Sen. Natalie Murdock

Maddy summarySB 313 establishes a $15 million grant program to support small North Carolina farmers with annual gross cash farm income under $1 million. The program provides financial assistance for essential farm inputs, equipment, and operational improvements to eligible farmers who meet income and residency requirements. Grants will be prioritized based on financial hardship, need, and farm size, with the Department of Agriculture administering the fund and an advisory committee monitoring effectiveness. This act directly affects small-scale farmers seeking to improve their operational viability through targeted financial support.

Maddy summarySB 397 allocates a one-time $4.5 million state funding to Durham County for capital improvements and repairs to public school buildings, athletic fields, and other school facilities. The funds target deferred maintenance needs specifically for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This bill directly benefits Durham County public schools by providing resources for infrastructure upgrades. It becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 475, "Wendy Williams's Law," requires court-appointed guardians and guardians ad litem (representatives for adults deemed legally incompetent) in North Carolina to complete mandatory training within six months of their appointment. The training covers essential topics like legal duties, the rights of the incompetent person, medical terminology related to their condition, and preparing required reports. This applies to all guardians managing personal care or finances, as well as court-appointed representatives in legal proceedings. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, for appointments made on or after that date.

Maddy summarySB 463 requires North Carolina Medicaid to cover doula services during pregnancy and the postpartum period, directly affecting Medicaid-enrolled pregnant and postpartum individuals and doulas seeking to provide these services under Medicaid. The bill mandates the state health department to develop coverage rules, including reimbursement rates and provider requirements focused on doula training in areas like childbirth education, lactation support, and cultural awareness. It appropriates $1 million annually from the state general fund (matching $1.8 million in federal funds) for Medicaid coverage changes and $550,000 annually for doula workforce support services. The coverage must be implemented upon federal CMS approval, with a report to lawmakers by March 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 440, the "Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2025," allocates base budget funding for North Carolina's state departments, agencies, and universities for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium. It specifies exact funding amounts for all state operations, including $12.94 billion for public instruction, $8.83 billion for health and human services, and $4.24 billion for the University of North Carolina system. The bill directs all state entities to spend within these allocated amounts, with unused funds reverting to the appropriate fund at year-end. As a routine budget measure, it does not create new policies or affect specific groups beyond funding existing state services.

Maddy summarySB 438, titled "NC Adopt ERA," is a bill to formally ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution. The ERA, proposed by Congress in 1972, was ratified by 38 states (including Virginia in 2020), meeting the constitutional requirement for three-fourths of states. This bill directs North Carolina to send a certified copy of its ratification to the U.S. Archivist and Congress, completing the state's role in the federal amendment process. If enacted, North Carolina would join the 38 states that have ratified the ERA, which the bill states is now the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Maddy summarySB 409 bans the sale, possession, and transfer of "ghost guns" (unserialized firearms like homemade kits) and "undetectable firearms" (e.g., plastic guns or those avoiding metal detectors). It directly affects most North Carolinians, including gun owners and sellers, with exceptions only for federally licensed firearm manufacturers under ATF rules. The law imposes Class I felony penalties for violations and takes effect December 1, 2025. Key provisions define prohibited items based on federal standards and prohibit all non-licensed activity involving them.

Maddy summarySB 413, titled "Right to Use Contraception," declares that North Carolina has no legitimate interest in limiting access to contraception for pregnancy prevention. It directly affects all residents by affirming their right to use contraception without state interference, adding a new legislative declaration to the state statutes. The bill’s key mechanism is a policy statement in Chapter 90 of North Carolina’s General Statutes, explicitly stating that preventing pregnancy through contraception is protected. It does not change existing laws or create new regulations but formally codifies this policy position. The measure is currently in early committee review after its initial filing and first reading.

Maddy summarySB 419 restores local governments' authority to down-zone (reduce density) in their communities by repealing a previous restriction (Section 3K.1 of S.L. 2024-57). This directly affects cities and counties, allowing them to adopt zoning changes that limit building density or height, such as converting high-density zones to lower-density uses. The bill applies retroactively to December 11, 2024, meaning any zoning ordinances affected by the repealed law are treated as valid from that date. It does not create new zoning rules but returns discretion to local governments that was previously restricted.

Maddy summarySB 398 bans the possession or carrying of dangerous weapons at North Carolina voting locations, within 100 feet of a polling place entrance, and while in line to vote. It directly affects voters and others near polling sites during voting hours, applying to all weapons defined under existing law (G.S. 14-277.2). The law creates a Class 1 misdemeanor penalty for violations, with an exception for law enforcement officers performing official duties. This bill aims to enhance safety at polling places by restricting weapons in specific proximity to voting areas during active voting periods.