Rep. John Blust

Maddy summaryHB 780 appropriates $2 million to expand the All Pro Dad program in North Carolina through Family First, Inc., funding school-based chapters, father-child engagement events, and parenting resources. It also creates the "Responsible Fatherhood NC" program under the Department of Health and Human Services, requiring a nonprofit manager to run a statewide media campaign, provide father-focused resources, and promote existing fatherhood initiatives. The bill directs grants to community organizations addressing fathers' needs - such as employment, child support, and parenting skills - with priority given to areas facing high unemployment, incarceration, or single-parent households. The program directly supports North Carolina fathers and their children, aiming to improve family well-being through increased paternal involvement.

Maddy summaryHB 678 would amend the North Carolina Constitution to limit the governor's emergency powers. It requires that all emergency actions by the governor must end after two weeks unless approved by a joint resolution of the General Assembly. The bill also mandates that a special legislative session convene within seven days of a statewide emergency declaration. These changes aim to ensure emergency measures align with constitutional rights and require legislative oversight, pending voter approval in a 2026 referendum.

Maddy summaryHB 749 appropriates $9,818,000 in one-time state funds to the City of Greensboro for public safety projects. The bill directs $9 million to construct a new fire station serving the north side of Piedmont Triad International Airport and $818,000 to relocate, enhance, and operate the Greensboro Police Department's Real Time Intelligence Center. These funds are allocated for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and become effective July 1, 2025. The bill directly affects Greensboro's fire and police services by funding specific infrastructure and technology upgrades.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides $5 million in state funds to the City of Greensboro for planning water and wastewater infrastructure improvements at Piedmont Triad International Airport. The grant, administered through the Department of Environmental Quality, will cover preliminary work to extend services to economic development sites at the airport. It directly supports Greensboro's efforts to expand infrastructure needed for new business growth in that area. The funds are designated for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and take effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 611 requires North Carolina public schools to increase full-time assistant principal positions based on student enrollment, directly affecting all local school districts. It mandates funding to achieve specific student-to-assistant-principal ratios: 1:90 students in the 2025-2026 school year ($23.56 million) and 1:80 students starting in 2026-2027 ($57.57 million), with funds supplementing but not replacing existing budgets. The bill, effective July 2025, directs the Department of Public Instruction to allocate these funds through the school building administration allotment. This policy change aims to support school operations and develop future principals by expanding administrative staffing.

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 544 creates a 40% state tax credit for businesses that spend at least $10 million rehabilitating eligible historic corporate campuses in North Carolina. To qualify, properties must be certified historic sites (listed on the National Register and locally designated), formerly served as corporate headquarters, occupy at least 20 acres, have an 80% vacancy rate for two years, and meet preservation requirements. The credit applies to rehabilitation costs incurred on or after January 1, 2026, and is tied to federal credit eligibility. This policy directly affects businesses planning major renovations of qualifying historic corporate properties.

Maddy summaryHB 539 requires North Carolina local governments (like counties and cities) to set property tax rates at a revenue-neutral level following a general property reappraisal. Specifically, it mandates that tax rates for the year after a reappraisal must produce the same total revenue as the previous year, preventing increased tax revenue simply due to higher property values. This applies directly to local governments conducting a general reappraisal, ensuring their tax rates don't automatically rise when property values change. The bill amends existing law to enforce this requirement in the budget ordinance adopted after a reappraisal. It does not change tax rates for years without a reappraisal.

Maddy summaryHB 498 creates a retirement credit for North Carolina teachers who served in the military. It allows veterans to count up to four years of active duty service toward their state retirement system, provided they weren’t dishonorably discharged, served before becoming a teacher, and meet licensure requirements. The bill modifies the retirement system to include this credit, requiring employers to pay a lump sum covering the retirement system’s increased liability for the credited service. This directly affects military veterans transitioning to teaching careers in North Carolina, making their prior service count toward retirement benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 488 modifies North Carolina's school grading system to separate achievement (current student performance) and growth (improvement over time) scores for all schools. It requires the State Board of Education to assign distinct letter grades (A-F) for both achievement and growth using specific scoring scales (e.g., 85+ for an A in achievement, 90+ for an A in growth). Schools must display both grades prominently on their websites, and parents of students at schools earning a D or F in either category receive written notice. The overall school performance grade combines achievement (80%) and growth (20%) scores on a 100-point scale. This bill directly affects all public schools in North Carolina and their reporting requirements.