Sen. Gladys Robinson

Maddy summarySB 259, the School Psychologist Omnibus, aims to improve the number and quality of school psychologists in North Carolina public schools. It provides $8.1 million for 2025-2026 to increase school psychologists' salaries by $650 monthly plus 12% for those with NCSP credentials, and allocates $5 million for a grant program offering signing bonuses (up to $5,000) to recruit psychologists, requiring a one-year commitment. Another $5 million funds an internship program with stipends for psychology students and supervisor bonuses, while $5 million supports a virtual training program at Appalachian State University. These provisions directly affect school psychologists, school districts, and psychology training programs across North Carolina.

Maddy summarySB 167 revises North Carolina's funding for schools supporting students with limited English proficiency (LEP), requiring new allocation rules and a state study. It appropriates $16.2 million annually for 2025-2026 to schools with at least 20 LEP students or 2.5% LEP enrollment, funding classroom staff, materials, and training. Schools must use these funds to supplement, not replace, existing local spending. The bill also mandates a 2025 study to evaluate funding adequacy and recommend improvements to bilingual education programs.

Maddy summarySB 243 directs North Carolina's Department of Transportation to study the cost and feasibility of a commuter rail service connecting Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point in the Piedmont Triad region. The study must analyze ridership, operating costs, land acquisition, and recommend a management entity, with results due by December 29, 2025. The bill allocates $100,000 from the Highway Fund for this study, which is purely a feasibility assessment with no funding for actual rail construction. It does not create new policy or affect residents directly beyond enabling the study.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural local act with no substantive policy changes. SB 215 solely references the 28th Senatorial District in North Carolina, stating it relates only to that district and becomes effective upon enactment. It does not create new laws, alter existing policies, or affect any specific group or individual. The bill serves as a formal designation for the district and has no practical impact beyond administrative reference. As a local act, it requires no public input or voting on policy outcomes.

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 summarySB 62 exempts eligible nonprofits in North Carolina from sales tax on physical items, digital property, and services used for their core activities, including fundraising events. It specifically covers 501(c)(3) organizations (excluding certain classifications), volunteer fire departments, and qualifying single-member LLCs owned by 501(c)(3) groups. The exemption includes purchases for fundraising events but has a $31.7 million annual cap per nonprofit. Nonprofits must obtain a special exemption number to qualify, and the bill adds new rules for applying and tracking these exemptions.

Maddy summarySB 14 proposes repealing a North Carolina constitutional requirement that voters must demonstrate the ability to read and write parts of the state constitution. If approved by voters in the November 2026 election, it would remove this literacy test for voter registration, directly affecting individuals registering to vote in North Carolina. The bill requires a statewide referendum with the ballot question: "FOR [ ] AGAINST Constitutional amendment to repeal the requirement that every person presenting himself for registration shall be able to read and write any section of the Constitution in the English language." Approval by a majority of voters would make the repeal effective, ending this specific registration barrier.

Maddy summaryThis document is a procedural amendment to Senate Bill 625, which originally proposed reforms to child welfare and social services in North Carolina. The amendment modifies specific sections of the bill by changing numerical limits, adjusting phrasing regarding parents, and removing certain text lines. These changes refine the legislative language without altering the bill's core purpose of updating state regulations for child welfare agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new statewide Medicaid plan specifically for children and families, requiring the state to issue a request for proposals to select a provider by December 2024. The legislation defines this new plan as distinct from standard Medicaid plans and allows the state to require automatic enrollment in this specialty plan unless a social services official determines that a different plan is better for the child. Additionally, the bill establishes a closed network of providers for specialized services like residential treatment and intensive in-home care within this new plan, while also clarifying rules about when certain groups can leave their current Medicaid plans and what services must be covered.

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.