Rep. Pricey Harrison

Maddy summaryHB 580 updates North Carolina election laws based on recommendations from the State Board of Elections. It requires county boards to keep absentee ballot request records confidential until voting begins, then make daily lists of approved absentee applications public. The bill also sets specific timing rules for counting different ballot types (e.g., election day ballots must start counting immediately after polls close, while early voting ballots can start between 9 AM-5 PM on election day) and mandates counties to notify voters of fixable absentee ballot errors (like missing signatures) with a deadline to correct them by 12 PM on the third business day after the election. These changes directly affect county election boards and voters requesting absentee ballots.

Maddy summaryHB 588 aims to improve the number and quality of school psychologists in North Carolina through multiple funding initiatives. It provides a $650 monthly salary boost and a 12% supplement for certified school psychologists (totaling $8.1 million), establishes a $5 million grant program to fund signing bonuses (up to $5,000) for recruiting new psychologists with a one-year commitment requirement, and creates a $5 million internship program offering stipends at starting salaries. Additionally, it allocates $5 million for a virtual training program at Appalachian State University and $1.6 million to expand school psychology programs at five UNC institutions to double graduate output. The bill also includes an interstate licensure compact to facilitate practice across state lines, with all programs requiring annual reporting to the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 571 appropriates $500,000 from the state General Fund to the Department of Public Safety for a grant program treating police officers diagnosed with PTSD. It directly affects North Carolina police officers who have received a clinical PTSD diagnosis. The key provision establishes a state-funded grant program to cover treatment costs, with funds allocated for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The program becomes effective July 1, 2025, and focuses solely on providing financial support for treatment, not on expanding eligibility or altering diagnosis standards.

Maddy summaryHB 609 allows licensed farms in North Carolina to sell unpasteurized milk and raw milk products directly to consumers under strict safety conditions. It requires farms to obtain a Department of Agriculture license, pass annual inspections for disease (tuberculosis/brucellosis), meet water safety standards, and undergo regular testing for bacteria and pathogens in milk. Sales can only occur at the farm of origin or a small farm stand (max 1,000 sq ft), with mandatory labeling stating "Raw milk: not pasteurized and may contain organisms injurious to your health." The bill does not permit raw milk sales in restaurants or general retail settings, and all requirements must be met before the law takes effect on January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $17 million annual Tobacco Use Prevention Fund within North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services, funded by a portion of the state's annual Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement payments. The fund directly targets youth (high and middle school students) by supporting community-based programs, evidence-based media campaigns, school initiatives, and tracking of e-cigarette use to prevent nicotine dependence. Key provisions include funding local health departments for youth education, launching health-risk media campaigns, supporting tobacco-free college campuses, and evaluating program effectiveness. The fund uses $17 million yearly from the $140 million settlement allocation, with up to 10% of funds allowed for administrative costs.

Maddy summaryHB 566 establishes a competitive grant program to support North Carolina's Principal Fellows Program, directly affecting school leader preparation programs and future principals. It provides forgivable scholarship loans to participants in these programs (repaid only if they don’t work in North Carolina schools) and grants to eligible entities to develop innovative principal training methods. The bill sets specific grant terms, including 2-6 year durations for loan programs and 1-year terms for innovation grants, with funding capped at $250,000 per recipient annually. Recipients must report on key metrics like program completers’ placement rates in high-need schools and their performance evaluations. The program also allocates funds for administrative costs and program monitoring, requiring public sharing of non-identifiable materials to promote best practices.

Maddy summaryHB 545 bans the sale, possession, or transfer of "ghost guns" (unserialized firearms lacking a manufacturer's serial number) and "undetectable firearms" (like plastic or 3D-printed guns that evade metal detectors). It directly affects individuals and businesses that manufacture, sell, or possess these weapons, except for federally licensed firearm manufacturers under ATF rules. The law defines undetectable firearms as those failing airport-style metal detector scans or being made entirely of non-metal materials. Violations carry Class I felony penalties, and the bill takes effect December 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 551 aims to improve access to Clubhouse model programs for North Carolinians with severe mental illness by creating a statewide reimbursement system for these services. It requires the state mental health agency to develop a plan by 2026 that includes incentives for Clubhouses to gain accreditation, consistent funding rates across regions, and staff training. The bill allocates $2.5 million in recurring funds starting July 2026 to support accredited Clubhouses for current programs, expansion, accreditation costs, and staff training. It also mandates Medicaid coverage for services under this new reimbursement system, directly affecting individuals with severe mental illness and Clubhouse providers.

Maddy summaryHB 564 provides a 2% cost-of-living adjustment for retirees in North Carolina's Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System, Consolidated Judicial Retirement System, and Legislative Retirement System. It increases retirement payments for retirees who retired on or before specific dates (July 1, 2024, for most systems, or January 1, 2025, for the Legislative system) and offers a prorated increase for those retiring between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. The bill appropriates $106.2 million from the General Fund to fund this adjustment, effective July 1, 2025. This policy change directly affects current retirees in these systems by increasing their monthly benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 550 updates North Carolina legislators' travel reimbursement rates to match the current federal IRS business mileage rate and federal employee per diem rates for meals and lodging, effective for travel starting in 2027. It directly affects all state legislators traveling for official legislative duties, including committee work and sessions. The bill sets mileage reimbursement to the IRS standard rate (referencing specific IRS notices) and aligns per diem allowances with federal rates for Raleigh-based travel, as detailed in the 2024 IRS notices. This eliminates separate state rates, instead tying allowances to ongoing federal updates. The change applies to all travel, including out-of-state trips where legislators may choose a flat $26/day meal rate plus lodging receipts.