes, adult care homes, and family care homes by enhancing advocacy for their rights and care quality. The bill’s key provision funds staff to move the state’s program toward national standards for resolving facility issues without formal complaints. It becomes effective July 1, 2025, with no advocacy language - only a concrete funding mechanism for expanded protections.

Maddy summaryHB 322 modifies North Carolina's public records law to require the General Assembly to follow the same record retention and disposal rules as other state agencies. It mandates that legislative records must be preserved for at least 10 years after a legislator leaves office (or until they have no further official use, whichever is longer) and requires the Legislative Services Officer to work with the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to create an inventory of these records. The bill repeals previous exemptions that allowed the General Assembly to unilaterally control its own records and ensures these records are subject to public access standards. This directly affects North Carolina legislators, their offices, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, which will oversee record preservation and public access.

Maddy summaryHB 321 allows Guilford County Schools to adopt an earlier start date for the 2025-2026 school year, specifically permitting an opening as early as August 19 (instead of the standard August 26) if the district meets "good cause" requirements. This includes having averaged at least eight emergency closure days per year over four of the last ten years due to weather, power issues, or other emergencies. The bill amends existing law to exempt Guilford from standard calendar dates, but only applies to this single school district and requires compliance with minimum instructional day requirements. It does not affect other North Carolina school districts or change general calendar rules.

Maddy summaryHB 325 establishes a two-year pilot program (2025-2026 and 2026-2027) to fund public school field trips to North Carolina's Legislative Building. It provides up to $2,000 per school for transportation costs (bus rental, fuel, driver pay) to participating schools, prioritizing those in counties designated as "Tier 1" under state law. The program is funded with $1.5 million annually from the General Fund, requiring schools to submit budget applications by October 1 and reporting usage to the legislature by February 15 each year. The bill directly affects public school units statewide, with priority given to schools in designated underserved counties.

Maddy summaryHB 324 appropriates $800,000 from the Highway Fund to the Greensboro Transit Agency for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The funds are specifically allocated to $500,000 for the North/South Crossmax Orange Bus Route and $300,000 to launch a pilot program transporting high school juniors and seniors to Guilford Technical Community College campuses. This bill directly affects Greensboro Transit Agency operations and Guilford County high school students participating in the college transportation pilot. It becomes effective July 1, 2025, if enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 316 reenacts North Carolina's Child Tax Credit to help families cover child care costs, with reimbursement percentages based on income and child age (e.g., 7-13% for dependents aged 6-12). It allocates $200 million annually to expand the NC Pre-K program, adding 32,000 slots for 4-year-olds, and $35 million to increase subsidized child care funding. The bill also requires public schools to provide free lunches at no cost to students through state funding tied to school nutrition evaluations. Additionally, it mandates a report on creating a high school child care apprenticeship program. The bill directly affects families with children, public schools, and child care providers across North Carolina.

Maddy summaryHB 326 requires North Carolina's Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to study ways to increase teacher planning time or reduce workloads that cut into it. The DPI must report to lawmakers by February 15, 2026, with specific recommendations, cost estimates, and other relevant findings. The bill allocates $5,000 in one-time funding for the study, which can include partnering with outside experts. This is a procedural study bill with no immediate policy changes; it aims to inform future decisions about teacher workloads in public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 287 allows Franklin County Schools to set their own school calendar start and end dates, bypassing standard state requirements. Specifically, it permits the district to open as early as August 19 (instead of the usual August 26) if they demonstrate "good cause," defined as having averaged eight emergency closures per year over four of the last ten years due to weather, power issues, or other emergencies. The bill applies exclusively to Franklin County Schools and takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year. It does not change statewide calendar rules but provides targeted flexibility for this district based on documented emergency closure patterns.

Maddy summaryHB 292 allows Gaston County Schools to set an earlier student school start date (as early as August 19, instead of the standard August 26) if they demonstrate "good cause," defined as experiencing eight days of school closures per year on average over four of the last ten years due to weather, power failures, or emergencies. The bill modifies the state's standard school calendar requirements specifically for Gaston County, exempting it from the usual opening and closing date rules. It also confirms that schools already operating under a modified calendar (like those designated in 2003-2004) remain exempt. This change applies only to Gaston County Schools starting with the 2025-2026 school year.