Rep. Larry Potts

Maddy summaryHB 774 ("School Breakfast for All") mandates that all North Carolina public schools (pre-K through 12) provide free breakfast to every student, eliminating costs for families. It establishes a Farm-to-Table Initiative requiring schools to partner with local farmers for fresh, locally sourced ingredients in breakfast meals. The bill allocates $39 million in recurring state funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to cover program costs, while requiring annual reports on participation rates, costs, and impacts on student health and academic performance. This directly affects all public school students, school districts, and North Carolina agricultural producers.

Maddy summaryHB 753 allows eligible North Carolina law enforcement officers aged 59.5 or older to continue receiving retirement benefits while remaining actively employed. Retired officers who separated from service for at least six months may return to duty and retain their retirement benefits. The bill requires employers to cover both employee and employer retirement contributions during this period and clarifies that beneficiaries remain eligible for death benefits under specific conditions. It directly affects current and retired state/local law enforcement officers meeting age and service criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 15 clarifies that including property in a non-financially constrained comprehensive transportation plan does not require disclosure as a "material fact" in real estate transactions. It removes the obligation for sellers, agents, or buyers to disclose this detail when selling, leasing, or exchanging property, covering transactions listed under North Carolina law (G.S. 47E-1). The bill also prohibits knowingly making false statements about such property inclusions. It directly affects real estate transactions involving properties near planned transportation projects, changing disclosure requirements effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 672 creates a new "team-based practice" model for physician assistants (PAs) in North Carolina, allowing them to practice without direct physician oversight under specific conditions. To qualify, PAs must have over 4,000 hours of clinical experience (including 1,000+ hours in their specialty) and work in practices meeting defined criteria, such as physician ownership and collaborative care structures. The bill revises licensing rules to remove the requirement for PAs in these settings to provide a supervising physician’s contact information, while maintaining supervision requirements for perioperative services. This directly affects PAs seeking to work in team-based medical practices, including hospitals and clinics meeting the new standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $17 million annual Tobacco Use Prevention Fund within North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services, funded by a portion of the state's annual Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement payments. The fund directly targets youth (high and middle school students) by supporting community-based programs, evidence-based media campaigns, school initiatives, and tracking of e-cigarette use to prevent nicotine dependence. Key provisions include funding local health departments for youth education, launching health-risk media campaigns, supporting tobacco-free college campuses, and evaluating program effectiveness. The fund uses $17 million yearly from the $140 million settlement allocation, with up to 10% of funds allowed for administrative costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill's title ("Ensuring Patient Safety with Mail Order Medications") does not match its actual content. The bill, formally titled "AN ACT REVISING ABORTION-INDUCING DRUG LAWS," restricts the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs in North Carolina. It prohibits mailing such drugs to pregnant women unless a qualified physician provides in-person counseling 72 hours prior, all other informed consent requirements are met, and the drugs are FDA-approved. Violations carry $5,000 fines per offense or Class H felony charges, and the bill creates civil remedies allowing women, parents, or the Attorney General to sue for damages or injunctions. The bill is currently pending in committee (referred March 31, 2025) and would take effect December 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 525 reorganizes North Carolina's Advisory Council on Rare Diseases by moving it from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and appropriates funds to cover its operating costs. The council, composed of 19 diverse members including patients, caregivers, medical professionals, researchers, and industry representatives, directly serves the rare disease community by advising state leaders on research, treatment, and policy. Key provisions include requiring the council to coordinate statewide efforts on rare disease awareness, incidence tracking, and policy initiatives, and to submit annual reports to the Governor, DHHS, and legislative committees. This bill formalizes DHHS oversight of the council and ensures dedicated funding for its operations, streamlining coordination with state health programs.

Maddy summaryHB 542 appropriates $7.5 million annually from the ARPA Temporary Savings Fund for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to expand mental and behavioral health services for children, families, and staff in North Carolina child care facilities and out-of-school programs. The funds, managed by the North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC), must supplement existing services and cannot replace current funding, with unused funds remaining available until fully spent. NCPC must distribute the funds to local partnerships and submit annual progress reports detailing services provided, participants served, and recommendations for future initiatives. The bill also establishes a special fund to hold unexpended funds, allowing NCPC to retain up to $5 million in cash annually for future use.

Maddy summaryHB 534 appropriates $700,000 from North Carolina's General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to establish sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) training programs at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and Wake Technical Community College. Each college receives $350,000 to hire a full-time faculty member ($105,000), a clinical coordinator ($105,000), purchase equipment/supplies ($45,000), and cover program development and accreditation costs ($95,000). The bill directly affects these two community colleges and future healthcare professionals seeking SANE certification. It creates a concrete funding mechanism to expand training capacity for nurses specializing in sexual assault victim care.

Maddy summaryHB 16 requires the North Carolina General Assembly to display the national motto "In God We Trust" directly above and behind the dais for the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, aligning with the U.S. House of Representatives' display. The bill mandates the Legislative Services Officer to implement this, first using private gifts or donations for costs, and if none are provided within 90 days, using state funds. It becomes effective July 1, 2025. This is a procedural bill affecting legislative chamber decor, not a substantive policy change.