Rep. Brian Biggs

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 795 expands eligibility for guardianship assistance programs for youth in foster care. It allows the Division of Social Services to provide financial support to children who are at least 10 years old when they exit foster care into relative or legal guardianship, provided they meet other criteria like a strong attachment to their guardian. The bill also permits younger siblings of eligible children to receive assistance. Additionally, it allows individuals to continue receiving support until age 21 if they were 16 or older when the agreement began and are pursuing education or employment.

Maddy summaryHB 782, titled "Civic Club Registration Plate Clarification," amends North Carolina law concerning special registration plates for civic organizations. The bill clarifies that a civic organization itself can obtain a special registration plate for a vehicle it owns, in addition to individual members. This applies to nationally recognized civic clubs, like Kiwanis or Rotary, whose member clubs in the state are tax-exempt. The bill maintains the requirement that at least 300 applications are needed for a specific civic club plate to be issued.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 741 authorizes the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles to issue "Military Veteran" special registration plates with a personalized background. The bill modifies the plate's design to specify that the name and insignia of the veteran's branch of service will appear on the left side. This change directly affects U.S. Military Veterans in North Carolina who are eligible for this special license plate. These personalized veteran plates will also be exempt from minimum application requirements typically needed for other special plates.

Maddy summaryHB 976 enacts the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, establishing specific procedures for dividing or selling real property commonly owned by relatives, referred to as "heirs property." This bill affects cotenants involved in partition proceedings for such property. It requires courts to first determine if the property qualifies as heirs property and then mandates a fair market value appraisal. A key provision allows cotenants who wish to retain the property to buy out the interests of those who requested a sale, based on the determined value.

Maddy summaryHB 97 adds stomach cancer (gastric cancer) to the list of occupationally related cancers that qualify firefighters for "killed in the line of duty" benefits under North Carolina's Public Safety Employees' Death Benefits Act. This means firefighters who die from stomach cancer directly linked to their firefighting duties will automatically be eligible for death benefits, easing the process for families seeking compensation. The bill appropriates $500,000 annually from 2025-2027 to cover these benefits. It takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to qualifying deaths occurring on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 773 proposes changes to how North Carolina public schools (K-12) are graded on their performance. The bill modifies the calculation of school achievement scores by altering the specific student proficiency measures used across different grade levels and shifts from a composite weighting to giving equal weight to each achievement element. It also revises the calculation of school growth scores, specifying which achievement measures contribute to growth for each grade band and adding metrics for students in the lowest 25% for English Language Arts and mathematics. These adjustments directly impact how the State Board of Education assigns overall performance scores and grades to schools.

Maddy summaryHB 139, titled "Baby Boxes/Newborn Safety Device," allows for the safe surrender of infants up to 30 days old using a specialized newborn safety device. This bill permits parents to place an infant in these devices, which must have a dual alarm system connected to the facility and be tested monthly. These devices can only be installed at continuously staffed emergency departments, emergency facilities, or social services offices, where qualified healthcare providers, first responders, or social services workers will take temporary custody of the infant. The act is set to become effective on October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 875 directs the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to establish a comprehensive system of mathematics support for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. This system requires DPI to provide approved lists of high-quality supplemental math systems for screening and progress monitoring, as well as instructional materials for intervention and core curriculum. These materials must utilize structured problem-based learning, explicit instruction, and provide responsive feedback to students. The bill also mandates DPI to offer approved professional development programs for K-8 teachers to implement these new instructional approaches effectively. Parents will be notified of any identified mathematical deficiencies, including characteristics of dyscalculia, and receive information on interventions and home strategies.

Maddy summaryHB 92, titled the "NC Digital Assets Investments Act," authorizes the North Carolina State Treasurer to invest various state funds in qualifying digital assets. This includes funds from the General Fund, Highway Fund, and numerous retirement and special funds. The bill specifies that eligible digital assets must be exchange-traded products with an average market capitalization of at least $750 billion over the preceding 12 months. Additionally, investments in digital assets cannot exceed 10% of a fund's balance, and the State Treasurer must use a defined "secure custody solution" if managing these assets internally.

Maddy summaryHB 797, titled "Residential Property Wholesaling Protection," clarifies that residential property wholesaling and related transactions are considered real estate brokerage activity, requiring those involved to be licensed. The bill grants homeowners a non-waivable right to cancel purchase contracts related to residential property wholesaling until midnight of the 30th day after execution or until deed conveyance. It also mandates that these contracts include specific disclosures about this cancellation right, printed in at least 14-point font. Failure to provide this right to cancel is deemed an unfair or deceptive trade practice.