Rep. Dennis Riddell

Maddy summaryHB 88 allows Wilson County Schools to set an earlier student opening date (as early as August 19, instead of the standard August 26) if the district demonstrates "good cause," defined as having averaged eight emergency closure days per year due to weather, power issues, or other emergencies over the last decade. The bill specifically modifies calendar rules for Wilson County Schools only, applying to the 2025-2026 school year. It maintains the standard closing date (June 11) but permits local adjustments to meet instructional day requirements. The legislation does not change statewide calendar rules for other school districts.

Maddy summaryHB 61 increases penalties for assaulting certain emergency personnel with a firearm in North Carolina. It reclassifies assaults against law enforcement officers, probation/parole officers, National Guard members, detention facility staff, emergency medical technicians, medical responders, firefighters, and law enforcement telecommunicators as a Class B1 felony (instead of Class D) when committed during their duties. The bill specifically targets firearm assaults, making them punishable by more severe prison sentences. This law takes effect December 1, 2025, for offenses occurring on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 36 requires North Carolina's Department of Veterans and Military Affairs to improve maintenance at all four state veterans cemeteries, directly affecting veterans' families and cemetery operations. The bill mandates addressing specific issues like headstone installation delays, equipment damage to graves, drainage problems, debris, and poor grounds appearance, while allowing military groups to volunteer for upkeep. It also directs the department to review and adjust funeral service policies, including chapel-only options, service duration, attendee limits, and grave visitation rules during services. The department must submit a report on these changes to legislative committees by October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis resolution directs North Carolina's Secretary of State to formally request Congress to call a constitutional convention aimed at imposing term limits on members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The bill specifies that this application will be combined with similar requests from other states to reach the two-thirds threshold required to trigger the convention, while remaining separate from applications for other constitutional changes. It establishes this request as a continuing application that remains active until enough states have submitted identical petitions. Ultimately, the measure does not change any current laws but serves as an official step in the process of potentially amending the U.S. Constitution.

Maddy summaryThis amendment to House Bill 10 allocates $278,994 annually from the state's General Fund to hire two full-time jail inspectors for the 2023-2025 fiscal period. The funds are directed to the Department of Health and Human Services to support the Division of Health Services Regulation in its construction section. These positions become effective on July 1, 2023, and the amendment also updates the bill's title to reflect the addition of these inspector roles.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows patients with life-threatening or severely debilitating conditions in North Carolina to access custom-made investigational drugs, biological products, or devices that are not yet approved by the federal government. To qualify, a patient must have a doctor confirm that standard FDA-approved treatments are unlikely to help and must provide written informed consent acknowledging the risks and potential costs. The law requires that the patient or their guardian understands they are personally responsible for any expenses related to the treatment unless a separate contract states otherwise. Additionally, the bill clarifies that using these individualized treatments may temporarily remove a patient's eligibility for hospice care, though that eligibility can be restored if the treatment stops.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the SHALOM Act, adds a new section to North Carolina law that officially adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism. The law requires state agencies and organizations to use this definition as a guide for training, education, and identifying hate crimes or discrimination against Jewish people. It also establishes a framework for tracking and reporting incidents of antisemitism within the state. The legislation includes a specific provision stating that adopting this definition does not violate free speech rights protected by the U.S. and state constitutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new crime in North Carolina called money laundering, which applies to anyone who knowingly handles money or property derived from criminal activities. The law defines specific actions that are illegal, such as hiding, moving, or investing these funds, but only if the total value involved is at least $10,000. Punishment depends on the amount of money, with cases under $100,000 classified as a Class H felony and those $100,000 or more as a Class C felony. Additionally, the bill allows authorities to seize any property used in or gained from these offenses and clarifies that related actions can be counted together to determine the severity of the crime.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires lodging establishments, vacation rental property managers, and their contractors to complete human trafficking awareness training and display public awareness signs. The Department of Labor will create or select this training in consultation with state agencies and industry groups, ensuring it is free and accessible to staff performing housekeeping, food service, or check-in duties. Employers must keep records of completed training for three years and report suspected trafficking to law enforcement or a national hotline. Violations of these new requirements can result in administrative penalties ranging from $500 for a first offense to $2,000 for subsequent offenses. The legislation also modifies existing laws related to human trafficking and adjusts the definition of a victim under the state's crime victim compensation act.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to North Carolina that would restrict voting rights exclusively to United States citizens who are at least 18 years old. The legislation does not change current law immediately but instead sets up a statewide vote on November 5, 2024, where voters will decide whether to adopt this new rule. If approved by the majority of voters, the amendment will permanently update the state constitution to remove the ability of non-citizens to vote in any election. If voters reject the measure, the existing voting qualifications will remain unchanged.