Sen. Bobby Hanig

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public school districts and state agencies to carry comprehensive insurance coverage (covering all types of damage beyond just fire) for public education and state properties, effective July 2025. Public education boards must join the State Public Education Property Insurance Fund unless they secure equivalent coverage and receive a waiver from the State Fire Marshal. It also creates tuition waivers for advanced fire/rescue training courses at the North Carolina Emergency Training Center, funded by state money. Additionally, the bill modernizes fire marshal operations, clarifies inspection authority, and updates insurance fund procedures.

Maddy summarySB 365 creates a new Class F felony for entering someone's property without legal justification during a declared state of emergency in an affected county and damaging or taking another person's temporary housing. It specifically targets acts against temporary shelters like tents, mobile homes, or vehicles used as emergency housing, excluding permanent structures. The law imposes felony penalties for these actions and allows victims to seek triple damages plus legal costs. It applies only to counties within an emergency area during an active state of emergency, as defined by existing state law, and takes effect December 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 360 requires every public school in North Carolina (including traditional, charter, regional, and laboratory schools) to have at least one full-time, permanent school nurse starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill appropriates $95 million in recurring state funds to the Department of Public Instruction to cover the cost of adding these nurse positions, ensuring funding supplements existing resources without replacing them. This policy directly affects all K-12 public schools across the state by mandating nurse staffing levels and providing dedicated funding to meet that requirement. The law becomes effective July 1, 2025, with implementation beginning for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summarySB 91 allows qualified emergency facilities (like hospitals, police stations, and fire departments) to install secure "newborn safety devices" where parents can safely leave infants under 30 days old without legal consequences. The bill requires these devices to be temperature-controlled, equipped with dual alarms, inspected weekly, and located visibly on the facility exterior. Facilities must cover installation costs, develop emergency response plans, and undergo annual inspections by the Department of Health and Human Services. This law directly affects parents seeking to surrender infants safely and the 24-hour emergency facilities that install these devices, effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 299, the Government Transparency Act of 2025, requires state agencies, local school boards, community colleges, and area authorities to maintain and publicly disclose general descriptions of employee disciplinary actions - including promotions, demotions, transfers, suspensions, separations, and dismissals - along with the dates and reasons. It specifically mandates that records include a "general description" of these actions (e.g., "failure to follow safety protocols" for a dismissal), but prohibits disclosure of protected health or disability information under HIPAA or the ADA. These descriptions become public only after any administrative appeal period ends or a final decision is made, ensuring privacy while increasing transparency. The bill directly affects all current and former state employees, applicants, and public education entities in North Carolina.

Maddy summarySB 333 prevents UNC system schools and community colleges from following accrediting agency rules that conflict with North Carolina or federal law. It requires these institutions to prioritize existing state/federal laws over accreditation demands, ensuring they cannot violate legal standards to comply with outside requirements. Certain professional programs - like law, pharmacy, engineering, and others identified by governing boards - are exempt from this rule. The bill clarifies that institutions must not take actions violating current law due to accreditation standards, while maintaining exemptions for programs with specialized accreditation needs.

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina bill (SB 346) provides limited legal immunity for people who seek medical help during drug or alcohol overdoses. It protects individuals from minor charges (like possession of less than 1 gram of drugs or underage alcohol consumption) if they call 911 or assist others in calling for overdose emergencies, provided they act in good faith, provide their name, and weren’t seeking help during an active arrest. The immunity also extends to the overdose victim themselves and prevents probation/parole revocation for these covered offenses. The law applies to acts occurring on or after October 1, 2025, and does not affect evidence collection for other crimes.

Maddy summarySB 322, the Utility Worker Protection Act, increases penalties for assaulting utility or communications workers who are visibly identifiable (e.g., wearing company-logo uniforms or hats) while performing their duties. It specifically targets assaults against workers providing electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, or internet services. The bill reclassifies such assaults as Class 1 misdemeanors, raising the punishment level for these offenses. This change applies to incidents occurring on or after December 1, 2025. The law does not affect prosecutions for offenses committed before that date.

Maddy summarySB 300 (the NC REACH Act) would require all students graduating with a bachelor's degree from a University of North Carolina institution or an associate degree from a North Carolina community college to complete at least three credit hours of instruction in American history or government. The bill mandates that courses cover specific foundational documents - including the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, Federalist Papers, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail, Gettysburg Address, and the North Carolina State Constitution - and include a final exam worth at least 20% of the course grade. Students may be exempted through prior coursework (e.g., AP/IB exams, dual enrollment) that meets the same requirements. The bill explicitly states it will not increase total credit hour requirements for degrees and requires annual reporting on compliance by 2026. This is a proposed bill currently in committee review.

Maddy summarySB 318 (Protect Youth From Harms of Vaping and Nicotine) raises North Carolina's legal sales age for all tobacco and nicotine products - including vaping devices and e-liquids - from 18 to 21. It directly affects youth (under 21) seeking to purchase these products and retailers selling them. Key provisions require all tobacco retailers to obtain a new "tobacco retail sales permit" and mandate proof of age (like a driver's license) for every sale to customers under 21. The bill also establishes enforcement mechanisms, including fines for violations and inspections of retail premises to ensure compliance. This policy change aims to limit youth access to nicotine products through age restrictions and retail licensing.