Sen. Todd Johnson

Maddy summarySB 377 eliminates mandatory training course requirements for individuals seeking insurance producer licenses in North Carolina. It removes the previous requirement that applicants complete 20 hours of approved training (or 10 hours for Medicare/long-term care licenses) before obtaining a license. The bill directly affects new insurance producers applying for licensure on or after October 1, 2025, by allowing them to demonstrate competence through alternative means without completing specific pre-licensing courses. This change simplifies the licensing process by removing the Commissioner’s authority to mandate particular courses or training hours.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public school districts and state agencies to carry comprehensive insurance coverage (covering all types of damage beyond just fire) for public education and state properties, effective July 2025. Public education boards must join the State Public Education Property Insurance Fund unless they secure equivalent coverage and receive a waiver from the State Fire Marshal. It also creates tuition waivers for advanced fire/rescue training courses at the North Carolina Emergency Training Center, funded by state money. Additionally, the bill modernizes fire marshal operations, clarifies inspection authority, and updates insurance fund procedures.

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 summarySB 327, the North Carolina Bitcoin Reserve and Investment Act, authorizes the State Treasurer to allocate up to 10% of public funds into Bitcoin as a long-term strategic reserve. It requires the Treasurer to hold Bitcoin in secure offline storage with multi-signature protection, establish a dedicated department for management, and create an advisory board of industry experts. The reserve can only be used during severe financial crises, for approved infrastructure projects, or Bitcoin-related economic development, and requires a two-thirds vote by both legislative chambers to liquidate. The Treasurer must provide quarterly public reports on the reserve’s value and security, while complying with all federal and state cryptocurrency regulations.

Maddy summarySB 300 (the NC REACH Act) would require all students graduating with a bachelor's degree from a University of North Carolina institution or an associate degree from a North Carolina community college to complete at least three credit hours of instruction in American history or government. The bill mandates that courses cover specific foundational documents - including the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, Federalist Papers, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail, Gettysburg Address, and the North Carolina State Constitution - and include a final exam worth at least 20% of the course grade. Students may be exempted through prior coursework (e.g., AP/IB exams, dual enrollment) that meets the same requirements. The bill explicitly states it will not increase total credit hour requirements for degrees and requires annual reporting on compliance by 2026. This is a proposed bill currently in committee review.

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 320 creates an additional retirement allowance for North Carolina state and local law enforcement officers who retire after meeting specific service and age requirements. Eligible officers with at least 30 years of service (or 55+ with 5+ years) under age 62 can choose between two calculation methods for their annual allowance: one based on their current pay rate and service, or one based on their pay rate at 30 years of service. The allowance, paid monthly from state funds, stops upon the officer’s death, reaching age 62 (for the first method), or meeting a time-based condition (for the second method). This change supplements retirement income without affecting other retirement benefits or salary increases.

Maddy summaryNorth Carolina's SB 296 requires state and local governments to use iron and steel products manufactured in the United States for public works projects funded by state money. This applies to permanent materials like structural steel, pipes, and construction components, but includes exceptions when U.S. products are unavailable (e.g., insufficient supply, 20%+ cost increase), or when foreign materials cost less than 0.1% of the total project cost. The bill excludes electrical components (except poles) and does not apply to Department of Transportation projects already covered by federal Buy America rules. It takes effect July 1, 2026, for contracts awarded after that date.

Maddy summarySB 306 amends North Carolina's laws governing the Self-Insurance Association to clarify definitions and establish the "Association Aggregate Security System" for covering workers' compensation claims. This system, funded by cash, bonds, or other financial instruments, is required for individual self-insurers but excludes group self-insurers from participation. The bill also sets a five-year deadline for filing claims against the Association after a former member's insolvency, meaning claims must be filed within five years of the court-established claims bar date. These changes directly affect individual self-insurers and the Association in North Carolina, ensuring clearer financial security requirements and claim timelines.

Maddy summarySB 261, the Energy Security and Affordability Act, removes a mandated interim timeline for carbon reduction by North Carolina's major electric utilities (those serving 150,000+ customers) and introduces an alternative cost recovery method for ongoing construction of base load power plants. The bill requires these utilities to achieve a 70% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 (from 2005 levels) and carbon neutrality by 2050, with the Utilities Commission developing a Carbon Plan by 2026 for achieving these goals. It specifies that new solar energy must come from 45% third-party power purchase agreements for small solar facilities (80 MW or less) and 55% utility-owned or purchased sources, including for solar paired with storage. This bill directly affects North Carolina's largest electric utilities and the Utilities Commission, altering their regulatory framework for emissions and infrastructure costs.