Sen. Amy Galey

Maddy summarySB 226 expands eligibility for death benefits under North Carolina's Public Safety Employees' Death Benefits Act to include firefighters who die from specific cancers. It adds any cancer diagnosed after January 1, 2022, that qualified a firefighter for benefits under the Firefighters' Cancer Insurance Program (or its predecessor, the Health Benefits Pilot Program) to the list of cancers presumed to be "killed in the line of duty." This means firefighters receiving cancer benefits under the program will automatically qualify for death benefits if they later die from that cancer. The bill also permanently establishes the Cancer Insurance Program as the successor to the pilot program and allocates $2 million annually for related death benefits starting July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 290, the NC REINS Act, requires North Carolina's General Assembly to approve certain state agency regulations before they take effect. It directly affects state agencies creating rules with significant economic impact (over $1 million annually) and gives legislators a 30-day window to block such rules through a specific disapproval bill. The bill adds a legislative review period for all permanent rules and mandates that rules with substantial economic impact must be ratified by the legislature, effectively creating a veto power over those regulations. This changes current process by requiring explicit legislative action for high-impact rules instead of automatic implementation after agency approval.

Maddy summarySB 267 amends North Carolina's Business Corporations Act to allow corporations to include in their articles of incorporation provisions that limit or eliminate personal liability for directors and officers regarding monetary damages from breaches of duty, with specific exceptions (such as acts in bad faith, improper personal benefits, or prior breaches). The bill also clarifies that boards may adopt emergency bylaws in advance of a catastrophic event to govern corporate operations during the emergency, including procedures for board meetings and substitute directors, but these bylaws expire once the emergency ends. These changes apply directly to all corporations organized under North Carolina law, affecting how they structure leadership liability protections and manage crises. The bill makes no new requirements but refines existing legal mechanisms for corporate governance.

Maddy summaryThis bill permits the sale, possession, and use of specific consumer fireworks (like sparklers, party poppers, and novelty items) in North Carolina, while maintaining restrictions on most pyrotechnics. It directly affects consumers and retailers by allowing limited fireworks that comply with strict weight limits (e.g., no more than 16 milligrams for party poppers) and requires compliance with new regulations under Part 2 of Chapter 58. The bill establishes an excise tax on consumer fireworks sales and amends existing laws to define permitted items, such as wire sparklers (under 100 grams) and sparklers emitting showers of sparks. It does not change prohibitions on most fireworks, including indoor displays or sales to minors under 18.

Maddy summarySB 218 requires insurers in North Carolina to provide stop loss, catastrophic, and reinsurance coverage to small employers (those with fewer than 12 eligible employees) that meet specific minimum standards. It mandates that policies must have a per-individual claim attachment point of at least $20,000 (adjusted annually using medical inflation rates) and an aggregate attachment point of at least $20,000 or 120% of expected claims, whichever is higher. These requirements apply to all new or renewed policies issued on or after October 1, 2025, ensuring small employers receive standardized coverage thresholds. The bill does not restrict insurers from offering additional wellness-focused benefits but sets baseline protections for coverage affordability.

Maddy summarySB 195, the "Protect Campus Survivors Act," exempts personally identifiable student disciplinary records at North Carolina's public colleges and universities from being disclosed as public records under state law. It defines these records as any materials containing student identifiers (like names, addresses, or social security numbers) related to disciplinary investigations, making them confidential even if federal law (FERPA) might permit disclosure. This applies to all UNC system institutions, community colleges, and their disciplinary processes. The bill takes effect upon enactment, affecting how schools handle and share such records with the public. It does not change federal privacy rules but ensures these specific records remain private under North Carolina's public records law.

Maddy summarySB 109, the Veterans Appreciation Act, increases property tax relief for disabled veterans in North Carolina by expanding the homestead exclusion to cover the value increase from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) housing grants. It directly affects disabled veterans who receive VA housing grants for service-connected disabilities, allowing them to exclude up to $45,000 of their home’s appraised value plus grant-funded improvements from property taxes. The bill adds a prequalification process, letting veterans apply in advance of purchasing a home to confirm eligibility, with county assessors required to notify applicants within 30 days. This change takes effect for property taxes on homes owned after July 1, 2025.

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 39 would add a 14th member to North Carolina's General Statutes Commission, appointed by the dean of High Point University School of Law. This procedural bill modifies the commission's membership structure under G.S. 164-14, specifying that one of the 14 members must come from High Point Law School. It does not change the commission's duties or impact state laws directly; it only alters who serves on the body responsible for reviewing and updating North Carolina's statutes. The bill is purely administrative, adding a specific appointment slot without substantive policy changes.

Maddy summarySB 60 clarifies how creditors can enforce attorney fee clauses in debt contracts like loans, credit agreements, and conditional sales. It sets a 15% maximum cap on attorney fees (calculated on the outstanding principal and interest), whether the contract specifies a percentage or states "reasonable fees." Creditors must provide debtors a 5-day notice to pay the underlying debt before enforcing fees, and debt buyers must submit proof of ownership and the original debt contract to courts. The bill applies to most debt instruments but excludes residential rental agreements. These changes aim to standardize fee enforcement while giving debtors a clear path to avoid extra costs.