Rep. Amber Baker

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 578, the Jason Flatt Act, requires all North Carolina public K-12 schools to implement suicide prevention education and training for school staff. It mandates that licensed educators complete at least one hour of annual suicide prevention training, while staff working with grades 6-12 must receive guidelines for identifying at-risk students and procedures for referrals. Schools must adopt a mental health plan including these elements, with initial staff training of six hours (within six months of hire) and two hours annually thereafter. The law applies to all public schools, charter schools, regional schools, and lab schools starting the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHR 778 is a non-binding resolution passed by the North Carolina House of Representatives expressing support for the state's historical and economic ties with the United Kingdom. It highlights North Carolina's cultural connections (e.g., city names like Raleigh and Charlotte), economic partnerships (including $1 billion in UK investment and 218 UK-owned companies employing 43,200 workers), and trade relationships (over $2.5 billion in annual trade). The resolution urges the U.S. Congress to strengthen trade and investment cooperation with the UK and directs transmission to the UK Embassy, consulates, and North Carolina's congressional delegation. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or policy changes but reinforces existing diplomatic and economic bonds.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 777) expresses the North Carolina House of Representatives' support for the longstanding friendship and economic ties between North Carolina and France. It highlights historical connections (like French Huguenot settlements and General Lafayette's role), notes France as a major investor in NC ($429M since 2013) and employer (15,500 jobs), and urges closer U.S.-France trade cooperation. The resolution is purely symbolic, with no new policies or funding, and serves to affirm existing bilateral relations through ceremonial recognition.

Maddy summaryHB 429 would have authorized a special license plate for North Carolina vehicle owners supporting the NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine's Turtle Rescue Team. The bill specified a $30 annual fee per plate, with $20 directly funding the Turtle Rescue Team's work rehabilitating turtles, while $10 went to a state fund. However, the bill explicitly states this plate program expired on July 1, 2016, meaning it is no longer active or available for purchase. The legislation primarily affected vehicle owners who chose to buy this specific plate, with the fees supporting the Turtle Rescue Team's wildlife rehabilitation services.

Maddy summaryHB 50 creates two new options for retired state and local law enforcement officers with at least 30 years of service or 55 years old with 5+ years of service. It allows officers retiring before age 62 to choose between two calculation methods for an annual separation allowance: either 0.85% of their most recent base pay for each year of service, or a fixed amount based on pay at 30 years of service. The allowance stops when officers turn 62 or pass away. This directly affects qualifying law enforcement officers who retire under North Carolina's state retirement system.

Maddy summaryHB 572 authorizes the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to establish a statewide pilot program providing Electroencephalogram combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (eTMS) treatment. This program is for veterans, first responders, and their immediate family members experiencing conditions such as substance use disorders, mental illness, sleep disorders, traumatic brain injuries, and PTSD. The Department will select a provider to create a network for in-person and off-site care, aiming for statewide access. Participants in the program will also receive neurophysiological monitoring, counseling, wellness programming, and access to a peer-to-peer support network. The selected provider must collect and report treatment outcomes and expenditures to the Department and legislative committees by September 15, 2026.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 4, also known as "Sam's Law," aims to improve seizure preparedness and response in North Carolina schools. The bill requires public school units, charter schools, and other educational institutions to develop individualized Seizure Action Plans for students diagnosed with seizure disorders, in collaboration with their parents. It mandates annual seizure education programs for all K-12 school personnel and requires principals, school counselors, and teachers to complete an annual self-study on seizure disorders. Furthermore, the bill ensures at least one employee in each school is trained to administer seizure medication and requires the posting of seizure first aid information in visible areas. Various educational boards are tasked with adopting policies to implement these requirements, with $50,000 appropriated to the Department of Public Instruction for development costs.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 283 establishes the Small Business Investment Grant (SBIG) Program within the One North Carolina Fund, designed to provide financial assistance to eligible small businesses looking to establish or expand facilities in the state. The bill allocates up to $10 million from the Fund to this new account. Through the SBIG Program, competitive grants are offered to businesses meeting specific criteria, such as having 250 or fewer employees or less than $5 million in annual revenue, investing $10-$30 million, and creating new jobs with competitive wages. Grants are capped at $500,000 annually per recipient, up to $2.5 million total, over a maximum of five years. Additionally, the bill renames the "One North Carolina Small Business Account" to the "Small Business Research and Technology Account," which continues to support federal SBIR/STTR grant incentive and matching programs.

Maddy summaryHB 297, titled "Breast Cancer Prevention Imaging Parity," aims to ensure equal health insurance coverage for different types of breast cancer imaging. The bill mandates that health benefit plans apply the same cost-sharing requirements (like deductibles and copayments) for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations, such as MRIs and ultrasounds, as they do for routine screening mammograms. This ensures individuals needing these additional medically necessary tests do not face higher out-of-pocket costs compared to standard screenings. It also maintains existing coverage for cervical cancer screenings and includes provisions for high-deductible health plans.