Rep. Hugh Blackwell

Maddy summaryThis bill, HB 519, revises laws regarding when minors can consent to medical treatment and parental access to their children's medical records. It restricts the medical services a minor can consent to on their own to primarily pregnancy-related care, removing their ability to consent for venereal diseases, substance abuse, or emotional disturbance treatment. The bill also requires written parental consent for minors to receive vaccines authorized for emergency use but not yet fully FDA approved. Additionally, it grants parents the right to access all their minor child's medical records, including those for care the minor could consent to, with exceptions for suspected abuse or neglect, court orders, or active law enforcement investigations.

Maddy summaryHB 772, titled the North Carolina Student Lifeline Act, requires public schools and community colleges in North Carolina to provide students with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline phone number. It mandates that institutions display the phrase "To reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 988 or text HOME to 741741." in several locations. These locations include new student identification cards issued to students in grades six through 12, the school website, and the home screen of any electronic device issued to students. The information must also appear on school agendas or calendars, documents used during suicide awareness activities, and registration documents. Additionally, schools are required to annually verify the accuracy of the Lifeline contact information.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 535, known as the "Title Fraud Prevention Act," aims to combat property title fraud by increasing penalties for filing fraudulent deeds and enhancing recording procedures. The bill requires Registers of Deeds to verify the identity of individuals, who are not designated "trusted submitters" (such as attorneys or title companies), presenting certain property instruments for recording by requiring a government-issued photographic identification card. It also authorizes Registers of Deeds to refuse to register instruments deemed "suspicious" or if identity verification requirements are not met. Additionally, the bill escalates the criminal penalties for filing fraudulent deeds, making it a felony offense.

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 891, the "Government Agency Forum Selection Act," requires the State of North Carolina and its local political subdivisions to primarily file civil actions in state courts when concurrent jurisdiction exists with federal courts. It prohibits these entities from seeking to move lawsuits from state to federal court if they are defendants. The bill also amends the law concerning the Attorney General, stating they shall not advance arguments in any litigation that would invalidate a statute enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly. This legislation aims to define the appropriate court forums for state and local government civil actions and limit the scope of the Attorney General's participation in certain out-of-state litigation.

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 971 establishes a pilot program for Annual Career Development Plans in 12 selected North Carolina middle and high schools. This program will affect students entering seventh grade in those schools during the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, continuing until their high school graduation. Students will create and annually update individual plans with assistance from school counselors, aiming to align them for on-time graduation and college or career readiness. Parents are encouraged to participate and will receive information regarding their child's plan, course offerings, and financial aid options for postsecondary education.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 146 amends North Carolina's driver's license renewal process. It allows active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces, or reserve components serving on active duty and stationed outside North Carolina, to renew their driver's licenses remotely multiple times in a row. Currently, a remote renewal requires the previous renewal to have been done in person, but this bill removes that restriction for eligible military personnel. This change aims to make it easier for these individuals to maintain their licenses while serving away from the state. The act becomes effective October 1, 2025, applying to licenses renewed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 38, known as the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, prohibits payment card networks from using a specific "firearms code" to identify or track purchases made at firearms merchants in North Carolina. It also forbids these networks from knowingly maintaining records of individuals in the state who own firearms. The bill aims to prevent the separate tracking of lawful firearm and ammunition purchases and protect the financial privacy of individuals exercising their right to bear arms. Payment card networks are also prohibited from discriminating against firearms merchants based on code assignment. Violations can lead to civil penalties assessed by the Attorney General or civil lawsuits from affected merchants or individuals.

Maddy summaryHB 163 regulates Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs) to ensure fair practices for pharmacies and insured individuals. The bill prohibits PBMs from charging insurers more for a prescription drug than they pay the pharmacy (spread pricing) and requires patient out-of-pocket costs to be based on the net price after any PBM concessions. It establishes minimum reimbursement standards for pharmacies, preventing PBMs from paying less than the national average drug acquisition cost plus a dispensing fee. Additionally, it clarifies that PBMs cannot restrict accredited pharmacies from dispensing specialty drugs and strengthens audit protections for pharmacies.