Sen. Joyce Waddell

Maddy summarySB 463 requires North Carolina Medicaid to cover doula services during pregnancy and the postpartum period, directly affecting Medicaid-enrolled pregnant and postpartum individuals and doulas seeking to provide these services under Medicaid. The bill mandates the state health department to develop coverage rules, including reimbursement rates and provider requirements focused on doula training in areas like childbirth education, lactation support, and cultural awareness. It appropriates $1 million annually from the state general fund (matching $1.8 million in federal funds) for Medicaid coverage changes and $550,000 annually for doula workforce support services. The coverage must be implemented upon federal CMS approval, with a report to lawmakers by March 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 393 requires North Carolina public schools to include instruction on the costs of gambling - including sports betting - and gambling addiction in all required personal financial literacy courses. This policy change directly affects all K-12 students in the state, as it amends existing curriculum standards to add this specific topic. The bill mandates that schools cover these topics alongside other financial literacy elements like credit costs, mortgages, and credit scoring. The requirement will take effect for the 2025-2026 school year. This is a concrete addition to the curriculum, not a procedural change.

Maddy summarySB 440, the "Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2025," allocates base budget funding for North Carolina's state departments, agencies, and universities for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium. It specifies exact funding amounts for all state operations, including $12.94 billion for public instruction, $8.83 billion for health and human services, and $4.24 billion for the University of North Carolina system. The bill directs all state entities to spend within these allocated amounts, with unused funds reverting to the appropriate fund at year-end. As a routine budget measure, it does not create new policies or affect specific groups beyond funding existing state services.

Maddy summarySB 430 revises North Carolina's child passenger safety law to update requirements for restraining children in vehicles. It mandates that children under 8 years old or weighing less than 80 pounds and under 57 inches tall must use a weight- and height-appropriate car seat or booster seat, with newborns starting in rear-facing seats. Drivers must secure children under 5 years old in the rear seat unless the vehicle lacks a rear seat, lacks airbags, or the car seat is airbag-compatible. The law becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to all drivers transporting children meeting these criteria.

Maddy summarySB 410 allows hospitals in North Carolina to ask a court for permission to discharge adult patients (18+) who cannot make or communicate health decisions, when no authorized person (like a family member or legal guardian) will consent to the discharge. Hospitals must first get written agreement from two licensed doctors that the discharge is medically appropriate, and wait five business days after that agreement before filing the court petition. The court must rule on the petition within five business days. This bill directly affects hospitals, incapacitated adult patients, and their authorized decision-makers by creating a new court process for discharge decisions.

Maddy summarySB 420 redirects funds previously allocated for lottery advertising toward foster care programs. The bill eliminates the Lottery Commission’s authority to spend public funds on advertising (as specified in revised G.S. 18C-130(e)) and instead requires those monies to be added to the existing $30 million annual allocation for foster care under G.S. 18C-163(3)(b). This policy change directly affects North Carolina’s foster care system by increasing its funding stream without creating new revenue. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and does not alter other lottery advertising rules or responsibilities.

Maddy summarySB 438, titled "NC Adopt ERA," is a bill to formally ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution. The ERA, proposed by Congress in 1972, was ratified by 38 states (including Virginia in 2020), meeting the constitutional requirement for three-fourths of states. This bill directs North Carolina to send a certified copy of its ratification to the U.S. Archivist and Congress, completing the state's role in the federal amendment process. If enacted, North Carolina would join the 38 states that have ratified the ERA, which the bill states is now the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Maddy summarySB 409 bans the sale, possession, and transfer of "ghost guns" (unserialized firearms like homemade kits) and "undetectable firearms" (e.g., plastic guns or those avoiding metal detectors). It directly affects most North Carolinians, including gun owners and sellers, with exceptions only for federally licensed firearm manufacturers under ATF rules. The law imposes Class I felony penalties for violations and takes effect December 1, 2025. Key provisions define prohibited items based on federal standards and prohibit all non-licensed activity involving them.

Maddy summarySB 413, titled "Right to Use Contraception," declares that North Carolina has no legitimate interest in limiting access to contraception for pregnancy prevention. It directly affects all residents by affirming their right to use contraception without state interference, adding a new legislative declaration to the state statutes. The bill’s key mechanism is a policy statement in Chapter 90 of North Carolina’s General Statutes, explicitly stating that preventing pregnancy through contraception is protected. It does not change existing laws or create new regulations but formally codifies this policy position. The measure is currently in early committee review after its initial filing and first reading.

Maddy summarySB 458, the "KinCare Act," expands North Carolina's sick leave policy by allowing employees to use accrued sick leave for the care of family members, not just for their own illness. It defines "family member" broadly to include children, parents, domestic partners, and others with close family-like relationships, and permits up to five consecutive days of sick leave annually for this purpose. Employers must allow this use under the same conditions as sick leave for the employee's own health needs, without extending federal FMLA leave limits. The bill applies to all employers (including state/local governments) but excludes certain benefits like workers' compensation or insurance plans. It takes effect October 1, 2025.