Sen. Dan Blue

Maddy summaryThis bill increases North Carolina's income limit for the property tax homestead exclusion for elderly or disabled homeowners from $25,000 to $48,000, effective for taxes due in 2025. It applies to qualifying homeowners whose income would otherwise disqualify them from the exclusion. The new limit will automatically adjust annually based on Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, rounded to the nearest $100. This change directly affects low-to-moderate-income elderly or disabled homeowners seeking property tax relief.

Maddy summarySB 24 requires that any new state health insurance mandate must be paired with the repeal of an existing mandate and include funding to cover the new cost. It directly affects North Carolina employers (especially small businesses) and taxpayers by targeting mandates that increase insurance premiums and state health plan expenses. Key provisions mandate that new health benefit requirements (like coverage for specific treatments or drugs) must include both a repeal of an equivalent existing mandate and recurring state funding for the new cost. The bill applies to all health insurance plans, including the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees, and takes effect 30 days after enactment.

Maddy summarySB 70 appropriates $2 million in one-time state funds to the Town of Wendell for stabilizing and renovating the old Carver School, owned by Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. The funds will support community engagement, construction planning, and transforming the site into a community center featuring a business incubator, technology center, gymnasium, performance space, and classrooms. This project involves collaboration between the Town of Wendell, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Pleasant Grove CDC, and Wake County. The bill directs the funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural bill that establishes jurisdiction over the 14th Senatorial District in North Carolina. It does not create new laws or affect any people, organizations, or policies. The bill simply states it relates exclusively to the 14th Senatorial District and takes effect upon enactment. As a local act with no substantive policy changes, it has no direct impact beyond defining its own scope.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new section to the North Carolina Constitution to guarantee the public's right to access government records and attend public meetings. It declares that public records belong to the people and mandates that records and meetings for state and local officials across all branches of government be open for inspection and duplication. The amendment includes a strict rule that any law limiting this access must prove a compelling public interest and show that the restriction is narrowly tailored to protect that interest. If voters approve the measure in the November 2024 election, the changes will become part of the state constitution, requiring future laws to align with these transparency standards.