Rep. Diane Wheatley

Maddy summaryHB 844, the Finding Grace Family Bill, revises North Carolina's adoption and abortion laws. It requires the state to provide adoptive families with resources to prevent adoption dissolution (such as counseling and support services) and clarifies parental consent processes before birth (e.g., allowing biological mothers to seek court determination of consent after three months of pregnancy). The bill bans most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for medical emergencies and procedures performed within the first 12 weeks. These changes directly affect adoptive families, prospective adoptive parents, and individuals seeking abortion care in North Carolina.

Maddy summaryHB 487 shortens the required separation period for retired assistant district attorneys and assistant public defenders before they can return to state employment. The bill changes North Carolina's retirement rules to allow these professionals to rejoin state work after 30 days instead of the standard six-month waiting period. This adjustment applies specifically to retired assistant district attorneys and public defenders who wish to return to state service. The policy change directly affects these two groups of retired state employees by providing greater flexibility for reemployment.

Maddy summaryHB 793 appropriates $5 million for Fayetteville's Innovation District (to foster collaboration between businesses, universities, and institutions), $2.5 million to consolidate the city and Cumberland County's 911 dispatch center, $25,000 for Hollywood Heights Community Club facility repairs, $400,000 annually for four fire stations, and $100,000 annually for Lake Rim Park maintenance. The bill directs state funds to specific local projects in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, effective July 1, 2025. It provides one-time and recurring funding for infrastructure, public safety, and community facilities without altering existing laws. The bill directly affects Fayetteville city operations, Cumberland County emergency services, and local nonprofit and park entities.

Maddy summaryHB 85 (title "Removal of Precinct Officials" is misleading) prohibits individuals from working in any election-related role if found to have failed to exercise due care and diligence during election work. This applies to all election workers - paid or volunteer - who are determined negligent in their duties. The bill creates a permanent ban from future election work for such individuals, regardless of their specific position. It does not specify what constitutes "failure to exercise due care," leaving that determination to election authorities. The bill is currently pending in the House Judiciary Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 189 clarifies the timing requirements for red light cameras in North Carolina, ensuring they only issue tickets after the red light has been displayed for a legally required period. The bill specifies that cameras cannot enforce violations for vehicles entering an intersection before the red clearance interval expires (the time after the light turns red before the camera can activate). It requires all traffic signals with cameras to follow engineering plans approved by a licensed professional engineer and comply with the standard Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. This affects municipalities using red light cameras under state law, setting clear technical standards for when violations can be recorded.

Maddy summaryHB 679 appropriates $5.4 million in one-time state funds to the Town of Spring Lake for specific public projects. The funding directs $200,000 for restoring the Historic Spring Lake Civic Center, $100,000 to the Spring Lake Fire Department, $5 million for general infrastructure, and $100,000 to support the Manchester Fire Department or other rural fire departments serving the Spring Lake area. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, and directly affects Spring Lake town operations and the designated fire departments through these targeted grants.

Maddy summaryHB 355 directs North Carolina's Legislative Research Commission (LRC) to study challenges facing rural fire departments, focusing on volunteer recruitment, funding, equipment needs, interdepartmental cooperation, firefighter well-being, and public education. The LRC must examine specific issues like financial incentives for volunteers, equitable resource distribution, mutual aid agreements, and community fire safety programs. It requires regional public hearings and a 90-day comment period before submitting interim and final reports to the 2025 and 2027 General Assemblies. This bill does not change current law but sets up a review process to inform future legislative action.

Maddy summaryHB 141, the Joe John Remembrance Act, removes an additional fee for special license plates designated for fire department and rescue squad members in North Carolina. The bill amends state law to formally eliminate the "additional fee" listed for these plates (which was already set to $0 in the current fee schedule), meaning eligible firefighters and rescue personnel will pay only the standard registration fee when obtaining or renewing these special plates. This change applies to plates issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025. The bill does not create new benefits but codifies an existing fee structure for these specific special plates.

Maddy summaryHB 7, the NC REACH Act, requires all students graduating with a baccalaureate degree from a UNC system university or an associate degree from a North Carolina community college to complete at least three credit hours of coursework in American history or government. This coursework must include reading key documents like the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Federalist Papers, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail, plus a final exam worth 20% of the grade. Students may qualify for exemptions through AP/IB/Cambridge scores, dual enrollment, or prior equivalent coursework. The bill ensures these requirements do not increase total graduation credit hours or conflict with accreditation standards, with annual compliance reports due to the legislature starting in 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 644 requires North Carolina's Department of Transportation to study traffic congestion near Fort Bragg, specifically between Vass Road and N.C. Highway 87, using $500,000 in highway funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The study must identify economic benefits of reducing congestion and examine options like expanded rail routes and other surface transportation solutions. This bill directly affects the Fort Bragg military installation and surrounding communities by funding a traffic analysis, but does not implement any traffic solutions itself. It becomes effective July 1, 2025, after the study period.