Sen. Michael Garrett

Maddy summarySB 625 creates two statewide awareness initiatives: one by the Department of Justice (Section 1) to educate North Carolinians about consumer finance risks like identity theft and fraud, and another by the Department of Health and Human Services (Section 2) to address health and civil rights topics including reproductive, LGBTQIA+, gender, and racial health issues. Both initiatives require developing public websites, local community toolkits, and state-coordinated outreach by July 2025, with reports due in September 2026. The bill prohibits using state funds for advocacy or lobbying on new laws, restricting the initiatives to explaining existing resources and laws. These programs directly affect residents through public education and local communities through customizable toolkits for community-led campaigns.

Maddy summarySB 593, the "Grant Our Kids Care Act," allocates $30 million annually (2025-2027) for a pilot program to help licensed child care providers in North Carolina. It provides grants covering 75% of child care tuition for full-time staff (earning ≤85% of state median income) who have children under age five, with providers covering the remaining 25%. The program aims to expand licensed child care capacity by helping staff afford care for their own children, prioritizing counties with high unmet demand. It requires participating programs to create new slots without displacing existing children and mandates annual progress reports to the legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most North Carolina employers to provide earned paid sick leave to workers. Employees would earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, with small businesses (10 or fewer employees) limited to 32 hours annually and other employers to 56 hours. Workers could use this time for their own illness, family medical care, or safety-related needs like domestic violence or sexual assault recovery. The law applies to most private-sector employees but excludes volunteers and certain exempt workers, directly affecting over 1.6 million North Carolinians currently without access to paid sick days.

Maddy summarySB 632 ("Homes for Heroes") creates a homebuyers' assistance program for North Carolina public servants (including teachers, firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency medical personnel) who are first-time homebuyers. It provides up to $25,000 or 10% of a home's purchase price - covering down payments, mortgage insurance, and closing costs - using $200 million in state funds, with mortgage assistance limited to 60 months. Separately, it establishes a tax credit for volunteer firefighters and rescue workers who incur unreimbursed work expenses, capping the credit at $5,000 or the taxpayer's annual income tax liability, requiring 36 hours of annual training. The program begins July 1, 2025, and the tax credit applies to taxable years starting January 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 630, the School Mental Health Support Act, creates two programs to improve student mental health services in North Carolina public schools. It appropriates $50 million for a grant program to help schools hire mental health support personnel (like counselors and psychologists), prioritizing schools serving students without insurance or with disabilities. Additionally, it allocates $50 million for a loan repayment program covering 20% of student debt annually for mental health workers (e.g., counselors, psychologists) who graduated from UNC schools and work in high-need areas. Both programs require annual reporting to legislative committees on funding distribution and outcomes. The bill directly affects public school units and mental health professionals in North Carolina.

Maddy summarySB 629, the "Ride Safe, Insure Smart Act," requires motocross facilities open to the public to carry liability insurance of at least $1 million per incident and $2 million total. This applies to facility owners and operators (including businesses), but excludes private, non-fee facilities and government-run locations. Operators must provide proof of insurance to the Insurance Commissioner upon request, and the Commissioner can halt operations if proof is missing. Insurance must come from an authorized North Carolina insurer and include 30 days' written notice before cancellation, suspension, or nonrenewal. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 588, the Pregnant Workers Protection Act, protects pregnant employees and those with pregnancy-related conditions from workplace discrimination and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations. It explicitly adds pregnancy to anti-discrimination laws (covering hiring, pay, and termination) and mandates accommodations like modified schedules, temporary transfers to less strenuous roles, or additional break time - unless providing them would cause significant difficulty for the business. The bill also extends these protections to housing by prohibiting discrimination against pregnant people when renting or buying homes. It applies to all employers in North Carolina and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 641 reenacts North Carolina's refundable child tax credit, providing financial support to low- and moderate-income families with children. It offers $1,900 annually for each child under age 6 and $1,600 for older qualifying children, with credit amounts phasing out based on income (e.g., married couples filing jointly receive full credit up to $40,000 AGI, reduced to $100 between $40,000-$100,000, and none above $100,000). The credit is refundable, meaning families may receive a cash payment if the credit exceeds their state tax liability. This policy directly affects North Carolina households with children who meet income thresholds, aiming to reduce child poverty by supplementing family income. The bill takes effect for tax years beginning January 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 649 reinstates education-based salary supplements for North Carolina public school teachers and instructional support personnel (ISP) who hold master's or doctoral degrees. It directs the State Board of Education to use the 2013 policy (TCP-A-006) to determine eligibility for the "M" salary schedule and degree-related pay supplements. The bill appropriates $8 million in recurring state funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to cover these reinstated supplements. This policy change directly affects educators with advanced degrees by restoring previously eliminated pay incentives tied to their academic credentials.

Maddy summarySB 652, titled "Voter Fraud Prevention Act" (though it addresses party switches, not fraud), requires North Carolina legislators who change political party affiliation during their term with over six months remaining to vacate their seat automatically. This triggers a special election within 90 days, as outlined in Section 1 of the bill. Additionally, Section 2 mandates that such legislators must refund campaign contributions from the most recent election cycle to donors who request it within 30 days. The bill applies specifically to elected or appointed members of the North Carolina General Assembly and is currently pending in the Senate Rules committee.