Sen. Lisa Barnes

Maddy summarySB 479, the SCRIPT Act, requires health insurers in North Carolina to allow patients to choose any participating pharmacy without restrictions. It prohibits insurers from imposing unequal copayments, financial penalties, or incentives that steer patients toward specific pharmacies. The bill directly affects insurers offering prescription drug coverage, independent pharmacies (defined as groups of 10 or fewer under common ownership), and patients seeking pharmacy services. Key provisions ensure equal treatment for all pharmacies in a plan and prevent insurers from limiting patient choice based on financial incentives.

Maddy summarySB 295 clarifies North Carolina's motor vehicle dealer laws to prevent unfair franchise terminations and protect dealers' transfer rights. It prohibits manufacturers from conditioning approval of dealership transfers, sales, or management changes on requirements like building new facilities, acquiring specific vehicle lines, or signing "right of first refusal" agreements. The bill also requires manufacturers to reimburse dealers' legal fees if they unreasonably deny a transfer and a court later overturns that decision. This directly affects car dealers seeking to sell their businesses or change ownership, and manufacturers who control dealership franchises.

Maddy summarySB 639, the North Carolina Farm Act of 2025, updates agricultural water planning, addresses feral swine damage, and strengthens farm conservation protections. It requires the Department of Agriculture to revise the state’s agricultural water plan by 2026, including funding for water infrastructure, conservation practices, and flood mitigation. The bill creates a Feral Swine Working Group with industry and agency representatives to develop control strategies and report annually, while also mandating 100-foot vegetative buffers around protected farm tracts in new subdivisions. Local governments gain authority to deny development permits that would negatively impact agricultural production, directly affecting farmers, landowners, and municipal planning decisions.

Maddy summaryThe Farmers Protection Act (SB 554) aims to prevent discrimination in financing against agriculture producers. It makes it unlawful for banks to deny or cancel services to farmers based on their greenhouse gas emissions, use of fossil-fuel derived fertilizer, or fossil-fuel powered machinery. If a bank has an environmental, social, or governance (ESG) commitment related to agriculture, there is a rebuttable presumption that such a denial violates the act, unless the bank proves it was solely for financial reasons. The bill requires banks to submit annual compliance reports and allows for civil penalties for violations, which are also considered an unfair or deceptive trade practice.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides local boards of education with a new alternative for setting their school calendars, directly affecting public schools and students. It allows schools to start as early as the Monday closest to August 19, provided fall and spring semesters have an equal number of instructional days, and end no later than the Friday before the last Monday in May. The bill also establishes stricter enforcement mechanisms, enabling the State Board of Education to investigate non-compliance and withhold central office administration funds from local boards that fail to follow calendar requirements. Additionally, it permits residents or businesses to file civil actions against non-compliant local boards, potentially leading to court-ordered remedies, attorney's fees, and civil penalties.

Maddy summarySB 478 allows banks in North Carolina to deduct income tax on interest, fees, and penalties from loans secured by agricultural land, as defined by state law. This tax deduction applies to loans specifically backed by farmland, directly benefiting banks that provide such financing. The policy change takes effect for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025. The bill does not directly affect farmers or landowners but alters tax treatment for financial institutions offering agricultural loans.

Maddy summarySB 537 defines the scope of practice for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) in North Carolina, specifically for nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), and clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). The bill provides statutory definitions for each role, detailing permitted activities like diagnosing conditions, prescribing medications, ordering diagnostic tests, and managing patient care within their specialized focus areas. By codifying these definitions in state law, the bill removes longstanding ambiguity about APRN practice that has persisted for decades, as noted by North Carolina courts and the executive branch. This change directly affects over 20,000 APRNs in the state by legally clarifying their scope of practice.

Maddy summarySB 737 requires North Carolina to adjust Medicaid reimbursement rates for licensed ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) to at least 95% of the Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Centers fee schedule each year. This directly affects ASCs that treat Medicaid patients by increasing their payments to better align with Medicare rates. The bill provides $6.9 million annually in state funds to match $12.6 million in federal funds for implementation, ensuring the rate adjustments are fully funded. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 516, the Women's Safety and Protection Act, requires single biological sex use in restrooms, changing facilities, and sleeping quarters within covered facilities like public schools, prisons, domestic violence centers, and juvenile detention centers. It defines "biological sex" based on reproductive anatomy and mandates that facilities designated for one biological sex must be used exclusively by that sex, with exceptions for maintenance, medical emergencies, law enforcement, or natural disasters. The law applies to all state-funded facilities and includes specific rules for public schools regarding student sleeping arrangements during school activities. It explicitly states that facilities may not be used by individuals of a different biological sex unless covered by the listed exceptions.

Maddy summarySB 428 (Water Transfer Regulations) requires permits for large-scale transfers of surface water between North Carolina's river basins. It mandates a certificate from the state commission for transfers exceeding 2 million gallons per day (or increases of 25%+ for existing transfers), with exceptions for facilities operational by July 1993. The bill establishes public hearing requirements, including meetings in source and receiving basins, and requires applicants to evaluate alternatives to transfers. It directly affects water users, local governments, and utilities planning cross-basin water transfers. The law aims to regulate water movement between drainage areas while maintaining existing infrastructure.