Rep. Cynthia Ball

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 467 reenacts North Carolina's low-income housing tax credit program, allowing developers to claim tax credits for constructing or rehabilitating affordable housing. It specifies credit percentages (30%, 20%, or 10%) based on the income level of households (50% or less of area median income for 30% credit, 40% for 10% in high-income areas) and the location's income designation (low, moderate, or high-income county/city). Developers can receive credits either as a direct tax refund or a loan from the Housing Finance Agency, with affordability requirements applying for the full credit compliance period. This directly affects developers building qualifying low-income housing projects across North Carolina.

Maddy summaryHB 474, titled "Right to Use Contraception," declares that North Carolina recognizes the right to use contraception to prevent pregnancy as a fundamental liberty. It directly affects all residents who use contraception by stating the state has "no legitimate governmental interest in limiting the freedom to use contraception." The bill amends state law to add a new Article 44, explicitly prohibiting state restrictions on contraceptive access for pregnancy prevention. This is a declarative policy change, not a funding or program measure, and would become effective upon enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 473 protects patients' and healthcare providers' rights to access and provide assisted reproductive technology (ART), including in vitro fertilization (IVF), by prohibiting state interference. It defines ART broadly and explicitly states that fertilized eggs or embryos outside the uterus are not considered "human beings" under North Carolina law. The bill also appropriates $500,000 annually (starting July 2025) from the state General Fund to increase Medicaid maternal support services (the Baby Love Program), matching $913,000 in federal funds for the 2025-2027 biennium. This legislation directly affects patients seeking ART, healthcare providers offering these services, and Medicaid beneficiaries receiving maternal support.

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 summaryHJR 461 is a symbolic resolution passed by North Carolina's legislature urging the U.S. Congress to enact federal legislation admitting Washington, D.C., as the 51st state. It does not create new laws or change DC's status but formally expresses support for statehood based on arguments like DC's population size, residents' tax contributions, and historical denial of voting rights in Congress. The resolution specifically asks Congress to pass the Washington, D.C., Admission Act (H.R. 51/S. 51), which would grant DC two U.S. Senators and at least one House member. It has no legal effect on DC's status but aims to pressure federal lawmakers to act on the issue. This is a procedural resolution, not a bill with binding policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 445 reinstates education-based salary supplements for teachers, instructional support staff (including school social workers), and requires school districts to publicly post minimum salary schedules for occupational and physical therapists. The bill allocates $8 million in recurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to fund these supplements, using a 2013 salary policy framework to determine eligibility based on academic degrees. School districts must publish therapist salary schedules online by October 15 each year, differentiating pay by experience in five-year intervals. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting educators and therapists in North Carolina public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 464 requires every public school in North Carolina - including traditional, charter, regional, and laboratory schools - to have at least one full-time, permanent school nurse starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill appropriates $95 million from the state General Fund for the 2025-2026 school year to fund these additional nursing positions, with funds designated to supplement - not replace - existing school nurse funding. It amends multiple statutes to mandate this staffing requirement across all public school units. The law becomes effective July 1, 2025, with implementation beginning for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 21 creates a voluntary designation on North Carolina driver's licenses for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as defined by state law. People with a medical diagnosis of ASD can request this designation by providing acceptable documentation, such as a healthcare professional's certification, to the Division of Motor Vehicles. The designation appears only in the license record and is accessible solely to law enforcement during interactions to promote safety - no other use is permitted. Individuals may add or remove the designation at any time without affecting their license eligibility or rights.

Maddy summaryHB 37 standardizes monthly pension benefits for North Carolina firefighters and rescue squad workers under the state pension fund. It sets a uniform $175 monthly pension for members with 20+ years of service who reach age 55, replaces the previous $180 amount, and maintains $175 for disability benefits and line-of-duty death benefits. The bill also allows members affected by city annexations or department closures to continue contributing $15 monthly until they reach 20 years of service for pension eligibility. These changes apply to current and future members of the pension fund who meet the service requirements. The bill does not alter contribution rates or eligibility for most members but adjusts benefit amounts and extends certain provisions.