Sen. Joyce Waddell

Maddy summarySB 473 creates the Capital for Communities Special Fund, a dedicated state fund that will receive 3.5% of certain investment earnings (when quarterly returns exceed 7%) from state funds managed by the Treasurer. The fund will provide grants for economic development projects in North Carolina, specifically targeting affordable housing, childcare centers, healthcare facilities addressing shortages, medical research, workforce development, living-wage jobs, and nonprofit education facilities. These grants must directly support community-based initiatives meeting the specified criteria. The bill establishes clear eligibility rules for fund usage but does not detail application processes or allocation priorities.

Maddy summarySB 441 revives and expands a program allowing retired teachers to return to work in high-need North Carolina schools without losing their retirement benefits. The bill requires school districts to certify these teachers to the retirement system annually and mandates monthly reports on their employment terms and pay. Retired educators rehired under this program retain their full retirement allowance, and school districts must cover employer health insurance premiums for them. This directly affects retired teachers returning to high-need schools, school districts hiring them, and the state retirement system’s benefit calculations. The program expires June 30, 2027, unless IRS status is jeopardized, triggering automatic repeal.

Maddy summarySB 432 prohibits large business entities from purchasing 100 or more single-family homes in qualifying counties (population over 150,000) for rental use. It directly affects real estate investment firms and corporations that buy homes solely as rentals, aiming to prevent artificial inflation of home prices by limiting excessive bulk acquisitions. The law defines "single-family home" as detached, semi-detached, or townhomes meeting specific separation criteria and imposes civil penalties of up to $100 per day per home for violations. Enforcement is handled by the Attorney General or individuals through civil lawsuits, with remedies including damages, attorney fees, and joint liability for affiliated entities. The bill applies to home purchases occurring on or after its effective date.

Maddy summarySB 436, the Age with Dignity Act, creates a new tax credit for North Carolina taxpayers who care for adult dependents. It provides a $15,000 credit for caregivers supporting a veteran relative and $12,000 for others, directly affecting families claiming dependent adults as tax exemptions. To qualify, taxpayers must earn below specific income thresholds ($75,000 single, $112,500 head of household, $150,000 married filing jointly) and have adjusted gross income under these limits. The credit reduces state tax liability for qualifying taxpayers and takes effect for 2025 tax years.

Maddy summarySB 406 would establish a new court process in North Carolina called Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), allowing family members, law enforcement, or health care providers to seek temporary removal of firearms from individuals deemed to pose a significant risk of self-harm or harm to others. Courts could issue emergency orders without the person present if danger is imminent, requiring immediate surrender of firearms and ammunition, with seizure ordered if compliance fails. The bill mandates specific evidence in petitions (e.g., details on firearms and safety risks), includes due process safeguards like verifying existing protection orders, and waives court costs for petitioners. It also requires annual reports to the legislature tracking ERPO usage, including petitions filed, orders issued, and denials.

Maddy summarySB 467, the "Right to Reproductive Freedom Act," codifies protections from the Supreme Court's *Roe v. Wade* and *Planned Parenthood v. Casey* rulings into North Carolina law. It prohibits the state from imposing "undue burdens" on abortion access before fetal viability (approximately 24 weeks), allowing restrictions only to preserve life or health after viability. The bill updates consent rules to let minors consent to abortion care without parental notification (under specific medical circumstances), clarifies healthcare provider immunity, and requires health insurance plans to cover abortion-related complications even if they don’t cover the procedure itself. This directly affects all patients seeking abortion services in North Carolina, particularly those facing prior barriers like young people, low-income individuals, and rural residents.

Maddy summarySB 447 establishes the Sewer Repair Task Force to assess North Carolina's wastewater infrastructure needs, develop implementation strategies, and identify funding sources. The bill appropriates $50 million from the General Fund specifically to the South Granville Water and Sewer Authority for four concrete projects: expanding facilities in Creedmoor and Butner ($20M), upgrading treatment for PFAS compliance ($15M), modernizing water meters ($10M), and replacing lead pipes ($5M). The Task Force, composed of 18 members including legislators, agency directors, county commissioners, and wastewater entity representatives, must submit a final report by December 2026. This bill directly affects South Granville's service area and addresses state-identified infrastructure gaps, particularly in rural and developing communities.

Maddy summarySB 426, the Student Borrowers' Bill of Rights, requires the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks to license and regulate student loan servicers operating in the state, directly affecting borrowers who took out loans for education at North Carolina institutions or for in-state school expenses. The bill mandates that all student loan servicers (excluding banks, credit unions, state entities, and certain educational institutions) obtain a license through the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System, ensuring fair treatment and clear accountability. It establishes a Student Loan Ombudsman position to handle borrower complaints and defines key terms like "servicer" and "overpayment" to clarify protections. The law aims to prevent unfair practices by standardizing servicer conduct and providing borrowers with a formal complaint pathway.

Maddy summarySB 459 proposes to amend North Carolina's constitution by removing Article XIV Section 6, which currently states that "marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State." If approved by voters in the November 2026 general election, this constitutional change would eliminate the state's legal restriction on same-sex marriage recognition. The bill would require a majority vote in favor to take effect on January 1, 2027, changing the constitutional framework governing marriage validity. This bill directly affects all North Carolina residents by altering the state's constitutional definition of marriage.

Maddy summarySB 392 creates new criminal penalties for threatening or pressuring voters, election officials, or poll workers to influence voting choices or election participation. It makes it a felony to threaten someone for voting, voting for a specific candidate, registering to vote, or for election workers performing duties, and prohibits fraudulent challenges to voter eligibility. Employers cannot condition pay or employment on voting behavior, with violations carrying fines up to $100,000 or five years in prison. Convicted individuals must pay restitution fines that fund voter education programs, and election workers can seek civil damages for intimidation.