Rep. Jay Adams

Maddy summaryHB 1136 pauses new surface water transfers from the upper Cape Fear River Basin until June 1, 2030, while a university study evaluates the region's water supply and recommends future policy changes. The bill directs the North Carolina Collaboratory to assess water availability, environmental impacts, and economic fairness, with findings due by July 2029. Additionally, it strengthens the Environmental Management Commission's authority to order reductions to existing water withdrawals and pollution discharges if they harm public health or water resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment in North Carolina to allow law-abiding citizens to carry firearms openly or concealed without needing a permit. The change would apply to any U.S. citizen who has not been convicted of a violent crime or drug offense and has not been declared mentally incompetent, unless they are on property that is legally posted against carrying weapons. While the amendment removes the requirement for a permit, it states that a permit system will still be maintained to help with reciprocity with other states and to facilitate purchasing weapons. The bill does not take effect immediately but must be approved by voters in a referendum scheduled for the November 3, 2026, general election.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that regular municipal elections for the Towns of Brookford and Catawba, as well as the Cities of Claremont and Conover in Catawba County, be held in even-numbered years instead of their current odd-numbered schedule. To implement this change, the legislation extends the current terms of local officials whose offices would otherwise expire in 2027 and 2029, ensuring a seamless transition to the new election cycle. Municipal elections in these four communities will be paused in 2027 and are scheduled to resume in 2028, at which point they will align with the state's general election held in November of even-numbered years. The bill updates the specific charters of these municipalities to reflect this new timing while maintaining the existing four-year staggered terms for local officeholders.

Maddy summaryHB 402 requires North Carolina state agencies to assess the financial impact of proposed permanent rules. If a rule would cost affected individuals or businesses $20 million or more over five years, it must be approved by the General Assembly before taking effect. For rules with a $1 million or more annual cost impact, agencies must prepare a fiscal note for review by the Office of State Budget and Management. The bill also mandates a two-thirds vote by agency boards to adopt rules exceeding the $1 million cost threshold. This directly affects state agencies creating regulations and the businesses or residents who would bear the costs of those rules.

Maddy summaryHB 193 would allow certain employees and volunteers at nonpublic schools (including private/religious schools) to carry firearms or stun guns on school property if authorized by the school board, trained in gun safety, and following written school policies. It also permits concealed handgun carry on school grounds only when attending religious services or ceremonies at affiliated places of worship (e.g., churches), outside school hours or during designated events. The bill increases penalties for assaulting elected officials or law enforcement officers and requires judges - not prosecutors - to set pretrial release conditions for such offenses. Currently withdrawn from committee after a first reading, this bill has not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 549 clarifies the State Auditor's authority by exempting the Office of the State Auditor from certain financial oversight laws and IT procurement rules. It specifies that the Auditor can access all state agency records (including digital data), investigate misuse of public funds, and refer certain cases to other agencies like the State Ethics Commission. The bill directly affects the State Auditor’s office, state agencies, and publicly funded entities that handle state or federal funds. These changes streamline the Auditor’s ability to conduct audits and investigations while maintaining clear boundaries for their oversight role.

Maddy summaryHB 850 imposes a moratorium on approving new or expanded surface water transfers exceeding 15 million gallons per day between river basins until March 1, 2027. This directly affects water utilities, developers, or entities seeking large-scale water transfers that would move significant volumes between river systems. The bill requires the UNC Collaboratory to study and recommend updates to the current approval process, focusing on environmental equity, climate impacts on water flows, economic fairness for affected communities, and incentives for drought-resilient infrastructure. The study must address how transfers impact downstream users, river ecosystems, and potential financial burdens on lower-income areas or alternative infrastructure costs.

Maddy summaryHB 357 establishes licensing and regulatory requirements for continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) in North Carolina. All providers (both for-profit and nonprofit) must obtain a license from the North Carolina Department of Insurance and undergo annual actuarial reviews to verify financial stability. The law directly affects CCRCs operating in the state and their residents, who often pay large upfront fees for long-term care. Key provisions include mandatory actuarial studies to ensure providers can sustain services, protecting residents from financial harm if a provider becomes insolvent.

Maddy summaryHB 837 is a study bill requiring North Carolina to examine alternative highway funding methods, primarily to address potential revenue gaps as electric/hybrid vehicle adoption grows. It directs the Legislative Services Officer and Transportation Oversight Committee to hire a consultant to study mileage-based fees (VMT) for electric/hybrid vehicles and a new "Access User Fee" for all non-diesel vehicles (replacing gas taxes). The study must be completed by May 2026, with findings reported to key legislative committees. This bill does not implement new fees but assesses options affecting all vehicle owners, particularly electric/hybrid drivers and non-diesel vehicle registrants. It allocates $125,000 from the Highway Fund for the study, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis non-binding House Resolution (HR 1013) urges Congress to support Jewish citizens and take steps to criminalize antisemitic acts following a June 2025 attack in Colorado targeting pro-Israel demonstrators and broader trends of antisemitism since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. It directly affects Jewish communities and Israel supporters facing hate crimes by calling for legal measures to address such violence. The resolution does not create new laws but formally expresses Congress’s position, referencing prior support for Israel including past resolutions and the Shalom Act. It focuses on condemning antisemitism as a response to specific incidents, not on new policy mechanisms.