Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents the elimination of medical benefits for retired teachers and state employees in North Carolina who began their careers on or after January 1, 2021. It achieves this by removing previous restrictions that would have ended these benefits and applies retroactively to December 31, 2020. To cover the resulting increase in healthcare costs, the legislation appropriates two million dollars from the state's general fund for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The changes are scheduled to officially take effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes raising Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care providers in North Carolina to match the rates paid by Medicare. To fund these increases, the state would allocate $48 million from its General Fund starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The changes would take effect on July 1, 2026, and would apply to primary care services as defined by a specific state task force report.

Maddy summaryThis bill aims to improve access to dental care in North Carolina by increasing the Medicaid reimbursement rates paid to dentists. Starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the state will allocate $80 million from the General Fund to raise these payment rates, which have not significantly changed since 2008. The legislation seeks to encourage more private dental providers to join the Medicaid program, thereby expanding the network of available dentists for patients. By making it more financially viable for dentists to accept Medicaid, the bill intends to help reduce the number of people relying on emergency departments for urgent dental needs.

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina bill establishes a legal right for patients to access assisted reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization, and protects healthcare providers from state interference when offering these services. The legislation explicitly states that fertilized eggs or embryos outside the human body are not considered human beings under state law, while also maintaining existing health and safety regulations for medical facilities. Additionally, the bill appropriates $500,000 in state funds to increase financial support for the Medicaid Maternal Support Services program, known as the Baby Love Program, starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the North Carolina Department of Administration to create a comprehensive system for managing, cataloging, and disposing of vacant state-owned property. It requires the department to maintain detailed databases of all state buildings and land, including information on occupancy, condition, operating costs, and potential liability. Additionally, the legislation mandates the development of a five-year strategic plan to maximize facility use and reduce costs, along with specific rules to identify and sell surplus properties that no longer serve state missions. These changes primarily affect state agencies by establishing clearer procedures for space allocation and the removal of unused assets from the state portfolio.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends North Carolina law to allow same-sex couples to obtain domestic violence protective orders by removing gender restrictions from the definition of a dating relationship. It updates the legal definition of a personal relationship to include partners of any gender who are romantically involved, rather than limiting protection to opposite-sex couples. Additionally, the legislation allocates $500,000 in state funds to run a public awareness campaign focused on domestic violence prevention within same-sex relationships. The changes apply to all protection orders issued after the law takes effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $50 million grant program to help North Carolina public schools hire mental health professionals like counselors and social workers, with funding prioritized for schools serving students with limited access to care. It also establishes a loan repayment program that offers eligible school mental health workers up to $15,000 annually to pay down their student loans, provided they work in high-need areas and graduated from a UNC system institution. The legislation requires the state to report annually on how these funds are used and to ensure grants supplement rather than replace existing resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides funding and expanded flexibility for North Carolina's Children of Wartime Veterans Scholarship Program, directly affecting eligible children of veterans attending state colleges and universities. It appropriates $1 million for the 2025-2026 academic year to increase award amounts for students whose scholarships were previously reduced, with any leftover funds reserved for additional scholarships starting in 2026-2027. For the 2026-2027 academic year, the bill allocates $10 million to double the number of available scholarships from 100 to 200 per class and extends administrative flexibility to allow officials to adjust award amounts, prioritize applicants, and manage room and board payments based on available funds. The legislation also permits the use of up to 2.5% of the program's budget for administrative costs and requires that all scholarship awards be contingent upon the availability of money.

Maddy summarySB 826 requires major state entities in North Carolina, including the University of North Carolina, state departments, courts, and the General Assembly, to publicly disclose their monthly spending. The bill mandates that these organizations compile and submit an itemized list of all purchases and services costing at least one dollar, along with a total monthly expenditure sum. Within ten days of receiving these reports, the Department of Administration or the relevant entity must publish the data on its website for public viewing, while still protecting any records legally designated as confidential. To support this new reporting requirement, the act appropriates $250,000 in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to cover implementation costs for the affected agencies.

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina legislation expands the state's hate crime laws to cover additional protected characteristics, including gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. It increases criminal penalties for offenses motivated by bias and allows victims or their families to file civil lawsuits for damages such as emotional distress. The bill also requires the state to create a hate crimes statistics database and mandates specialized training for law enforcement officers and prosecutors. Finally, it gives courts the option to order convicted offenders to participate in restorative justice sessions with victims at the defendant's cost.