Rep. Ben Moss

Maddy summaryThis bill requires North Carolina state agencies and local governments to only purchase U.S. and North Carolina flags made entirely in the United States using domestically grown or produced materials. It prohibits using public funds for any U.S. or state flags not 100% manufactured in America from domestic materials. The rule applies to all new flag purchases starting October 1, 2025. It directly affects all government offices responsible for buying flags with public money.

Maddy summaryHB 160 requires North Carolina's University of North Carolina School of Medicine Area Health Education Centers (NC AHEC) to create and share evidence-based information about sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) with all healthcare practitioners in the state. This includes current risk factors, conditions, and contact details for epilepsy support organizations, available on NC AHEC's website. Healthcare providers treating epilepsy patients will directly receive this standardized resource, which must be compiled by consulting medical boards and professional societies. NC AHEC must report the completed resource to the legislature by September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 153 increases vehicle safety and emissions inspection fees in North Carolina, directly affecting vehicle owners who require these inspections. The bill raises the safety inspection fee from $12.75 to $13.75, emissions/safety from $23.75 to $24.75, and authorization fees proportionally, effective October 1, 2025. It specifies these are maximum allowable fees (inspection stations may charge less) and maintains existing rules for re-inspections after failure within 60 days. The bill does not create new requirements or studies but modifies fee structures for vehicle safety and emissions compliance.

Maddy summaryHB 471, the Food Labeling Transparency Act, requires manufacturers of cell-cultured and insect-based food products to clearly label items that use meat or poultry terms (like "beef," "chicken," or "burger") with qualifying terms such as "cell-cultured," "insect-based," or "lab-grown" in prominent, close proximity to the product name. This applies to products that mimic traditional meat or poultry but are made without animal slaughter, directly affecting manufacturers of these alternative protein products. The law mandates this labeling to prevent consumer confusion by ensuring the product’s origin is transparent, with enforcement starting October 1, 2025. It does not restrict the sale of these products but requires specific labeling to distinguish them from conventional meat.

Maddy summaryHB 427 changes North Carolina's concealed handgun permit process by replacing detailed mental health record disclosures with a simplified "yes" or "no" system. Applicants no longer need to provide specific mental health records; instead, medical professionals and other entities with relevant information must respond to sheriffs with a "yes" or "no" indicating if an applicant has a diagnosed mental illness. If they answer "yes," they must provide written grounds within 15 days. Sheriffs must then issue or deny permits within 45 days of receiving this information, and applicants can appeal denials with specific written reasons provided by the responding entity. This directly affects permit applicants, mental health providers, and local sheriffs handling background checks.

Maddy summaryHB 804, the "Human Life Protection Act of 2025," prohibits most abortions in North Carolina starting July 1, 2025, defining "abortion" as any act intending to cause fetal death after fertilization. The law permits exceptions only when a licensed physician determines, using reasonable medical judgment, that a pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk to the mother or causes serious impairment of a major bodily function - excluding risks from the mother's own actions. Violations carry criminal penalties (Class B1 felony for causing fetal death, Class B2 for other violations) and civil penalties of $100,000 per violation, plus potential license revocation for medical providers. This law directly affects pregnant individuals seeking abortions and healthcare providers performing them in North Carolina, replacing prior exceptions and repealing related statutes.

Maddy summaryHB 810, effective July 1, 2025, provides North Carolina state employees with paid bereavement leave: up to 40 hours for the death of an immediate family member (spouse, parent, child, sibling, or dependent living with them) and up to 8 hours for the death of a colleague. It applies to all state employees, public school staff, and community college workers, requiring documentation like a death certificate but allowing leave without exhausting sick or vacation time. Employees must use family leave within 180 days of the death and provide funeral attendance proof for colleague leave, with no annual limit on usage. The bill appropriates $2 million annually from the General Fund to cover these leave costs through the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium.

Maddy summaryHB 794 mandates the North Carolina State Highway Patrol to study and develop recommendations on four specific areas: overall and regional staffing needs, and overall and rank-specific salary scales. The study requires the Patrol to assess staffing requirements based on state and regional needs, along with salary structures for all ranks. The Patrol must submit findings and recommendations to relevant legislative committees by March 1, 2026. This bill is procedural and does not enact new policies or funding; it solely requires a study to inform future legislative decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 812 appropriates $10 million from North Carolina's General Fund to fund a presidential library honoring Donald Trump at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP). The bill directs UNCP to use these nonrecurring funds for constructing the library, with optional partnership coordination with the federal National Archives. It becomes effective July 1, 2025, and does not alter existing state policies or require further legislative action beyond the funding allocation. This is a procedural funding measure focused solely on capital construction for the library.

Maddy summaryHB 85 (title "Removal of Precinct Officials" is misleading) prohibits individuals from working in any election-related role if found to have failed to exercise due care and diligence during election work. This applies to all election workers - paid or volunteer - who are determined negligent in their duties. The bill creates a permanent ban from future election work for such individuals, regardless of their specific position. It does not specify what constitutes "failure to exercise due care," leaving that determination to election authorities. The bill is currently pending in the House Judiciary Committee.