Rep. Bill Ward

Maddy summaryHB 640 requires North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services to regularly verify eligibility for public assistance programs like Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. It mandates monthly or quarterly data sharing with state agencies (e.g., Vital Records, Labor, Lottery Commission) and federal databases (e.g., Social Security, National Directory of New Hires) to check income, employment, residency, and other factors affecting benefits. The bill also requires the department to publicly post nonconfidential, aggregated data on fraud investigations and improper payments quarterly. This directly affects individuals enrolled in health and housing assistance programs by strengthening how their eligibility is reviewed.

Maddy summaryHB 929 bans adding fluoride to public water systems in North Carolina, effective January 1, 2026. It directly affects municipal water utilities that currently add fluoride for dental health purposes. The bill includes exceptions for naturally occurring fluoride in water sources and industrial uses unrelated to water treatment. It does not apply to private wells, bottled water, or water systems using naturally present fluoride.

Maddy summaryHB 935 prevents county election boards from using fire or emergency response agency properties as polling places if doing so would interfere with emergency services. It requires the fire chief to determine that the property's use as a polling site would hinder emergency response, appeal to the county commissioners, and have the commissioners rule in favor of the fire chief's objection. This law directly affects fire departments and election officials by creating a formal process to protect emergency facilities from being requisitioned for voting purposes.

Maddy summaryHB 899 repeals laws that made North Carolina's Office of State Fire Marshal an independent agency and transfers its oversight to the Commissioner of the Department of Insurance. The bill ensures current employees, fire department identification numbers, and existing rules will continue under the Commissioner's authority until amended by the Commissioner or changed by the General Assembly. These changes take effect on October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 939 allows North Carolina public school districts to hire or accept volunteer chaplains, with specific requirements for their employment. School districts must adopt a policy covering certified training (via organizations like the National School Chaplain Association), services provided, continuing education, and discipline procedures. The bill mandates criminal background checks for chaplains before service, reviewed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and shields chaplains from civil liability for normal duties (except gross negligence). It explicitly states that hiring chaplains does not endorse any religion. The law takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 919 prohibits banks and other financial institutions from denying services or discriminating based on protected characteristics like political views, religious beliefs (unless for religious purposes), or social credit scores tied to lawful activities (e.g., firearm ownership, energy use, or environmental compliance). It bans using subjective criteria without full disclosure to customers and requires annual compliance reports under penalty of perjury. Financial institutions must also avoid discriminatory pricing based on environmental, social, or governance factors unless justified by actuarial standards. Individuals harmed by violations can pursue legal action for damages or injunctions.

Maddy summaryHB 887 defines "abandoned vessels" (left unattended >30 days without permission) and "derelict vessels" (in poor condition, like wrecked or sinking), directly affecting vessel owners and operators in North Carolina. It creates new rules requiring vessels to be secured properly to avoid damaging waters or property, limits docking in state waters to 10 days within any 30-day period, and gives the Commission authority to remove abandoned or derelict vessels from public or private land/waters without liability. The bill includes exceptions for historic shipwrecks under state custody and vessels abandoned during emergencies, where owners must notify authorities and remove the vessel within 10 days. This legislation aims to address safety and environmental risks posed by neglected vessels.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows federally licensed gun dealers in North Carolina to safely store firearms for private owners without charging a fee. It provides legal protection for these dealers against lawsuits if someone is injured or killed during the storage period, unless the dealer was negligent or acted unlawfully. The state Bureau of Investigation will create a standard form for these agreements and keep them confidential, while dealers cannot store illegally possessed guns or return weapons to prohibited individuals. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 890 requires North Carolina's Department of Public Instruction to create an Emergency Internet Service Plan (EISP) ensuring public schools can access temporary internet during state emergencies, like natural disasters. The bill establishes a dedicated Emergency Internet Service Fund with $3.9 million in initial funding for equipment and service contracts, which schools cannot be charged to activate. Key provisions include requiring the plan to cover activation conditions, equipment needs, data protection, and third-party partnerships, while ensuring the fund is nonreverting (unused money carries over). This directly affects all public school units by guaranteeing emergency internet access without requiring school-level funding. The plan must be updated annually and reported to the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 945 requires North Carolina public schools to specify whether incidents of sexual assault, harassment, or other violence occurred on school buses when submitting reports to the State Board of Education. It increases reporting frequency from annual to biannual (at the end of each school quarter) and establishes a Class I felony penalty for school employees or board members who fail to report such incidents. The bill directly affects local school boards, administrators, and staff who must comply with these reporting requirements. The State Board will compile and publish these reports, excluding sensitive minor identifiers, starting with the 2025-2026 school year. This law aims to improve tracking of violence on school buses through standardized reporting and enforcement.