Rep. Matthew Winslow

Maddy summaryHB 37 standardizes monthly pension benefits for North Carolina firefighters and rescue squad workers under the state pension fund. It sets a uniform $175 monthly pension for members with 20+ years of service who reach age 55, replaces the previous $180 amount, and maintains $175 for disability benefits and line-of-duty death benefits. The bill also allows members affected by city annexations or department closures to continue contributing $15 monthly until they reach 20 years of service for pension eligibility. These changes apply to current and future members of the pension fund who meet the service requirements. The bill does not alter contribution rates or eligibility for most members but adjusts benefit amounts and extends certain provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 35 designates November of each year as Military Appreciation Month in North Carolina. The bill creates a symbolic recognition within state law, honoring military service members and veterans during this month. It does not establish new programs, funding, or requirements - it simply formally names November for this purpose. The bill affects the state government's official calendar and public recognition efforts, with no direct impact on individuals or organizations.

Maddy summaryHB 411 reduces the early voting period for primary elections in North Carolina from 17 days to 6 days. The bill requires counties to conduct early voting for primaries within a six-day window ending on the last Saturday before the election, affecting voters participating in primary elections. This change applies to all primary elections (including runoffs) and takes effect January 1, 2026. The bill does not alter early voting periods for general elections or municipal elections, which maintain separate rules.

Maddy summaryHB 62, the Farmers Protection Act, prohibits banks from denying or canceling financial services to farmers based on their greenhouse gas emissions, fertilizer use, or machinery type. It creates a rebuttable presumption that banks violating this rule are acting on ESG (environmental, social, governance) commitments, requiring banks to prove decisions were financially motivated. Banks must annually attest to compliance under penalty of perjury, and violations may result in civil penalties up to $10,000 per incident. The law directly affects farmers, banks, credit unions, and state financial associations by restricting discriminatory lending practices tied to environmental factors.

Maddy summaryHB 137, the "Gabe Torres Act," expands death benefits under North Carolina's Public Safety Employees' Death Benefits Act to include public safety workers (like police, fire, and emergency personnel) who are killed while traveling to or from work. The bill amends the law to define "official duties" to explicitly cover commuting between home and work, as well as travel for training or responding to emergencies. It also appropriates $300,000 in recurring funds for these expanded benefits, effective July 1, 2025. This change directly affects eligible families of covered public safety employees who die during work-related travel, ensuring they qualify for death benefits previously limited to on-duty incidents.

Maddy summaryHB 276 expands the definition of "killed in the line of duty" for firefighters to include deaths caused by specific cancers that previously qualified them for benefits under North Carolina's Firefighters' Cancer Insurance Program. The bill adds seven specific cancers (like mesothelioma and testicular cancer) to the list and includes any cancer diagnosis that already provided benefits under the existing program. It also formally links the Firefighters' Health Benefits Pilot Program to the Cancer Insurance Program, ensuring consistent coverage, and appropriates $2 million annually for related death benefits starting July 1, 2025. This change directly affects firefighters diagnosed with covered cancers and their families, who will now qualify for death benefits under the Public Safety Employees' Death Benefits Act.

Maddy summaryHB 52, the "Protect Those Who Serve and Protect Act of 2025," increases penalties for assaults against public safety personnel and their animals. It creates a new Class I felony offense for throwing, spraying, or projecting substances (like water) at public safety officers or law enforcement/search and rescue animals while they are on duty or due to their role. The bill also prohibits intentionally pointing laser devices at these protected individuals or animals during duty. These changes update existing assault laws to explicitly cover a wider range of emergency workers (including firefighters, medical staff, National Guard members, and school employees) and add specific protections for animals used in public safety.

Maddy summaryHB 361 allocates $1.8 million for training county register of deeds employees, $500,000 for a public awareness campaign about real property fraud, and $30 million in grants to county offices for technology upgrades. The grants will fund digitizing records, purchasing scanning equipment, upgrading software, enhancing digital security, and improving network systems to prevent deed and title fraud. An additional $1 million is reserved for county offices without existing fraud detection systems. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, directly affecting county register of deeds offices and the public through reduced fraud risks.

Maddy summaryHB 360, the Homeowner Protection Act, targets fraud involving residential property documents. It increases penalties for forging deeds, leases, or wills related to homes (making it a Class D felony instead of Class H) and creates an expedited court process for victims. Homeowners affected by fraudulent property records can file a "memorandum of possible fraud" to trigger a court hearing, where judges can void the false documents and clear title clouds. The law also requires recording offices to flag fraudulent instruments and prohibits fees for these protective filings. The bill is currently pending in the House Judiciary Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 314 creates a faster legal process for property owners (or their authorized representatives) to remove people occupying their residential property without legal right, excluding tenants who have overstayed their lease. To use this process, the owner must file a sworn affidavit with the clerk of court (paying a $25 fee) proving the occupant entered unlawfully after the owner acquired the property, was told to leave, paid no rent, and isn’t a tenant. Law enforcement must remove the occupant within 24 hours of receiving the affidavit, with the owner able to change locks afterward. The bill specifically excludes occupants with valid leases or rental agreements and requires proof that no other legal agreement or payment exists.