Rep. Julie von Haefen

Maddy summaryHB 580 updates North Carolina election laws based on recommendations from the State Board of Elections. It requires county boards to keep absentee ballot request records confidential until voting begins, then make daily lists of approved absentee applications public. The bill also sets specific timing rules for counting different ballot types (e.g., election day ballots must start counting immediately after polls close, while early voting ballots can start between 9 AM-5 PM on election day) and mandates counties to notify voters of fixable absentee ballot errors (like missing signatures) with a deadline to correct them by 12 PM on the third business day after the election. These changes directly affect county election boards and voters requesting absentee ballots.

Maddy summaryHB 588 aims to improve the number and quality of school psychologists in North Carolina through multiple funding initiatives. It provides a $650 monthly salary boost and a 12% supplement for certified school psychologists (totaling $8.1 million), establishes a $5 million grant program to fund signing bonuses (up to $5,000) for recruiting new psychologists with a one-year commitment requirement, and creates a $5 million internship program offering stipends at starting salaries. Additionally, it allocates $5 million for a virtual training program at Appalachian State University and $1.6 million to expand school psychology programs at five UNC institutions to double graduate output. The bill also includes an interstate licensure compact to facilitate practice across state lines, with all programs requiring annual reporting to the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 571 appropriates $500,000 from the state General Fund to the Department of Public Safety for a grant program treating police officers diagnosed with PTSD. It directly affects North Carolina police officers who have received a clinical PTSD diagnosis. The key provision establishes a state-funded grant program to cover treatment costs, with funds allocated for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The program becomes effective July 1, 2025, and focuses solely on providing financial support for treatment, not on expanding eligibility or altering diagnosis standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $17 million annual Tobacco Use Prevention Fund within North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services, funded by a portion of the state's annual Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement payments. The fund directly targets youth (high and middle school students) by supporting community-based programs, evidence-based media campaigns, school initiatives, and tracking of e-cigarette use to prevent nicotine dependence. Key provisions include funding local health departments for youth education, launching health-risk media campaigns, supporting tobacco-free college campuses, and evaluating program effectiveness. The fund uses $17 million yearly from the $140 million settlement allocation, with up to 10% of funds allowed for administrative costs.

Maddy summaryHB 545 bans the sale, possession, or transfer of "ghost guns" (unserialized firearms lacking a manufacturer's serial number) and "undetectable firearms" (like plastic or 3D-printed guns that evade metal detectors). It directly affects individuals and businesses that manufacture, sell, or possess these weapons, except for federally licensed firearm manufacturers under ATF rules. The law defines undetectable firearms as those failing airport-style metal detector scans or being made entirely of non-metal materials. Violations carry Class I felony penalties, and the bill takes effect December 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 564 provides a 2% cost-of-living adjustment for retirees in North Carolina's Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System, Consolidated Judicial Retirement System, and Legislative Retirement System. It increases retirement payments for retirees who retired on or before specific dates (July 1, 2024, for most systems, or January 1, 2025, for the Legislative system) and offers a prorated increase for those retiring between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. The bill appropriates $106.2 million from the General Fund to fund this adjustment, effective July 1, 2025. This policy change directly affects current retirees in these systems by increasing their monthly benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 521 would require most North Carolina employers to provide earned paid sick leave to workers. It mandates that employees accrue one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, with limits of 32 hours per year for small businesses (10 or fewer employees) and 56 hours for larger employers. The leave covers the employee's own health needs, care for immediate family members, or situations related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Exemptions include volunteers, certain exempt employees under wage laws, and domestic workers employed in a private residence. The bill directly affects over 1.6 million private-sector workers in North Carolina, particularly low-wage and high-contact industry workers who currently lack access to paid sick days.

Maddy summaryHB 522 prohibits crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) in North Carolina from falsely advertising that they provide abortion or emergency contraceptive services when they do not. It defines this as a deceptive practice, requiring CPCs to clearly disclose staff qualifications and service offerings (like abortion care) on-site or via corrective advertising. The bill establishes a complaint process for the Attorney General to enforce violations, with civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation, and mandates a state health department evaluation of CPCs’ impact on reproductive healthcare access by 2026. This directly affects CPCs operating in the state, particularly those receiving public funds and targeting marginalized communities.

Maddy summaryHB 529 is a straightforward repeal bill that removes two specific provisions from North Carolina law that were part of the original HB 2 (2016). It repeals Article 81A of Chapter 143 (related to public accommodations) and G.S. 95-25.1(d) (a non-discrimination provision). The bill directly affects how public accommodations and non-discrimination protections were previously defined under HB 2. This is a clean repeal with no new provisions or mechanisms; it simply eliminates those specific sections of law.

Maddy summaryHB 538, "Equality for All," expands North Carolina's anti-discrimination laws to protect residents in housing and employment. The bill adds sexual orientation, gender identity, military/veteran status, and genetic information to the list of protected characteristics, prohibiting discrimination by landlords, real estate agents, and employers (with 15+ employees) based on these factors. Key provisions ban refusal to rent/sell property, discriminatory advertising, denial of housing services, and employment decisions based on protected status. It applies broadly to all housing transactions and employment opportunities across the state. The law aims to ensure equal access without requiring proof of discriminatory intent.