Sen. Gladys Robinson

Maddy summarySB 379, the Senior Care Assurance Act, expands healthcare access for North Carolina seniors (65+) by enhancing Medicaid coverage for preventive screenings and chronic care services. It creates two new programs: a $2.5 million annual grant program to fund free health screenings and geriatric care for low-income seniors (at or below the federal poverty level), prioritizing rural and underserved areas, and a $2 million annual program to help seniors purchase telehealth equipment and internet access, with priority for rural seniors. The bill also updates telehealth infrastructure funding to support rural healthcare providers in establishing telehealth services. These provisions directly benefit seniors facing financial or geographic barriers to care, focusing on preventive health and independent aging.

Maddy summarySB 366 increases Medicaid payment rates for personal care services to $7.50 per 15-minute increment and private duty nursing to $16.25 per 15-minute increment. It directly affects healthcare providers who deliver these services to Medicaid beneficiaries through programs like personal care services and private duty nursing. The bill allocates $119.2 million annually in state funds (with matching federal funds) to cover the rate increases for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 358, the "Hate Crimes Prevention Act," expands North Carolina's hate crime laws by increasing penalties for offenses motivated by the victim's actual or perceived race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or gender expression. It upgrades certain misdemeanors to higher classifications (like Class H felonies) and adds civil remedies for victims, including compensation for emotional distress and attorney fees. The bill also mandates the State Bureau of Investigation to create a hate crimes database, requires law enforcement officers to receive specialized training on identifying and reporting hate crimes, and directs prosecutors to develop hate crime prosecution training. These changes directly affect victims of hate crimes, law enforcement agencies, and prosecutors by strengthening legal responses and data collection.

Maddy summarySB 384 requires North Carolina's Commission for Public Health to establish safe limits for specific toxic chemicals in drinking water by October 2025. It targets chemicals like PFAS, PFOA, PFOS, hexavalent chromium, and 1,4-Dioxane - known or suspected carcinogens - mandating limits based on scientific evidence and ensuring they do not exceed federal EPA standards. The law also requires annual reviews of new research to update these limits as needed. This directly affects all North Carolina residents who rely on public water systems, with special consideration for children, infants, and pregnant people.

Maddy summarySB 360 requires every public school in North Carolina (including traditional, charter, regional, and laboratory schools) to have at least one full-time, permanent school nurse starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill appropriates $95 million in recurring state funds to the Department of Public Instruction to cover the cost of adding these nurse positions, ensuring funding supplements existing resources without replacing them. This policy directly affects all K-12 public schools across the state by mandating nurse staffing levels and providing dedicated funding to meet that requirement. The law becomes effective July 1, 2025, with implementation beginning for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summarySB 362 appropriates $1 million annually from 2025-2027 to strengthen North Carolina's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. It funds $855,000-$893,250 yearly for nine new regional ombudsman positions targeting areas with the greatest need, plus $145,000-$106,750 for operational costs like equipment and transportation. The bill also mandates a study by the Department of Health and Human Services to recommend statutory changes improving the ombudsman program and its volunteer Community Advisory Committees. These changes directly support long-term care residents and their advocates by increasing staffing and program capacity, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 352 allocates $2.5 million annually from 2025-2027 to fund grants for nonprofit community health centers in North Carolina. These grants will allow centers to purchase and provide long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), such as IUDs or implants, to underserved, uninsured, or medically indigent patients. LARCs must meet specific criteria: they provide extended birth control without daily user action, are temporary, FDA-approved, and require a prescription. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, focusing on expanding access to affordable, long-term contraceptive options.

Maddy summarySB 343, the "Secure Home, Secure Future Act," creates a new property tax relief program for qualifying North Carolina homeowners. It allows owners who have lived in and owned their primary residence for 15 consecutive years to cap annual property tax increases at 2% of the prior year’s tax amount (or the prior year’s tax, whichever is higher), deferring the difference as a lien on the property. To qualify, owners must be North Carolina residents, occupy the home as their permanent residence, and notify tax assessors of property improvements. The relief ends if the owner sells the home (unless transferred to a spouse/co-owner who continues living there), dies (if passed to a spouse/co-owner), or stops using it as a primary residence.

Maddy summarySB 348, the "Home Comfort Act," provides $7 million annually for home modifications (like ramps, grab bars, and widened doorways) to help seniors aged 65+ with household incomes at or below 250% of the federal poverty level safely age in place. It also allocates $42.25 million yearly to expand in-home care services, including home health agency support and a $500 monthly stipend for family caregivers meeting income criteria. The bill funds a statewide resource guide and online portal to help seniors access aging-in-place programs, with priority given to rural communities. These provisions directly affect eligible seniors and their caregivers through concrete financial assistance and service expansions.

Maddy summarySB 354 reenacts North Carolina’s Research and Development (R&D) tax credit with updated eligibility rules, primarily affecting small businesses conducting qualified research in the state. To qualify, businesses must meet specific wage standards (e.g., paying at least 90% of county average wages in certain areas), provide health insurance covering 50% of premiums for full-time employees, maintain environmental and safety compliance, and have no overdue tax debts. The credit applies to expenses for research performed in North Carolina, including costs paid to state universities for research. This bill modifies existing rules to tighten eligibility while maintaining the credit for qualifying small businesses through 2040.