Rep. Howard Penny

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a pilot program in Vance and Granville Counties to help religious institutions better support people with mental health or substance use needs. The program creates a tiered designation system where churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples can earn Basic, Intermediate, or Advanced status by completing specific training, hosting support groups, and providing mental health resources. To receive these designations, participating institutions must update their websites to show their status and ensure their staff and members complete required mental health training. The state agency responsible for mental health services will manage the application process and submit an annual report on the program's progress to the legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Health Care Omnibus, introduces several changes to North Carolina's healthcare regulations. It requires doctors and pharmacists to inform patients receiving opioid prescriptions about the risks of overdose, prevention methods, and the availability of reversal drugs. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that Medicaid benefits will continue for a limited time after individuals are released from prison or other incarceration facilities. The bill also expands access to mental health services by allowing reciprocal licensing for marriage and family therapists, reducing regulatory hurdles for master's level psychologists, and encouraging the use of tribal health facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new legal process allowing property owners to request the immediate removal of unauthorized individuals from residential homes by contacting their local sheriff. To use this process, the owner must file a sworn complaint stating that the person is not a tenant or resident, has been asked to leave, and that no valid lease exists, after which the sheriff must act within 24 hours. The legislation also increases penalties for willful damage to residential property and prohibits fraudulent rental advertisements while requiring all leases to be in writing. Property owners who incorrectly use this removal process could face civil lawsuits, including triple damages based on the rent and legal fees.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory to conduct a study on how proposed changes to the county tier designation system would affect the state's 100 counties. The study will examine potential adjustments to the criteria for ranking counties, the method used to assign tiers, and the timeline for these rankings. It will also assess how these changes impact state programs, business operations, and the accuracy of identifying distressed areas using current data. Funded with $100,000, the Collaboratory must submit a preliminary report by December 31, 2024, and a final report by December 1, 2025, to legislative oversight committees.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how members of the Jackson County Board of Education are elected in North Carolina. It moves election dates from local times to the general election in even-numbered years and requires voters to choose candidates without party labels. The law also sets up five specific districts for these elections and allows the board to redraw district lines after the 2030 census. These changes will take effect in December 2026, with the first new election occurring that year.