Rep. James Roberson

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 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 550 updates North Carolina legislators' travel reimbursement rates to match the current federal IRS business mileage rate and federal employee per diem rates for meals and lodging, effective for travel starting in 2027. It directly affects all state legislators traveling for official legislative duties, including committee work and sessions. The bill sets mileage reimbursement to the IRS standard rate (referencing specific IRS notices) and aligns per diem allowances with federal rates for Raleigh-based travel, as detailed in the 2024 IRS notices. This eliminates separate state rates, instead tying allowances to ongoing federal updates. The change applies to all travel, including out-of-state trips where legislators may choose a flat $26/day meal rate plus lodging receipts.

Maddy summaryHB 548 requires North Carolina's Department of Commerce to conduct biannual analyses of the state's economic progress and well-being using specific community-focused metrics. It allocates $200,000 annually from the General Fund to fund these reports, which must measure poverty rates, housing and childcare costs relative to income, job quality, and neighborhood poverty patterns across all counties. The reports, due to the General Assembly by January 31 each odd-numbered year, will use public data and community input to assess economic conditions beyond traditional market indicators. This bill directly affects how state policymakers evaluate economic policy impacts, focusing on tangible quality-of-life factors for all North Carolinians.

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 514 defines the scope of practice for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) in North Carolina, including nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), and clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). The bill explicitly outlines the specific responsibilities for each role - such as CNMs managing reproductive health care, NPs diagnosing and treating illnesses, and CRNAs administering anesthesia - removing ambiguity in current law. It directly affects over 20,000 APRNs in North Carolina who currently face restrictions due to undefined practice parameters. The legislation aims to align North Carolina with 36 other states that have clarified APRN authority without compromising patient safety, as supported by research cited in the bill. This statutory definition is intended to improve healthcare access and reduce costs by enabling APRNs to practice to the full extent of their training.

Maddy summaryHB 501 amends North Carolina law to ensure domestic violence protective orders cover same-sex couples in dating relationships. It removes the requirement that dating relationships must involve "opposite-sex" partners, explicitly including same-sex couples under the definition of "dating relationship" in protective order law. This change directly affects same-sex partners who experience domestic violence and seek protection through the dating relationship provision. The bill takes effect for orders issued after it becomes law, making the legal standard for dating relationships gender-neutral.

Maddy summaryHB 503, the "Don't Tread on Me Act," proposes new protections for North Carolinians by restricting government overreach in privacy, healthcare, education, and employment. It prohibits state agencies from conducting warrantless surveillance, demanding private medical or political information for services, denying reproductive care based on ideology, interfering with parental decisions without due process, or censoring fact-based education. The bill also bans discrimination in employment, housing, or public services based on private beliefs, medical history, or lawful conduct. Currently in early legislative stages (filed March 24, passed 1st reading March 26), it would take effect if enacted.