Sen. Tom McInnis

Maddy summarySB 223 expands academic transition pathways for high school students by creating new opportunities for qualified freshmen and sophomores to take college courses at community colleges. The bill requires specific approvals - such as verification of academic readiness by school and college leaders, mandatory academic advising, and parental consent - to allow these younger students to earn career technical education certificates or diplomas in fields like engineering, agriculture, or construction. It also modifies existing pathways for older students and takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year. The policy directly affects high school students seeking early college credit in designated career fields, with participation contingent on meeting strict eligibility criteria.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 207 amends North Carolina's littering law by creating a new "permissive rebuttable presumption." This presumption states that if discarded litter includes documents or objects clearly bearing a person's name, such as bank statements, utility bills, or prescription bottles, it suggests that person committed the offense. However, advertising, marketing, and campaign materials are specifically excluded from creating this presumption. This bill affects individuals accused of littering and provides a new mechanism for establishing culpability, while allowing the accused to present evidence to rebut the presumption. The changes are set to become effective on December 1, 2025.

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 summaryThis bill amends North Carolina law to strengthen property rights for landowners regarding recreational activities. It requires written permission (signed, dated within 12 months, and carried on person) for hunting, fishing, or trapping on private land, with fines of $500 for first offenses on posted property and $1,000 for repeat violations. Landowners can also prohibit pine straw harvesting without written consent, creating a Class 1 misdemeanor for unauthorized removal. Repeat trespass offenses trigger license suspensions for hunting/fishing, and new rules ban launching watercraft from public roadways into waterways. The law directly affects hunters, fishers, landowners, and pine straw harvesters.

Maddy summarySB 508 creates a pathway for North Carolina teachers with expiring limited licenses to convert to continuing professional licenses. It requires teachers to have a positive average growth score in the state's education growth data system (EVAAS) for two of their last three years. Teachers with negative growth but who still meet expected growth standards may also qualify if their local school board requests a limited license renewal. The bill applies to licenses expiring on or after the law's effective date and focuses on using measurable student growth data to support teacher career progression.

Maddy summarySB 63 establishes a nine-member Board of Motor Vehicles to oversee North Carolina's Division of Motor Vehicles, replacing the current structure where the Commissioner is appointed by the Transportation Secretary. The Board will appoint the Motor Vehicles Commissioner and include members from the Transportation Secretary, Information Technology Secretary, Highway Patrol, and appointments by the Governor and General Assembly. The bill also mandates a study by the Department of Transportation to evaluate creating a separate Motor Vehicle Authority (replacing the current Division), including feasibility, required legal changes, a timeline, and implementation steps. The study must be completed and reported to the General Assembly by January 1, 2026, but does not create the Authority itself.

Maddy summarySB 505 clarifies definitions and creates procedures for addressing abandoned or derelict vessels in North Carolina waters and on public/private land. It defines "abandoned vessels" as those left unattended for 30+ days without permission or intent to reclaim, and "derelict vessels" as those in disrepair posing safety or environmental risks. The bill gives the Commission authority to remove such vessels after posting notices, with owners having 10 days to respond before removal. It also sets time limits (30 days on land, 10 days in water) for vessel anchoring without permission and exempts historic shipwrecks under state custody. This directly affects boat owners, property owners, and state agencies responsible for waterway safety.

Maddy summarySB 97 adds stomach cancer (gastric cancer) to the list of cancers presumed to be work-related for firefighters under North Carolina's Public Safety Employees' Death Benefits Act. This means firefighters who die from stomach cancer will automatically qualify for line-of-duty death benefits without needing to prove occupational connection. The bill appropriates $500,000 annually from 2025-2027 to cover these new benefits. It takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to qualifying deaths occurring on or after that date.

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 504, the North Carolina Farmland and Military Protection Act, prohibits foreign governments designated as "adversarial" by the U.S. Department of State from purchasing, leasing, or holding interests in agricultural land or land within 75 miles of military installations in North Carolina. The bill defines agricultural land broadly (excluding small research leases under 250 acres) and specifically lists military sites like Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Any violation would void the transfer, and the law takes effect on December 1, 2025. This directly affects adversarial foreign governments seeking to acquire such land, aiming to protect food production and military security.