Sen. Michael Garrett

Maddy summarySB 483, "The Children First Act," expands affordable child care access for North Carolina families by increasing financial assistance eligibility to 85% of the state median income and raising subsidy rates to match 2023 market costs. It allocates $50 million annually for subsidies and $15 million for grants to establish new child care facilities in rural or underserved areas, targeting "child care deserts." The bill also creates an employer child care credit and includes workforce licensing reforms to address staffing shortages. These provisions directly affect low-to-moderate-income families, child care providers, and employers seeking to support working parents.

Maddy summarySB 698, the "Fair Districts Stronger Democracy Act," would amend the North Carolina Constitution to create an independent redistricting process for state legislative and congressional districts after each federal census. It establishes a North Carolina Independent Redistricting Commission to redraw district lines, removing the General Assembly’s direct role in the process. The bill requires districts to be contiguous, avoid dividing counties where practicable, and ensure equal population representation for both state and federal elections. This change would take effect if approved by voters in the 2026 general election, with districts remaining unchanged until the next census.

Maddy summarySB 658 appropriates $1 million from the state General Fund to Preservation Greensboro Incorporated for the operating expenses and restoration of the historic Blandwood Mansion in Greensboro. The mansion, built in the 19th century and formerly home to Governor John Motley Morehead, is directly affected by this funding. The bill directs the Office of State Budget and Management to provide a one-time grant to cover preservation costs for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This is a straightforward funding measure with no policy changes beyond allocating state resources for historic site maintenance.

Maddy summarySB 659, the "Investing in North Carolina Act," raises salaries for public school teachers and state employees for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It establishes a new monthly salary schedule for teachers based on experience (ranging from $4,600 for 0 years to $6,370 for 29+ years), adds specific supplements for certified teachers, nurses, counselors, and specialists, and provides cost-of-living increases for retirees. The bill also expands the Wage$ program statewide and creates a tax credit for qualifying employers equal to 5% of wages paid or $10,000, whichever is lower. Directly affecting teachers, state employees, community college staff, UNC employees, retirees, and participating employers, it focuses on concrete pay adjustments through funding appropriations.

Maddy summarySB 611 allows drivers with non-REAL ID compliant licenses in North Carolina to renew their licenses remotely two times in a row. After two consecutive remote renewals, these licenses must be renewed in person. The bill applies only to licenses that do not meet federal REAL ID standards (required for certain federal purposes like air travel) and does not affect REAL ID-compliant licenses, which still require an in-person renewal after a remote one. The change takes effect January 1, 2026, for all renewals on or after that date.

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.