Sen. Jim Burgin

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles to create a special license plate called the 'America's Semiquincentennial' plate. The plate will feature the phrase 'America 250' and other designs to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. Any registered vehicle owner in the state will be eligible to purchase this plate starting on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the legal definition of an independent pharmacy in North Carolina to include community-based pharmacies owned by small groups with ten or fewer locations. The law specifically covers businesses that are not publicly traded and focus primarily on pharmacy services. Additionally, the legislation allocates $100,000 from the state's general fund to the Department of Insurance to help enforce these new rules starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to create a three-tiered program for individuals waiting for the state's Innovations waiver. The proposed plan would offer three levels of financial assistance: a benefit capped at $25,000, one capped at $75,000, and a full waiver benefit, with the specific details to be determined through consultation with local managed care organizations and other stakeholders. To fund the initial development of this plan, the legislation appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Additionally, the bill requires a report on the final plan to be submitted to several legislative committees by December 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 843 is a local act specifically designed for North Carolina's 12th Senatorial District. The bill contains no substantive policy changes, new programs, or regulations; it simply establishes the act's scope and effective date. Because it lacks detailed provisions, it does not directly affect individuals or businesses beyond defining its own jurisdiction. The legislation is currently in its early stages and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as Tyler's Law, requires North Carolina to conduct a full investigation before officially ruling any death as a suicide. Under the new rules, medical examiners must interview people connected to the scene and test for gunshot residue if a firearm was involved, ensuring these steps are documented before a final determination is made. To support this expanded work, the legislation increases the fee paid to county medical examiners from $200 to $400 per case and provides state funding to cover the cost increase starting in 2026. The law applies to all deaths occurring on or after it becomes effective, aiming to ensure thorough reviews of apparent suicides.

Maddy summarySB 848, known as Rio's Law, mandates that criminal justice officers and emergency medical services personnel in North Carolina receive specific training on interacting with individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have autism spectrum disorder. The bill requires these professionals to recognize autism special registration plates and complete certified autism and neurodiversity training by set deadlines for initial credentialing and renewal. Additionally, the law updates the state's special license plate program to include an "Autistic/Neurodivergent" designation featuring a specific logo for individuals with a verified autism diagnosis. These changes aim to standardize educational requirements for public safety workers to better serve neurodivergent communities.

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to provide new luggage, such as suitcases or backpacks, to children entering or currently in the foster care system when they are removed from a household. The legislation appropriates specific funds for this purpose and allows the department to accept additional donations, while explicitly defining new luggage as unused containers and excluding disposable bags. To ensure accountability, the bill requires an annual report detailing how often disposable bags are still used and how the new luggage inventory is managed. These changes take effect on July 1, 2026, aiming to improve the personal belongings provided to children in state care.

Maddy summarySB 849, known as the Real Tickets, Real Fans Act, aims to protect consumers in North Carolina by regulating how entertainment event tickets are sold and resold. The bill defines specific terms like 'bots' and 'speculative tickets' and requires ticket sellers to clearly display the total price, including all mandatory fees, before a purchase is completed. It also prohibits the sale of speculative tickets, which are tickets not yet owned by the seller, and bans resellers from selling more than one copy of the same ticket. Additionally, the law restricts resellers from selling tickets before they are made available to the general public unless authorized by the event organizer.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a legal framework for North Carolina to join a multi-state agreement that creates a commission to award prizes for cures to diseases. Once at least six states adopt this compact, they will form a commission responsible for reviewing medical treatments, granting prizes for successful cures, and managing the intellectual property and pricing of those cures. The commission is authorized to collect royalty fees from manufacturers in states that have not joined the agreement, with the collected funds used to reimburse participating states for their share of the prize costs and administrative expenses. Additionally, the bill defines key terms such as "compacting state" and outlines the commission's broad powers to operate, enforce rules, and resolve disputes among member states.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores the ability for Harnett, Lee, and Sampson counties in North Carolina to propose down-zoning changes without needing permission from every property owner affected. It defines down-zoning as actions that reduce land density, limit permitted land uses, or create nonconformities outside residential areas. Under this law, local governments can initiate these zoning changes independently, whereas previously such moves required written consent from all impacted owners. The legislation applies retroactively to December 11, 2024, allowing these counties to proceed with down-zoning initiatives that were paused by earlier state restrictions.