Rep. Mary Belk

Maddy summaryThis bill increases law enforcement and judicial resources in Mecklenburg County by funding 12 additional State Trooper positions and five new magistrates, effective July 1, 2025. It also raises minimum fines for drivers who fail to stop for school buses and establishes vehicle registration records as preliminary evidence of who was driving during such violations. Additionally, the bill expands the operating hours of the Metrolina Transportation Management Center and creates new rules for accessing highway camera footage, limiting public disclosure to specific individuals directly involved in incidents captured by the cameras.

Maddy summaryHB 893 limits how much North Carolina's Chiropractic Board can charge chiropractors for disciplinary actions, capping costs at $1,000 for settled cases and $3,000 for cases with a full hearing. It requires the Board to provide itemized cost breakdowns and refund any overcharges. The bill also mandates that the Board keep detailed, accurate meeting minutes, including summaries of public comments and vote records. These changes directly affect chiropractors facing disciplinary proceedings under the Board's jurisdiction.

Maddy summaryHB 922 revises definitions in North Carolina's public utility law to protect ratepayers from unreasonable fees charged by utilities. It specifically clarifies terms like "advertising" (excluding safety messages or mandated public notices), "clean energy facility," and "energy efficiency measure" to ensure utilities cannot charge customers for non-essential promotional activities or misrepresent energy sources. The bill directly affects all electricity, gas, and water utilities operating in North Carolina and their customers, requiring them to comply with these updated definitions when calculating rates. Key provisions include banning utilities from including certain marketing costs in rate base calculations and defining measurable energy efficiency improvements. This focuses on transparency in billing rather than creating new fee structures.

Maddy summaryHB 932 establishes a permanent 10% base salary increase for teachers and first responders in North Carolina, effective July 1, 2025. The bill appropriates $700 million annually for first responders (including law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, dispatchers, and certain nurses) and $900 million annually for teachers (classroom staff, principals, and instructional support) from the General Fund. Funds must be used solely for the pay increase, added to base salary, and included in future salary calculations - no administrative costs are permitted. Employing authorities and school entities must certify costs and verify implementation by deadlines, with unspent funds reverting to the General Fund annually.

Maddy summaryHB 915 reenacts a 25% tax credit for film production companies in North Carolina that spend at least $250,000 on qualifying expenses within the state. The credit applies to costs like equipment rentals, wages (excluding payments over $1 million to top earners), insurance, and employee benefits, but excludes political ads, news broadcasts, live sports events, and obscene content. The credit is capped at $20 million per feature film and requires producers to notify the North Carolina Film Office before claiming it. This reenactment makes the credit effective for qualifying expenses occurring on or after January 1, 2025, after a prior sunset clause expired in 2015.

Maddy summaryHB 930 creates two separate $1,500 one-time bonus programs for eligible public employees in North Carolina: first responders (including police, firefighters, emergency medical staff, dispatchers, and public hospital nurses) and teachers (classroom staff, principals, and support personnel). The bill allocates $130 million annually for first responders and $165 million for teachers from the General Fund during the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, with funds distributed to local governments and school districts by November 1 each year. To qualify, recipients must be employed on October 1 of the fiscal year, and bonuses must be paid by December 31 (prorated for part-time workers). Funds cannot cover administrative costs, must be paid in addition to base salary, and will revert to the General Fund if unspent by year-end. The program takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 940 prohibits employment discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, or pregnancy-related conditions in North Carolina. It requires employers to treat pregnant employees the same as others with similar abilities to work, provide reasonable accommodations (like modified schedules or breastfeeding breaks), and grant leave for pregnancy-related disability on par with other medical leave. The bill also mandates that employers allow return to the same or equivalent position after leave and clarifies that discrimination claims must be filed within three years. It directly affects employers with 15+ employees and pregnant or postpartum workers in North Carolina.

Maddy summaryHB 943 appropriates $100,000 annually from 2025-2027 to expand North Carolina's Teacher Cadet Program (NCTCP), which targets high-achieving high school students - particularly those from underrepresented groups like people of color (42% of cadets vs. 21% of current teachers) and males (25% of cadets) - to enter teaching careers. The funds will support statewide teacher training workshops (in-person and online), prioritize expansion in counties with high teacher turnover (especially rural and low-performing schools), and develop training for underrepresented cadets using current teachers and students. This directly affects high school students in NCTCP participating in the program and their future schools, aiming to strengthen the teacher pipeline in underserved communities. The bill focuses on concrete funding for program growth, not policy changes to teaching standards or school operations.

Maddy summaryHB 941 expands North Carolina's Teaching Fellows Program to address teacher shortages by providing forgivable loans to students pursuing teaching careers in high-need areas like special education, STEM, elementary education (K-6), and specific secondary subjects. The bill establishes a Trust Fund to cover loan amounts (up to $12,000 annually for up to four years), administrative costs, mentorship, and extracurricular programs like summer initiatives and alumni engagement. It requires selected colleges to meet strict standards, including high graduate effectiveness rates, alignment with "Science of Reading" training for elementary programs, and diverse school practicum opportunities. The program directly affects prospective teachers enrolled at up to 14 approved institutions of higher education who commit to teaching in qualifying licensure areas across North Carolina public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 947 ("Every Child Reads") requires North Carolina public schools to screen all students in kindergarten through third grade, sixth grade, and ninth grade for dyslexia using state-approved tools. It mandates teacher training on dyslexia identification and evidence-based reading interventions, and requires literacy instruction in middle schools to align with the Science of Reading. The bill also creates Individual Reading Plans (IRPs) for kindergarten through third graders struggling with reading, based on assessment data, and transfers the NC Pre-K program to the Department of Public Instruction. These provisions directly affect students with dyslexia, K-3 teachers, and school districts implementing literacy programs.