Sen. Bob Brinson

Maddy summarySB 361, the "Protecting First Responders Act," increases criminal penalties for assaulting or exposing emergency medical technicians, firefighters, and other first responders to fentanyl or harmful substances. It criminalizes intentionally exposing these responders to fentanyl (a Class H felony) or causing serious injury through such exposure (Class G felony), and imposes a Class I felony for failing to warn responders about fentanyl at a scene. The bill appropriates $10.35 million in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide bulletproof vests ($8.1 million) and bulletproof backpack plates ($2.25 million) to paramedics and EMTs through grants. These provisions apply to first responders registered with North Carolina’s Office of Emergency Medical Services, with funding effective July 1, 2025, and criminal provisions effective December 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 97 adds stomach cancer (gastric cancer) to the list of cancers presumed to be work-related for firefighters under North Carolina's Public Safety Employees' Death Benefits Act. This means firefighters who die from stomach cancer will automatically qualify for line-of-duty death benefits without needing to prove occupational connection. The bill appropriates $500,000 annually from 2025-2027 to cover these new benefits. It takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to qualifying deaths occurring on or after that date.

Maddy summarySB 535 regulates hemp-derived beverages (nonalcoholic drinks containing hemp or specific cannabinoids like CBD or THC variants) by creating a new regulatory framework under North Carolina's alcohol beverage laws. It prohibits manufacturing, selling, or possessing these beverages without authorization from the ABC Commission, which will set safety standards and labeling rules. The bill directly affects businesses producing or selling hemp-based drinks, requiring them to comply with ABC Commission regulations starting July 1, 2025. This law does not legalize hemp beverages but establishes the process for their oversight, distinct from alcohol regulations.

Maddy summarySB 540 increases funding for small county school systems in North Carolina by revising their supplemental allotment schedule. It provides higher base funding amounts based on student enrollment (e.g., counties with 0-1,300 students receive $1.82 million annually instead of prior rates), directly affecting small school districts with under 3,300 students. The bill appropriates $20,961,180 in recurring funds from the General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to implement these changes. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, ensuring increased per-student funding for eligible small county school systems.

Maddy summarySB 478 allows banks in North Carolina to deduct income tax on interest, fees, and penalties from loans secured by agricultural land, as defined by state law. This tax deduction applies to loans specifically backed by farmland, directly benefiting banks that provide such financing. The policy change takes effect for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025. The bill does not directly affect farmers or landowners but alters tax treatment for financial institutions offering agricultural loans.

Maddy summarySB 614 requires owners of high-hazard or intermediate-hazard dams in North Carolina to develop and submit Emergency Action Plans within 90 days of a dam's classification. These plans must include emergency response procedures, evacuation protocols, and a downstream flood map (unless the dam is under 15 feet tall or stores less than 50 acre-feet of water). Owners must update and resubmit the plans annually for department review. The bill clarifies that flood maps don't need professional engineering oversight for most dams, except those linked to coal ash impoundments, and ensures sensitive security details remain confidential. It takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to new submissions after that date.

Maddy summarySB 548 requires North Carolina law enforcement officers (LEOs) to report observed excessive force or improper activity within 72 hours to a superior officer, and prohibits retaliation against LEOs for making such reports. The bill explicitly states that officers cannot be terminated, disciplined, or retaliated against for reporting, though disciplinary action for unrelated misconduct prior to the report remains permitted. It also makes knowingly false reports a Class 2 misdemeanor and extends protection to officers disclosing any violation of law, rule, or regulation to supervisors or government agencies. The law takes effect December 1, 2025, applying to reports made on or after that date.

Maddy summarySB 670 prohibits North Carolina state agencies and local governments from purchasing small drones (under 55 pounds) manufactured or assembled by specific foreign vendors. It directly affects all state and local entities that use public funds for drone acquisitions, banning purchases from vendors on U.S. sanctions lists, based in China or Russia, or controlled by those governments. The law prevents the use of any state funds - including through contracts or grants - for such purchases, effective July 1, 2027. It applies to all "small unmanned aircraft systems" operated without direct human control, regardless of whether they are recoverable or expendable.

Maddy summarySB 734 clarifies that specific man-made ditches - such as roadside ditches, culverts, and storm channels - are excluded from North Carolina's Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA). The bill defines "man-made ditches" in Section 1 and explicitly removes them from CAMA's coverage of estuarine waters, environmental concern areas, and public trust rights under Sections 2, 3, and 4. This means landowners and developers maintaining these ditches will no longer require CAMA permits for them. The bill focuses on clarifying existing law rather than creating new regulations. It directly affects activities involving minor drainage features in coastal zones.

Maddy summarySB 516, the Women's Safety and Protection Act, requires single biological sex use in restrooms, changing facilities, and sleeping quarters within covered facilities like public schools, prisons, domestic violence centers, and juvenile detention centers. It defines "biological sex" based on reproductive anatomy and mandates that facilities designated for one biological sex must be used exclusively by that sex, with exceptions for maintenance, medical emergencies, law enforcement, or natural disasters. The law applies to all state-funded facilities and includes specific rules for public schools regarding student sleeping arrangements during school activities. It explicitly states that facilities may not be used by individuals of a different biological sex unless covered by the listed exceptions.