Rep. Jonathan Almond

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 547, titled the "Children's Services Protection Act," limits the liability of nongovernmental organizations and independent contractors working with the Department of Health and Human Services and its affiliated agencies. For nongovernmental organizations, the bill specifies they are liable for their own negligence but not for harm caused by the public agency. For independent contractors providing health, human, and welfare services, their liability is capped at the same monetary limits as the public agency, and the State will indemnify them for damages exceeding those limits. This act clarifies legal responsibilities for entities contracting with public agencies to deliver these services.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 81 requires insurance institutions and agents to obtain written consent from applicants and policyholders before collecting, receiving, selling, or using vehicle telematics data. The bill mandates that individuals be notified how their telematics data will be used and that they can revoke consent at any time. Insurers must provide a reasonable means for individuals to revoke consent, which must be actioned within 24 hours. A violation of these provisions would be considered an unfair trade practice, with the act becoming effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 659, titled "Local Government Spending Transparency," aims to increase public access to financial information from local governments in North Carolina. The bill requires all local government invoices to be itemized, detailing the payee, amount, items purchased, and performance dates. These quarterly invoices must be publicly available via a link on the government's website or as physical copies for municipalities without a website. Additionally, local government websites would need to provide links to the top three bids for projects, services, or goods purchased with tax dollars, with quarterly updates. Both invoices and bids are to be unredacted unless legally required, and these provisions take effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 270 revises North Carolina's death penalty laws by altering the available methods of execution for individuals sentenced to death. It allows convicted persons to choose between electrocution, firing squad, or lethal injection, with electrocution serving as the default if no election is made or other methods are unavailable. The bill also protects licensed healthcare professionals from disciplinary action for assisting in executions and permits other medical professionals, like nurses or paramedics, to monitor the process and certify death. Additionally, it makes the identities of those involved in carrying out executions confidential.

Maddy summaryHB 472, the "Commercial Vehicle and Cargo Protection Act," introduces new regulations for commercial motor vehicles and their cargo. The bill prohibits the immobilization of commercial motor vehicles using devices like boots, making such actions a misdemeanor. It also requires towing companies performing nonconsensual or government-initiated tows to promptly return commercial cargo to its owner or their designee. Furthermore, if a towed trailer contains commercial cargo, the tower must allow it to be exchanged for a different trailer of equal or better condition.

Maddy summaryHB 24, titled "Restore Down-Zoning Authority," aims to reinstate the power of local governments to initiate "down-zoning." This means local governments would regain the ability to change zoning classifications for properties to allow for less intensive development or use. The bill achieves this by repealing Section 3K.1 of S.L. 2024-57, which had previously restricted this authority. If enacted, it would apply retroactively to December 11, 2024, ensuring that any local ordinances impacted by the repealed section are restored to their status prior to that date.

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 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 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.