Rep. John Lowery

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 146 amends North Carolina's driver's license renewal process. It allows active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces, or reserve components serving on active duty and stationed outside North Carolina, to renew their driver's licenses remotely multiple times in a row. Currently, a remote renewal requires the previous renewal to have been done in person, but this bill removes that restriction for eligible military personnel. This change aims to make it easier for these individuals to maintain their licenses while serving away from the state. The act becomes effective October 1, 2025, applying to licenses renewed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 254 designates the fourth Thursday of March each year as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day in North Carolina. This officially recognizes and honors the legacy of the African-American pilots, navigators, bombardiers, instructors, and support staff who trained at Tuskegee Institute from 1941 to 1949.

Maddy summaryHB 163 regulates Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs) to ensure fair practices for pharmacies and insured individuals. The bill prohibits PBMs from charging insurers more for a prescription drug than they pay the pharmacy (spread pricing) and requires patient out-of-pocket costs to be based on the net price after any PBM concessions. It establishes minimum reimbursement standards for pharmacies, preventing PBMs from paying less than the national average drug acquisition cost plus a dispensing fee. Additionally, it clarifies that PBMs cannot restrict accredited pharmacies from dispensing specialty drugs and strengthens audit protections for pharmacies.

Maddy summaryHB 217 requires individuals aged 18 and older who are applying for a North Carolina driver's license and are not licensed in another state or haven't completed a state driver education course to complete a mandatory alcohol and drug abuse awareness course. This also applies to applicants licensed in other countries. The three-hour course, available online or in person, will cover the effects of substance abuse on driving, state traffic laws, and high-risk driving behaviors. Third-party vendors will offer these courses under the Division's oversight, and participants will pay a fee.

Maddy summaryHB 767 establishes the Joint Legislative Study Commission on Market Rate Compensation for Teachers. This commission will study public school teacher pay and benefits in North Carolina, comparing them to other states and professions, and analyze teacher attrition rates. Composed of legislators, gubernatorial appointees, and the State Superintendent, the commission will hold public meetings across the state. Its purpose is to gather data and provide legislative recommendations on teacher compensation to the General Assembly by the end of 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 135 establishes labeling requirements for "manufactured-protein food products," which include items made from cell cultures, insects, or plants that resemble traditional meat or poultry. The bill mandates that if these products use identifying meat or poultry terms, their labels must also prominently display a "qualifying term" like "cell-cultured" or "plant-based" in a specific font size and location to prevent misbranding. Additionally, the bill aims to prohibit public educational institutions from purchasing certain food products and proposes an environmental investment assessment on specific animal-derived and analogous food products.

Maddy summaryHB 574 establishes a Workforce Development Pilot Project in North Carolina. This bill provides funds to the Office of State Budget and Management to be allocated to the North Carolina Workforce Development Coalition (NCWDC). The NCWDC will then provide grants to eligible North Carolina-based employers, with 20 to 1,500 employees, to support employer-sponsored training programs. These grants aim to increase job creation, reduce employee turnover, improve wages, and upgrade worker skills, especially in industries with identified training gaps. Employers can receive up to 50% of eligible training costs or $2,000 per trainee, with a maximum of $40,000 annually per employer.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 610 directs the Department of Public Instruction to conduct a study on the feasibility of requiring each local school district to maintain at least one school operating on a year-round calendar for grades kindergarten through 12. The study will examine administrative and operational costs, transportation challenges, and potential barriers to establishing these schools. It will also assess anticipated student enrollment if year-round options were more accessible. The Department can work with a third-party for this research and must report its findings and any recommendations to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by January 15, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 631 establishes a joint legislative study commission to examine the feasibility of creating a State Infrastructure Bank in North Carolina. This commission will investigate how such a bank could sustainably finance various infrastructure projects, including transportation, environmental, energy, and housing, to support economic growth and community development. Composed of legislators, state officials, and appointed experts, the commission will hold public meetings across the state and provide recommendations to the General Assembly by late 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HB 508, proposes to lower the maximum interest rate that can be charged on certain open-end credit plans, including revolving credit card accounts, in North Carolina. It reduces the aggregate monthly interest rate cap from one and one-half percent (1.5%) to one and seventeen hundredths percent (1.17%) on the unpaid balance. These changes directly affect consumers who use credit cards and the lenders who provide these services, taking effect for charges made on or after October 1, 2025.