Rep. Larry Potts

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 152 aims to regulate how health benefit plans in North Carolina cover Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) services. If an insurer chooses to cover TMS, the bill requires them to cover all procedures performed by properly licensed healthcare providers, regardless of their medical specialty, as long as TMS is within their scope of practice. It prohibits insurers from penalizing providers solely based on their specialty when submitting TMS claims. However, the bill maintains that insurers retain discretion over whether to cover TMS, for which conditions, and at what reimbursement rates.

Maddy summaryHB 329 encourages nonpublic schools in North Carolina, including private church schools and other qualified nonpublic schools, to adopt policies that prohibit the use of tobacco and hemp products on their school grounds. The bill amends existing state statutes to add this encouragement. It suggests that these schools use the current requirements for public schools as guidance when developing their own policies. This legislation aims to promote smoke-free and hemp-free environments within nonpublic educational settings.

Maddy summaryHB 555, "Medicaid Telehealth Services," aims to ensure that certain telehealth providers can enroll as Medicaid providers in North Carolina. The bill specifies that individual health care providers licensed by the state who offer services exclusively through telemedicine are not required to maintain a physical presence in the state to be eligible for Medicaid enrollment. Similarly, medical provider groups that exclusively offer telemedicine services will not need an in-state service address to be eligible for the state's Medicaid program. This bill directly affects telehealth providers and medical groups by removing location-based requirements for participating in Medicaid.

Maddy summaryHB 69, the Military and Veterans Educational Promise Act, provides two key benefits for military-affiliated individuals and veterans at North Carolina's University of North Carolina (UNC) schools. First, it requires UNC institutions to allow eligible military members (including reservists) and their spouses to defer admission for up to five years (for active duty) or two years (for reserve service) upon enrollment notice. Second, it establishes in-state tuition rates for honorably discharged veterans who served at least 90 days in the military, graduated from a North Carolina high school after 2004, had a North Carolina duty station, or received a Purple Heart. The bill applies to all UNC institutions beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 272, known as "The Sergeant Mickey Hutchens Act," allows certain law enforcement, probation/parole, and correctional officers in North Carolina to purchase additional retirement service credit. Officers who hold an advanced law enforcement or corrections certificate and have at least five years of membership service can buy up to four years of creditable service. This purchase applies to members of the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System or the Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System. To do so, they must pay a lump sum covering the full cost of the increased retirement system liability and an administrative fee, with the option for their employer to contribute to this cost.

Maddy summaryHB 113 creates a joint legislative committee to study potential changes to North Carolina's Medicaid program if federal funding decreases. The 12-member committee (six senators appointed by the Senate President Pro Tempore, six representatives appointed by the House Speaker) will examine cost-saving options like reducing optional services, adjusting provider payments, or improving managed care efficiency. It must submit a final report with recommendations to the General Assembly by April 30, 2026, but the bill itself does not make any direct policy changes to Medicaid. This is a procedural measure establishing a study body, not a policy enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 558 updates how North Carolina selects Medicaid health plans by limiting statewide contracts to four and allowing up to 12 regional contracts through local health providers. It requires the state to prioritize bids from local providers and those with high provider satisfaction scores from existing contracts. The bill also mandates staggered contract terms (3-5 years) to prevent coverage gaps during transitions. These changes directly affect Medicaid health plan contractors and the Division of Health Benefits, aiming to stabilize coverage and improve provider relationships.

Maddy summaryHB 160 requires North Carolina's University of North Carolina School of Medicine Area Health Education Centers (NC AHEC) to create and share evidence-based information about sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) with all healthcare practitioners in the state. This includes current risk factors, conditions, and contact details for epilepsy support organizations, available on NC AHEC's website. Healthcare providers treating epilepsy patients will directly receive this standardized resource, which must be compiled by consulting medical boards and professional societies. NC AHEC must report the completed resource to the legislature by September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires North Carolina's Commission for Public Health to wait at least three years after a vaccine receives U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval before adding it to the state's childhood immunization schedule. It allows exceptions only if both the North Carolina Medical Society and North Carolina Pediatric Society recommend adding a vaccine approved for less than three years. The law directly affects the Commission's authority to update vaccination requirements for school-aged children and the medical societies' role in advising on shorter-approved vaccines. It does not change existing vaccination requirements or exemptions for medical reasons.