Rep. Sarah Crawford

Maddy summaryHB 845 requires state agencies and local governments to install visible, accessible water safety rescue equipment - including ring life buoys meeting federal safety standards - at public docks, piers, and shoreline access points. The law mandates that buoys be placed within 200 feet of shorelines, stored in bright orange/yellow stations, and not permanently secured, with specific requirements for buoyant lines and retroreflective marking. It also appropriates $25,000 for the Wildlife Resources Commission and provides up to $500 grants to local governments in economic tier one areas to cover installation costs. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting public water access facilities owned by state or local entities.

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 807 raises teacher salaries for the 2025-2026 school year with new pay scales based on experience and adds supplements for certified teachers, school nurses, counselors, and specialists. It allocates $89.4 million annually and $109.2 million as a one-time fund to provide weighted, per-child funding for children with disabilities based on the cost of services provided. The bill also mandates free breakfast and lunch for all public school students, funded through state appropriations tied to school food authority evaluations, and includes funding for a one-to-one device refresh in public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 796, the Student Mental Health Line Awareness Act, requires all North Carolina public schools serving grades 6-12 to print three specific suicide prevention contact numbers on new student identification cards. The mandated information includes the 988 Lifeline (call/text), Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741), and the NC Statewide Warmline (1-855-733-7762), displayed prominently on the ID. Schools must verify these numbers are current annually and use updated contact information. The bill applies to local school boards, charter schools, regional schools, and laboratory schools, but explicitly states it does not require issuing student IDs. It takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 815 revises North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides state-funded vouchers for private school tuition. It expands eligibility to include students in foster care, military families, and those previously enrolled in public school, while prioritizing low-income students (households at or below 200% of the federal free/reduced lunch income threshold) for full tuition coverage (90% for full-time, 45% for part-time). Nonpublic schools receiving funds must meet reporting standards, and the program now requires schools to document student enrollment and academic progress. This bill directly affects low-income families, military-connected students, and participating private schools seeking state-funded tuition assistance.

Maddy summaryHB 813 renames "multiunit assisted housing with services" as "registered residential facility" to clarify that these non-licensed residences are distinct from licensed adult care homes. It requires annual registration with the Department of Health and Human Services, mandates disclosure statements in rental contracts covering emergency systems and service costs, and prohibits these facilities from caring for residents needing ventilator support, 24-hour nursing care, or certain medical treatments without specific exceptions. The bill directly affects facilities currently operating under the old name and their residents, particularly those with complex medical needs. Key provisions include updated definitions, expanded restrictions on who can be served, and authorization for the Department to seek legal action against unregistered facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 792 appropriates $10 million (to the NC Clean Energy Innovation and Research Fund) and $4.5 million (to the One North Carolina Fund) for competitive grants in North Carolina's 2025-2026 fiscal year. The funds target small businesses (under 100 employees), nonprofits, local governments, and state agencies to support clean energy innovation, renewable technology deployment, and energy efficiency projects. Key provisions include requiring matching funds for some grants and prioritizing workforce development in the clean energy sector. The grants aim to grow North Carolina's green economy through business development and market expansion in renewable energy. Funds not spent by June 30, 2027, will revert to the state's general fund.

Maddy summaryHB 788 ("Fix Our Democracy") proposes amending the North Carolina Constitution to establish a nonpartisan redistricting process for state legislative and U.S. House districts. It would require a constitutional amendment (voting required in 2026) to remove the General Assembly's role in drawing districts, mandating that districts be contiguous, avoid dividing counties where possible, and remain unchanged until the next census. The bill also includes related provisions like online voter registration, automatic registration, banning voter roll purging, and campaign finance transparency changes. This constitutional change would directly affect how electoral districts are created for state legislators and U.S. representatives in North Carolina.

Maddy summaryHB 816, the Voucher School Transparency Act, requires nonpublic schools receiving Opportunity Scholarship funds in North Carolina to meet new reporting and accountability standards. These schools must annually provide parents with student test scores, maintain criminal background checks for staff with decision-making authority, administer standardized tests for grades 3+, and submit financial audits to the state if enrolling 70+ scholarship students or receiving $100,000+ in funds. The bill also mandates detailed annual data submissions to the state Division, including enrollment, teacher licensing, facility safety, and disability support compliance. The State Auditor must annually review audits of at least three such schools to ensure accountability. This directly affects voucher-funded nonpublic schools and their reporting practices, not public schools or general education policies.

Maddy summaryHB 809 amends North Carolina law to include students enrolled in the state's NC Pre-K program within the average daily membership count for local school districts. Specifically, it requires school boards participating in NC Pre-K to count Pre-K students receiving instruction in school-owned buildings toward their district's daily membership calculation. This change directly affects school districts that operate or host NC Pre-K programs in their facilities, as it will increase their reported student count for state funding purposes. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025, altering how school funding is calculated for participating districts.