Rep. Hugh Blackwell

Maddy summaryHB 570, the "Responsible Firefighting Foam Management Act," restricts the use of firefighting foams containing PFAS chemicals for training and testing. It prohibits any person, local government, or state agency from discharging Class B firefighting foam with intentionally added PFAS for training or practice purposes. For testing, these foams are also prohibited unless required by law or an authority, and the testing facility has implemented measures to prevent environmental releases. The bill mandates the use of non-fluorinated alternatives for training and is set to become effective on December 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 729, titled the "Farmland Protection Act," makes several changes related to solar energy development. It reduces the property tax exclusion for solar energy electric systems from 80% to 40% of their appraised value, which will increase the taxable value of these systems. The bill also prohibits the construction of new utility-scale solar projects that are not qualifying facilities under federal law, unless they are sited on specific types of land such as brownfields, non-agricultural land, or clear-cut timberland. Additionally, it updates the effective dates for requirements regarding financial assurance and decommissioning plans for utility-scale solar projects, affecting both existing and new facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 613, titled "The Vehicle Registration Convenience Act," allows vehicle owners in North Carolina to choose their preferred month for annual registration renewal. When initially registering a vehicle, owners can select any month within a 12-month period for their registration to expire. The initial registration fee will be prorated based on the chosen renewal month to cover the period until the elected expiration date. The bill also authorizes the Division of Motor Vehicles to send electronic renewal notices if the owner provides consent. These changes apply to vehicle registrations issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 855 expands the types of schools that can request a Residency License (RL) for teachers in North Carolina. Currently, only public school units can request these one-year, renewable licenses. This bill allows certain nonpublic schools to also request Residency Licenses for their teachers. Specifically, it includes nonpublic schools meeting state requirements or those approved by the Department of Public Instruction for students with extraordinary costs. Teachers for whom an RL is requested must still meet existing qualifications, such as holding a bachelor's degree and being enrolled in an educator preparation program.

Maddy summaryHB 211, "The Kelsey Smith Act," authorizes wireless telecommunications carriers to provide a device's location information to law enforcement under specific emergency circumstances. This includes situations where a 911 call was made or there is reasonable suspicion of an emergency involving risk of death or serious physical harm. Wireless carriers are required to submit their emergency contact information to the State Bureau of Investigation, which will maintain a database for public safety answering points. The bill protects carriers from legal action if they provide this information in good faith.

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 878 requires North Carolina public schools to post lesson plans and course materials online within 10 days of use. Schools must display links to instructional materials (like textbooks and digital resources), procedures for reviewing materials, and teacher training details on their websites, organized by subject and grade level. The law applies to all public schools except those with fewer than 30 students total, and teachers may request to use only their last initial for privacy. It does not require posting the actual materials themselves, only links and descriptions, and maintains the information online for two years. This policy directly affects parents, educators, and community members seeking transparency about classroom content.

Maddy summaryHB 872 protects school employees who use reasonable force to maintain safety in specific situations, such as stopping disturbances, preventing injury, or removing weapons. It creates a legal presumption that such force is reasonable in investigations or court, shifting the burden to prove otherwise to the claimant. The bill prohibits retaliation, dismissal, or license revocation against staff for using reasonable force in line with school policies, even if criminal allegations arise (as long as force was reasonable and no conviction occurs). This directly affects teachers, administrators, and other school personnel by reducing legal risks when responding to safety threats on school property.

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 summaryHB 335 expands eligibility for emergency judges in North Carolina by allowing retired judges who previously served in both Superior Court and District Court to qualify for emergency judge roles on either court. Currently, retired judges could only serve as emergency judges on the specific court they retired from, but this bill removes that restriction for judges with dual court experience. The change directly affects retired judges who held positions in both court systems before retiring, making them eligible to be assigned to emergency duties in either court. This adjustment streamlines the pool of available judges for temporary court needs without altering compensation or other existing rules.