Sen. Graig Meyer

Maddy summarySB 233, titled "Make Corporations Pay What They Owe," would repeal a specific provision (Section 42.2) from a 2021 law (S.L. 2021-180) that was phasing out North Carolina's corporate income tax. This bill does not create new taxes but stops the planned reduction of corporate tax rates, meaning corporations would continue paying the current rate instead of a lower rate scheduled to take effect. It directly affects corporations subject to North Carolina's corporate income tax, as the repeal prevents the phaseout from proceeding. The bill is purely procedural, with no additional provisions or mechanisms beyond this repeal.

Maddy summarySB 242, the H.A.L.L. Accountability Act, repeals a previous law (S.L. 2023-134, Section 27.7(d)) that kept redistricting documents private. It requires all redistricting documents to be treated as public records, making them accessible to the public. This directly affects North Carolina legislators, state agencies, and local governments involved in redistricting by mandating transparency in their process. The bill changes the legal status of these documents from non-public to public records upon enactment.

Maddy summarySB 173 is a procedural local act that solely defines jurisdiction for North Carolina's 23rd Senatorial District. It contains no substantive policy changes or provisions affecting residents, officials, or state operations. The bill simply states it relates exclusively to the 23rd District and becomes effective upon enactment. This is a routine jurisdictional declaration with no practical impact beyond administrative labeling.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new tax deduction for North Carolina taxpayers who pay labor organization membership dues. It allows individuals to deduct dues, fees, or assessments required for membership in a labor organization (as defined by state law) from their state taxable income. The deduction applies to payments made during taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026. This directly affects workers who are members of labor organizations and pay dues as a condition of membership.

Maddy summarySB 120 removes legal barriers to labor organizing in North Carolina by prohibiting employers from requiring union membership or dues as a condition of employment or continued work. It invalidates agreements that tie agricultural product purchases or settlement terms to union status and strengthens protections for workers denied jobs due to union affiliation. The bill directly affects all workers and employers in the state, including agricultural producers covered under federal labor laws. Key provisions repeal restrictions on labor agreements and clarify that union membership or dues cannot be mandated for employment under North Carolina law. The law applies to new agreements entered into after its effective date.

Maddy summarySB 94 would eliminate the death penalty in North Carolina by repealing all legal provisions allowing it as a sentencing option. It directly affects all current death row inmates, who would be resentenced to life imprisonment without parole, and future defendants convicted of capital offenses, who would receive life without parole instead of the death penalty. Key mechanisms include removing the death penalty from murder statutes (like G.S. 14-7.12), repealing related procedures (such as evidence retention for death penalty cases), and updating sentencing rules to mandate life without parole for violent habitual felons. The bill makes no exceptions for specific crimes or circumstances, replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment without parole as the sole alternative. This is a substantive policy change that would end capital punishment in North Carolina if enacted.

Maddy summarySB 99 would create 11-month contracts for specific teachers in North Carolina, including initially licensed teachers, mentor teachers, teachers in low-performing schools, and certain veteran teachers. The bill changes their salary payment structure from a standard 10-month contract to 11 months, allowing them to receive pay for an additional month during the summer. This aims to provide dedicated time for teachers to engage in professional development, collaborate with peers, and receive evaluation feedback without disrupting the regular school year. The policy directly affects eligible teachers by altering their contract term and compensation schedule under state law.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new section to the North Carolina Constitution to protect specific reproductive rights, including abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, and miscarriage care. The amendment would allow the state to restrict access to abortion only after fetal viability, except when necessary to preserve the life or health of the pregnant person, and it defines "undue burden" as any substantial obstacle placed in a woman's path before that point. If passed by voters in the 2024 general election, the changes would take effect on January 1, 2025, while also maintaining existing conscience protection laws for healthcare providers.