Rep. Matthew Winslow

Maddy summaryHB 819 creates North Carolina's Longitudinal Data System, which links student education data (like test scores, graduation records, and course enrollment) with workforce data (such as employment and wages) to track student outcomes. It directly affects public schools, universities, the Department of Public Instruction, and workforce agencies by requiring them to share de-identified student data through this centralized system. Key provisions include strict privacy safeguards (complying with FERPA and HIPAA), mandatory data security plans, a 5-year limit on linking education and workforce data, and annual reporting requirements for the system's oversight body. The bill aims to improve education policy decisions while ensuring data privacy and security for students.

Maddy summaryHB 612, the "Fostering Care in NC Act," updates North Carolina's laws governing child abuse, neglect, and dependency cases. It expands the definition of "abused juveniles" to include specific offenses like sexual crimes, human trafficking, and certain violent acts, affecting how cases are classified. The bill requires county social services directors to use either a family-centered assessment or a formal investigation when reviewing reports, and to collect military affiliation details of the juvenile's caregiver. It also clarifies that court jurisdiction over juveniles continues until age 18, emancipation, or death. These changes standardize responses to child welfare reports and improve information gathering for safety decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 59 would increase the income eligibility limit for North Carolina's elderly or disabled property tax homestead exclusion from $25,000 to $48,000 for taxable years beginning July 1, 2026. This change would directly affect homeowners aged 65 or older, or those who are totally and permanently disabled, who meet other criteria (like being a North Carolina resident and owning their home as a permanent residence). The bill modifies the existing rule that currently limits eligibility to those with incomes under $25,000, raising the threshold to $48,000 while maintaining the exclusion amount as the greater of $25,000 or 50% of the home's appraised value. The change aims to expand access to this property tax relief for qualifying low-to-moderate income homeowners. (Note: The bill was withdrawn in June 2025 and has not become law.)

Maddy summaryHB 14 allows North Carolina taxpayers who itemize deductions to claim a state income tax deduction for gambling losses, aligning with federal tax treatment. It directly affects individual taxpayers who itemize deductions on their North Carolina state tax returns and have wagering losses exceeding winnings. The bill amends state tax code to explicitly permit deducting gambling losses under Section 165(d) of the federal tax code, subject to federal rules. This change takes effect for taxable years beginning January 1, 2024. The bill does not alter federal tax rules or affect taxpayers using the standard deduction.

Maddy summaryHB 808, the NC Infrastructure Protection Act, prohibits North Carolina government entities from contracting with companies owned by citizens of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or countries later designated as threats. It specifically blocks foreign-owned companies from gaining access to critical infrastructure like electric grids, water treatment facilities, and cybersecurity systems. The bill also mandates criminal background checks for all individuals granted access to these systems, applying to government contracts and public utility operations. These requirements will take effect for new contracts after the bill’s passage, with background check rules for utilities needing to be implemented by October 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 661, the Building Industry Efficiency Act of 2025, modifies North Carolina's construction and street regulations to streamline development. It prohibits inspection departments from charging fees for canceling inspections more than one business day early (Section 1.1), and limits municipalities from imposing stricter street design standards than the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for both public and private streets (Sections 1.2-1.3). For private streets, developers must disclose if engineered designs fall below NCDOT standards and provide disclosures to buyers before sales. Municipalities and counties must accept pedestrian facilities or street improvements into public road systems after project completion, but counties need agreements with NCDOT or municipalities first (Sections 1.4-1.5). The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting developers, municipalities, engineers, and property buyers.

Maddy summaryHB 829 requires all locksmith businesses (including corporations, sole proprietorships, and partnerships) and individual locksmiths to obtain and renew a license annually from the North Carolina Locksmith Licensing Board. It updates apprentice rules to mandate 16 hours of training, a background check, and a visible badge for apprentices working under a licensed locksmith, with a three-year limit to complete the licensing exam. The bill clarifies that locksmiths must be licensed when providing services in facilities holding sensitive records (like hospitals, schools, or government offices), and unlicensed work is punishable by fines or imprisonment, starting as a Class 1 misdemeanor for a first offense.

Maddy summaryHB 811 requires North Carolina property assessors to send written notices to property owners within 30 days of a property revaluation. These notices must include the current and prior appraised values, the percentage change, appeal instructions, and tax rates from the previous year. The bill also mandates that budget officers publish an estimate of the revenue-neutral tax rate on government websites by May 15 each year a revaluation occurs, updating it by July 15 after the budget is adopted. This transparency measure applies to all counties conducting revaluations effective on or after January 1, 2025, directly affecting property owners and local government budget processes.

Maddy summaryHB 188 modifies requirements for consumer contracts that automatically renew. It mandates that businesses clearly disclose automatic renewal terms, including the duration and cost of renewals, in at least 12-point bold type, and requires a specific space for consumers to initial their consent to the auto-renewal provision. If a consumer does not initial this consent, the bill prohibits charging for the automatic renewal. For contracts renewing for six months or more, businesses must provide consumers with written notice between 15 and 60 days before the renewal date, explaining how to cancel. The bill also specifies that any changes to contract terms upon renewal must be clearly disclosed in this renewal notice.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HB 519, revises laws regarding when minors can consent to medical treatment and parental access to their children's medical records. It restricts the medical services a minor can consent to on their own to primarily pregnancy-related care, removing their ability to consent for venereal diseases, substance abuse, or emotional disturbance treatment. The bill also requires written parental consent for minors to receive vaccines authorized for emergency use but not yet fully FDA approved. Additionally, it grants parents the right to access all their minor child's medical records, including those for care the minor could consent to, with exceptions for suspected abuse or neglect, court orders, or active law enforcement investigations.