Rep. Mary Belk

Maddy summaryHB 263 restores local government authority to change zoning to less dense or fewer permitted uses (down-zoning) in Durham and Person Counties and the Cities of Durham and Roxboro, without requiring written consent from all affected property owners. The bill rewrites state law to allow counties or cities to initiate down-zoning amendments directly, reversing a previous requirement (from S.L. 2024-57) that mandated owner consent. This change applies retroactively to December 11, 2024, meaning zoning ordinances affected by the prior law will revert to their pre-December 11 status. The bill directly affects local governments’ zoning powers and property owners in the specified jurisdictions, without altering other zoning processes.

Maddy summaryHB 259 establishes a $127,500 pilot grant program for North Carolina public schools to support participation in Science Olympiad competitions during the 2025-2026 school year. The program provides funding to cover registration fees, materials, travel, and teacher stipends for schools that did not have a Science Olympiad team in the previous year, prioritizing these applicants. Public school units must apply by August 31, 2025, and funds must supplement - not replace - existing school budgets. The Department of Public Instruction will report participation data and unfunded applications to the legislature by May 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 252, the Steele Creek Investment and Improvement Act, allocates $1.25 million in one-time state funds for community projects in Mecklenburg County’s Steele Creek area. It directs $250,000 to Steele Creek Community Place, Inc. for wellness programs focused on economic opportunity, health, and mental health; $500,000 to Steele Creek Fire and Rescue for equipment and facilities; and $500,000 to the NC Department of Transportation for a traffic study on Shopton Road West. The bill directly supports Steele Creek residents - particularly those in unincorporated areas lacking municipal services - and local nonprofits. It becomes effective July 1, 2025, with no policy changes beyond funding allocations.

Maddy summaryHB 255 allows Granville County Schools and Vance County Schools to set an earlier school start date (as early as the Monday closest to August 19) instead of the standard August 26 date, provided they meet specific emergency closure requirements. To qualify, a county must have experienced at least eight school closure days due to emergencies (like severe weather) in four of the last ten years. The bill maintains existing requirements for instructional days and closing dates, ensuring schools meet minimum educational time standards. This change applies only to these two counties and takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 245 modifies North Carolina's low-income housing tax credit program to prioritize affordable housing development in rural communities and counties with higher poverty rates. It requires the state housing committee to adopt allocation rules that favor projects within 10 miles of amenities (like grocery stores) in towns under 10,000 people, measure distances by straight-line radius (not driving routes), and use poverty levels as a tiebreaker when projects score equally. The bill directs the committee to publish proposed rules for public comment and hold hearings before finalizing annual allocation plans. This policy change redirects existing housing tax credits toward qualifying rural and high-poverty areas without creating new funding. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, for future allocation plans.

Maddy summaryHB 256 repeals North Carolina's current ban on public employee collective bargaining, allowing state and local government workers (like teachers, police, and administrative staff) to negotiate wages and working conditions with their employers. The bill removes existing legal restrictions (Article 12 of Chapter 95) and explicitly states that public employees' bargaining rights apply to all state and local government employers. It does not create new benefits or funding but aligns public sector bargaining rights with those already available to private sector employees. The bill’s key provision is the repeal of the prohibition, enabling public employees to collectively bargain under existing state law.

Maddy summaryHB 48 raises North Carolina's maximum weekly unemployment benefit from $350 to $400 for claimants filing on or after March 2, 2025, directly affecting unemployed workers. It also creates a 2025 tax credit for employers, allowing them to offset unemployment insurance taxes paid on 2024 fourth-quarter wages against their 2025 tax liability. The credit applies only to contributions remitted by January 31, 2025, and must be claimed via a specific report. The bill ratifies a governor's temporary disaster-related unemployment expansion but focuses on permanent changes to benefit levels and employer tax treatment.

Maddy summaryHJR 157 is a procedural resolution inviting Governor Josh Stein to address a joint session of the North Carolina General Assembly on March 12, 2025. It directs a committee of five House members and five Senate members to extend the invitation and specifies that the governor's cabinet, Council of State members, and state judges may attend. This resolution does not create new policy or affect any laws; it solely schedules a ceremonial address. The invitation is effective upon ratification, as noted in the resolution's text.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Lincoln County Schools and Iredell-Statesville Schools to implement a mandatory 14-day winter break with no instructional days or teacher workdays scheduled. It amends school calendar rules to mandate this break starting in December, while allowing districts to make up weather-related closures during this period if needed. The law applies specifically to these two school systems beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and does not affect other North Carolina schools. It focuses solely on adjusting winter break requirements and opening/closing dates for these districts.

Maddy summaryHB 194 allows Asheville City Schools to adopt an earlier start date (as early as August 19) for the 2025-2026 school year, instead of the standard August 26 requirement, if the school district demonstrates "good cause" through documented severe weather or emergency closures over the past decade. The bill requires Asheville to maintain the minimum required instructional days while adjusting the calendar, but does not change the standard end date (June 11). It applies exclusively to Asheville City Schools and is effective for the 2025-2026 school year. This is a targeted policy change for Asheville's specific operational needs, not a statewide rule.