Sen. Buck Newton

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.

Maddy summarySB 290, the NC REINS Act, requires North Carolina's General Assembly to approve certain state agency regulations before they take effect. It directly affects state agencies creating rules with significant economic impact (over $1 million annually) and gives legislators a 30-day window to block such rules through a specific disapproval bill. The bill adds a legislative review period for all permanent rules and mandates that rules with substantial economic impact must be ratified by the legislature, effectively creating a veto power over those regulations. This changes current process by requiring explicit legislative action for high-impact rules instead of automatic implementation after agency approval.

Maddy summarySB 228 modifies North Carolina's property tax exclusion for disabled veterans, replacing a flat $45,000 exemption with a percentage-based system tied to the veteran's VA disability rating. It directly affects veterans with a 50% or higher service-connected disability rating (or surviving spouses if the veteran died from a service-connected condition), who own their primary residence. Under the bill, the tax exclusion equals the veteran's disability percentage multiplied by their home's appraised value (e.g., a 70% disabled veteran would get 70% of their home's value excluded). Eligibility requires VA certification of the disability rating as of January 1 prior to the tax year, and the change takes effect for taxes due in 2025.

Maddy summarySB 24 requires that any new state health insurance mandate must be paired with the repeal of an existing mandate and include funding to cover the new cost. It directly affects North Carolina employers (especially small businesses) and taxpayers by targeting mandates that increase insurance premiums and state health plan expenses. Key provisions mandate that new health benefit requirements (like coverage for specific treatments or drugs) must include both a repeal of an equivalent existing mandate and recurring state funding for the new cost. The bill applies to all health insurance plans, including the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees, and takes effect 30 days after enactment.

Maddy summarySB 61 prohibits tolls on North Carolina's Interstate 95 for ten years and requires the North Carolina General Assembly to approve any future tolling on this highway. The bill amends state law to explicitly exclude I-95 from tolling authority, preventing the state toll authority from collecting tolls during this period. After the ten-year ban, the General Assembly would need to vote to allow tolls, rather than the authority acting unilaterally. This directly affects drivers using I-95 and the state's process for managing highway funding.

Maddy summarySB 47 would eliminate the ability for North Carolina state employees, local government workers, and public school staff to have dues paid through automatic payroll deductions to their employee associations. Currently, employees could authorize such deductions if their association met specific membership thresholds (e.g., 2,000 members with 500 state/local employees). The bill repeals this provision, meaning employees would no longer be able to set up automatic payroll deductions for association dues. This change directly affects all covered state and public sector employees who previously used this method to pay dues.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a procedural measure that solely concerns North Carolina's 4th Senatorial District. It contains no substantive policy changes or new requirements; it merely states the bill relates exclusively to that district and becomes effective upon enactment. The bill does not affect residents, businesses, or existing laws, as it serves only as a formal district designation. It is a routine local act with no practical impact beyond administrative reference.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a procedural amendment that adjusts the effective date for a specific section of a larger tax-related law. It does not create new policies or directly affect individuals or businesses on its own. Instead, it changes the timeline so that a particular tax provision applies to years starting on or after July 1, 2025, while the rest of the law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis amendment modifies an existing bill regarding student search procedures to specify that searches of a student's person must be conducted privately by one school official and one adult witness of the same sex as the student. The text allows for exceptions to this rule when using minimally intrusive security devices like walk-through metal detectors or handheld wands. These changes directly affect school policies on how students are searched and aim to ensure privacy and fairness during the investigation process.