Sen. Dana Jones

Maddy summarySB 657, the "Keeping Our Coaches Act," allocates $11 million annually from sports betting tax revenue to provide salary supplements for athletic coaches in North Carolina public schools. It directly affects eligible public school athletic coaches who currently receive non-state funds totaling less than $3,000 per year for coaching duties. The bill requires school units to maintain prior non-state funding levels for coaches, prohibits using state funds to replace those non-state contributions, and directs unspent funds to YMCA youth sports programs. This policy change becomes effective for the 2025-2026 school year.

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.

Maddy summarySB 415 requires all medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals (like radiographers, sonographers, and radiation therapists) to hold a state license before performing procedures on patients. It mandates that these professionals complete approved education and pass examinations to demonstrate competence, directly affecting healthcare facilities that employ them and the professionals themselves. The bill establishes a new "Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Board of Examiners" to oversee licensing, replacing voluntary certification with a standardized state requirement. Facilities must ensure staff are licensed, and unlicensed individuals cannot perform these procedures or imply they are qualified. This aims to enhance patient safety by ensuring only trained personnel handle imaging equipment and radiation therapy.

Maddy summarySB 414 allows licensed pharmacists (specifically clinical pharmacist practitioners) to test for and treat certain conditions like influenza, COVID-19, and strep throat using FDA-approved CLIA-waived tests, without requiring a physician referral. It mandates that health insurers cover these pharmacist-provided services at the same level as services from other healthcare providers, if performed within the pharmacist’s scope of practice. The bill prohibits pharmacists from treating conditions with controlled substances (Schedules I-IV) and requires statewide protocols for implementation by October 1, 2025. This directly affects pharmacists, patients seeking these specific services, and health insurers across North Carolina.

Maddy summarySB 448 removes two key barriers to Medicaid eligibility for North Carolina workers with disabilities under the "Health Coverage for Workers with Disabilities" program. It eliminates the federal limits on unearned income (like Social Security benefits) and countable assets (savings) that previously disqualified people from maintaining Medicaid coverage while working. The bill requires the state to seek federal CMS approval within 90 days to remove these limits, with implementation effective after CMS approval (targeting a July 2025 effective date). This change directly affects individuals with disabilities who currently face penalties for saving money or receiving certain benefits while enrolled in Medicaid, allowing them to retain healthcare coverage without losing eligibility due to income or asset thresholds. The state will provide $165,000 annually in funding for implementation starting July 2025.

Maddy summarySB 441 revives and expands a program allowing retired teachers to return to work in high-need North Carolina schools without losing their retirement benefits. The bill requires school districts to certify these teachers to the retirement system annually and mandates monthly reports on their employment terms and pay. Retired educators rehired under this program retain their full retirement allowance, and school districts must cover employer health insurance premiums for them. This directly affects retired teachers returning to high-need schools, school districts hiring them, and the state retirement system’s benefit calculations. The program expires June 30, 2027, unless IRS status is jeopardized, triggering automatic repeal.

Maddy summarySB 91 allows qualified emergency facilities (like hospitals, police stations, and fire departments) to install secure "newborn safety devices" where parents can safely leave infants under 30 days old without legal consequences. The bill requires these devices to be temperature-controlled, equipped with dual alarms, inspected weekly, and located visibly on the facility exterior. Facilities must cover installation costs, develop emergency response plans, and undergo annual inspections by the Department of Health and Human Services. This law directly affects parents seeking to surrender infants safely and the 24-hour emergency facilities that install these devices, effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina bill (SB 346) provides limited legal immunity for people who seek medical help during drug or alcohol overdoses. It protects individuals from minor charges (like possession of less than 1 gram of drugs or underage alcohol consumption) if they call 911 or assist others in calling for overdose emergencies, provided they act in good faith, provide their name, and weren’t seeking help during an active arrest. The immunity also extends to the overdose victim themselves and prevents probation/parole revocation for these covered offenses. The law applies to acts occurring on or after October 1, 2025, and does not affect evidence collection for other crimes.

Maddy summarySB 312, the "Stars and Stripes Commitment Act," requires all North Carolina public schools (including charter, regional, and laboratory schools) to schedule daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance within one hour of the start of the school day, display U.S. and North Carolina flags in classrooms when available, and provide age-appropriate instruction about the flag and pledge. It also mandates that State Board of Education and local school governing body meetings begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. The bill explicitly states these requirements do not compel any student, staff, or attendee to stand, salute, or recite the Pledge. The law applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summarySB 302, "The Sergeant Mickey Hutchens Act," allows law enforcement, probation/parole, and corrections officers in North Carolina who hold specific advanced certificates to purchase up to four years of retirement credit. It directly affects officers with an Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate (from NC Criminal Justice or Sheriffs' training commissions) or an Advanced Corrections Certificate (from NC Criminal Justice Commission), provided they have at least five years of existing retirement service. Officers can pay a lump sum to the retirement system’s Annuity Savings Fund to add this credit, calculated based on actuarial assumptions for the retirement system’s liability. The bill applies to both the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System and Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System, effective July 1, 2025.