Sen. Vickie Sawyer

Maddy summarySB 126 requires North Carolina state agencies to create zero-based budget plans every eight years on a rotating schedule, starting in 2025. Agencies must justify all activities from a "zero" funding baseline (not building on past budgets), detailing current services, minimum service levels, potential impacts of cuts, and program outcomes. The bill specifically excludes statutory appropriations (legally mandated funds) from these plans. It affects all executive branch agencies, with the Department of Health and Human Services divisions first required to submit plans in 2025. This policy mandates agencies to justify each program's necessity and cost-effectiveness before requesting funding.

Maddy summarySB 112 creates a pilot program allowing eligible North Carolina school districts (with at least 5,000 students and tax authority) to submit a Financial and Hiring Flexibility Plan (FHFP) starting in 2026-2027. The plan requires districts to set specific academic goals by 2030-2031, such as 100% student career planning by senior year and 90% teacher retention, while permitting up to 50% unlicensed teachers in core subjects after completing required training on disability education and behavior management. Districts operating under the FHFP receive unrestricted state funding for school operations but face annual reviews by the State Board, with potential termination if goals aren't met or fiscal standards violated. The program is limited to participating districts and ends after the 2030-2031 school year unless renewed.

Maddy summarySB 113 creates a new process for property owners to quickly remove unauthorized occupants (squatters) from residential property. Property owners or their authorized representatives must file a sworn affidavit with a court clerk or magistrate, pay a $25 fee, and provide specific details proving the occupant has no legal claim (e.g., no rent paid, not a tenant, and directed to leave). Once the affidavit is processed, local law enforcement must remove the person within 24 hours. This process does not apply to tenants with valid leases or rental agreements.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a procedural local act naming the "37th Senatorial District Local Act-1" for North Carolina's 37th Senatorial District. It contains no substantive policy provisions or changes to law, as stated in Section 1 of the bill text. The act solely relates to the district's administrative designation and becomes effective upon enactment. It does not affect any residents, policies, or programs, as it serves only a naming purpose.

Maddy summarySB 81 designates North Carolina's standard time as the time set by the U.S. Department of Transportation (currently Eastern Time) and establishes a process for the state to observe Daylight Saving Time year-round *if* Congress authorizes such a change. The bill requires the Commissioner of Agriculture to notify the Governor within 60 days of congressional authorization, triggering implementation via executive order. This bill directly affects all of North Carolina and its local governments, but only if Congress passes legislation allowing year-round DST. The measure itself does not change current time practices; it prepares the state to adopt year-round DST if federal law permits.

Maddy summarySB 31, "The Wells Act," requires North Carolina's Legislative Library to request documentation (like membership lists, meeting minutes, and bylaws) from state boards, committees, and commissions that haven't met in the past year or failed to respond within 120 days. If inactive, these bodies are added to a list for the Joint Legislative Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee, which must recommend their repeal in the 2026 legislative session. The bill directly affects inactive state advisory bodies, aiming to eliminate those not functioning as intended. It creates a formal process to identify and eliminate redundant government structures without altering their operational rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows students attending public, private, or homeschools without a specific sport or extracurricular program to participate at the nearest public high school offering that activity. It requires public schools to permit such participation under the same terms as enrolled students, with schools able to charge a reasonable, board-approved fee for non-enrolled students. The law mandates that school districts publish all approved participation fees online by October 15 each year. It applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

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 North Carolina bill updates several insurance and property laws while permanently expanding benefits for firefighters. It allows state insurance officials to examine captive insurance companies more frequently and clarifies tax rules for these entities and remote online bidding at foreclosure sales. Additionally, the legislation makes permanent a pilot program for firefighter cancer insurance, increases pension payments for firefighters, and offers an alternative background check process for applicants who have lived in the state for over five years.

Maddy summarySB 630 is a procedural bill that has been adopted to formally submit various proposed constitutional amendments to the voters for their consideration. Because the text provided only indicates the bill's adoption status without detailing the specific content of the amendments, it does not describe any new laws, mechanisms, or direct impacts on specific groups at this stage. The bill's primary function is to place these constitutional changes on the ballot for a public vote rather than to enact policy itself.