Rep. Vernetta Alston

Maddy summaryHB 360, the Homeowner Protection Act, targets fraud involving residential property documents. It increases penalties for forging deeds, leases, or wills related to homes (making it a Class D felony instead of Class H) and creates an expedited court process for victims. Homeowners affected by fraudulent property records can file a "memorandum of possible fraud" to trigger a court hearing, where judges can void the false documents and clear title clouds. The law also requires recording offices to flag fraudulent instruments and prohibits fees for these protective filings. The bill is currently pending in the House Judiciary Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 353, the Fair Minimum Wage Act, raises North Carolina's state minimum wage in staged increases, starting at $10 per hour on January 1, 2026, and reaching $18 per hour by January 1, 2030. After 2030, the wage will automatically adjust annually based on inflation using the Consumer Price Index. The bill directly affects hourly workers and employers across North Carolina, requiring higher pay for all covered employees. It also adds provisions allowing workers to recover unpaid wages plus interest, attorney fees, and court costs if employers fail to pay correctly.

Maddy summaryHB 341 increases property tax relief for disabled veterans in North Carolina by expanding the homestead exclusion on their primary residence. The bill sets exclusion amounts based on disability rating: $100,000 for 70%+ disability, $75,000 for 50-69%, $50,000 for 30-49%, and $25,000 for 10-29%. Surviving spouses qualify for the greater of the veteran’s exclusion amount or $45,000, provided the veteran’s death resulted from a service-connected condition. This policy directly affects qualifying disabled veterans and their surviving spouses who own and occupy their primary residence, effective for taxes due in 2025.

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 280 allocates $30,000 in one-time state funds to support the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature, a program for older residents to engage with state policy. The funding, from the General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, covers operational costs for this existing program established under state law. It directly affects the Senior Tar Heel Legislature by providing financial resources for its activities. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, and does not create new policy but enables the program's continued operation.

Maddy summaryHB 260 allows the City of Raeford to redirect $3 million in existing sewer infrastructure funds to extend sewer lines to the Cameron Heights community or other water/wastewater projects. It amends a previous law (S.L. 2023-134) to expand the eligible uses of these allocated funds. The bill directly affects Raeford’s infrastructure planning and the Cameron Heights neighborhood by providing flexibility for sewer system improvements. This is a concrete policy change that modifies how specific state funds may be spent, without creating new funding.

Maddy summaryHB 263 restores local government authority to change zoning to less dense or fewer permitted uses (down-zoning) in Durham and Person Counties and the Cities of Durham and Roxboro, without requiring written consent from all affected property owners. The bill rewrites state law to allow counties or cities to initiate down-zoning amendments directly, reversing a previous requirement (from S.L. 2024-57) that mandated owner consent. This change applies retroactively to December 11, 2024, meaning zoning ordinances affected by the prior law will revert to their pre-December 11 status. The bill directly affects local governments’ zoning powers and property owners in the specified jurisdictions, without altering other zoning processes.

Maddy summaryHB 252, the Steele Creek Investment and Improvement Act, allocates $1.25 million in one-time state funds for community projects in Mecklenburg County’s Steele Creek area. It directs $250,000 to Steele Creek Community Place, Inc. for wellness programs focused on economic opportunity, health, and mental health; $500,000 to Steele Creek Fire and Rescue for equipment and facilities; and $500,000 to the NC Department of Transportation for a traffic study on Shopton Road West. The bill directly supports Steele Creek residents - particularly those in unincorporated areas lacking municipal services - and local nonprofits. It becomes effective July 1, 2025, with no policy changes beyond funding allocations.

Maddy summaryHB 243 allows Durham City and Durham County to use electronic methods (like their websites) for public hearing notices required under state law, instead of traditional methods like mail or physical postings. It directly affects Durham's local government, enabling them to adopt ordinances for electronic notices while maintaining existing requirements for mail notices to specific groups and property postings. The bill does not change current notice schedules or override state laws mandating certain notice methods, and it applies exclusively to Durham City and County. This is a procedural change to how public notices are delivered, not a policy shift on the underlying issues discussed at hearings.