Rep. Garland Pierce

Maddy summaryHB 500, titled "NC Adopt Equal Rights Amendment," is a resolution by the North Carolina General Assembly to formally ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution. The ERA, proposed by Congress in 1972 and ratified by 38 states (including Virginia in 2020), aims to guarantee equal rights under the law regardless of sex. This bill directs the state to send a certified copy of the ratification to the U.S. Archivist, Congress, and North Carolina’s congressional delegation. It is a procedural act with no direct impact on state law, solely affirming North Carolina’s support for the ERA’s status as the 28th Amendment.

Maddy summaryHB 498 creates a retirement credit for North Carolina teachers who served in the military. It allows veterans to count up to four years of active duty service toward their state retirement system, provided they weren’t dishonorably discharged, served before becoming a teacher, and meet licensure requirements. The bill modifies the retirement system to include this credit, requiring employers to pay a lump sum covering the retirement system’s increased liability for the credited service. This directly affects military veterans transitioning to teaching careers in North Carolina, making their prior service count toward retirement benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 507, "The Children First Act," expands affordable child care access for North Carolina families by increasing subsidy eligibility to 85% of state median income and raising subsidy rates to cover actual care costs. It allocates $50 million annually for subsidies and $15 million for grants to establish new child care facilities in rural or underserved areas, targeting "child care deserts." The bill also creates an employer-provided child care credit to incentivize workplace child care programs. These provisions directly affect low-to-moderate-income families, child care providers, and employers seeking to support working parents.

Maddy summaryHB 486 appropriates $1 million from North Carolina's General Fund to Blue Star Families, Inc., a nonprofit organization, for specific military family support programs. The funds will directly support military spouses through career development (via a Fayetteville chapter), strengthen military families, and provide caregiver services for veterans and military personnel. The allocation is structured as $400,000 for career programs, $300,000 for family strengthening, and $300,000 for caregiver services, all for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, and focuses solely on funding existing nonprofit services without altering laws or creating new requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 484 authorizes North Carolina's African American Heritage Commission to study creating monuments and markers honoring the state's civil rights history, including sites related to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, sit-ins, and desegregation efforts. The bill directly affects the Commission, which must hold public hearings and report findings by May 2026, and North Carolinians by commemorating local contributions to the civil rights movement. Key provisions include appropriating $500,000 for the Commission to place markers along the state's Civil Rights Trail and conducting feasibility studies on permanent monuments. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, with funding allocated for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Maddy summaryHB 449 increases penalties for computer solicitation of minors, making second offenses or those involving actual meetings Class D felonies (up from Class H). It requires sex offender registration petitions to be filed with courts and placed on criminal dockets for timely review. The bill also creates new offenses: "habitual indecent exposure" (Class F felony for two prior convictions) and "aggravated habitual indecent exposure" (Class E felony), both mandating sex offender registration. These changes directly affect individuals convicted of repeated indecent exposure or online solicitation of minors in North Carolina.

Maddy summaryHB 430 would raise North Carolina's legal sales age for all tobacco and nicotine products (including e-cigarettes and vaping devices) to 21. It requires retailers to obtain a tobacco sales permit and verify customers' ages using acceptable ID. The bill directly affects tobacco retailers (who must get permits) and youth under 21 (who would be barred from purchasing these products). Key provisions include defining "vapor products" and establishing penalties for violations, such as fines up to $1,000 for repeat offenses.

Maddy summaryHB 457 increases state funding for small county school systems in North Carolina by revising their base allotment schedule. It directly affects counties with student enrollments between 0-3,300 students per school administrative unit, raising their annual funding amounts - such as increasing the base allotment from $1,820,000 to $2,548,000 for counties with 0-1,300 students. The bill appropriates $20,961,180 in recurring funds from the General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to implement these changes. The new funding schedule takes effect on July 1, 2025, providing higher per-student support for eligible small counties.

Maddy summaryHB 453 increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for two specific services in North Carolina. It raises the rate for personal care services (e.g., help with daily tasks) to $7.50 per 15-minute increment for beneficiaries in programs like State Plan Personal Care Services and Community Alternatives programs. It also increases private duty nursing rates to $16.25 per 15 minutes for both children under 21 and adults, using state funds to match federal support. The changes, effective July 1, 2025, will directly affect Medicaid beneficiaries receiving these services through approved programs.

Maddy summaryHB 456, the "No Surprises for Ambulance Services Act," prevents unexpected high costs for ambulance services by requiring health insurance companies to cover both emergency and non-emergency ground ambulance transport without surprise bills. Specifically, it caps out-of-network cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles) for ambulance services at 110% of what would apply for in-network providers, ensuring patients aren’t charged more for using an ambulance outside their insurance network. This directly affects insured individuals who use ambulance services, especially in emergencies or when they cannot choose a network provider. The law also mandates insurers to clearly disclose coverage details for emergency services, including cost-sharing and how to access care.