Rep. Bill Ward

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 801 authorizes the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) to study "paper towns" in North Carolina. A "paper town" is defined as a town that exists but fails to provide adequate services to its residents as required by law. The study will assess if towns incorporated since 1995 are delivering proposed services and if their current services justify continued incorporation, including taxation and zoning powers. The LRC will also consider actions like suspending or revoking charters for non-compliant towns and recommend changes to future incorporation criteria. A final report, including any proposed legislation, is due to the 2026 General Assembly.

Maddy summaryHB 140 authorizes the addition of the Gullah Geechee Greenway/Blueway Heritage Trail to North Carolina's State Trails System. This bill adds a 21-mile multiuse trail in Brunswick County, designed for pedestrian and bicycle use, which connects various historical sites significant to Gullah Geechee culture. It directs the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to support and promote the trail's establishment and allows the State to acquire necessary land through donations or existing funds, waiving the usual appropriation requirement for new additions.

Maddy summaryHB 575, known as "The Hunter Robinson Act," revises North Carolina's laws governing post-release supervision for criminal offenders. The bill modifies how the "maximum imposed term" is calculated for prisoners serving consecutive sentences by adjusting the months deducted based on felony class. It also changes when prisoners become eligible for post-release supervision and extends the required length of the supervision period for most felony categories. These changes generally result in longer post-release supervision terms for affected offenders. The act applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 439 modifies North Carolina law concerning the concealed carry of bladed weapons, directly affecting individuals who wish to carry certain knives. The bill redefines an "ordinary pocket knife" as a folding knife with a blade up to 6 inches, which remains exempt from concealed carry restrictions. It also establishes new conditions allowing the concealed carry of other bladed weapons, such as bowie knives or daggers. To do so, an individual must be at least 18 years old, carry valid identification, have no felony convictions, and not carry the knife in locations where concealed handguns are prohibited.

Maddy summaryHB 156 sets minimum standards for stop loss, catastrophic, and reinsurance coverage provided to small employers in North Carolina. It directly affects small employers (defined as those with fewer than 12 eligible employees) and insurers selling these specific insurance products. The bill requires insurers to maintain a minimum annual attachment point of $20,000 per individual (adjusted annually using the Consumer Price Index) and a minimum aggregate attachment point of either 120% of expected claims or $20,000 per year. These standards apply to all new, renewed, or amended insurance contracts issued on or after October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 512 creates an exemption to the practice of veterinary medicine for emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. This allows EMS personnel, excluding dispatchers, to provide emergency medical transport and services to injured K-9 police animals or certified search and rescue dogs at an emergency scene. The bill also grants limited immunity from prosecution for EMS personnel who act in good faith when providing such care. However, this immunity does not extend to gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing.

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 summaryHouse Bill 38, known as the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, prohibits payment card networks from using a specific "firearms code" to identify or track purchases made at firearms merchants in North Carolina. It also forbids these networks from knowingly maintaining records of individuals in the state who own firearms. The bill aims to prevent the separate tracking of lawful firearm and ammunition purchases and protect the financial privacy of individuals exercising their right to bear arms. Payment card networks are also prohibited from discriminating against firearms merchants based on code assignment. Violations can lead to civil penalties assessed by the Attorney General or civil lawsuits from affected merchants or individuals.

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 649 directs the North Carolina Collaboratory to study the state's county tier designation system. The study will examine potential changes to the criteria used for ranking counties, how tier designations are assigned, and the ranking timeframe. It will evaluate the impact of these changes on all 100 counties, programs that use the tier system, and the ease of doing business in the state. The Collaboratory is required to submit a preliminary report by December 2025 and a final report by December 2026.