Sen. Joyce Waddell

Maddy summarySB 103 allows North Carolina local school boards more flexibility in setting public school opening and closing dates. It permits schools to open as early as August 19 (instead of August 26) if they demonstrate "good cause" - defined as having closed for 8+ days annually due to emergencies like weather over 4 of the last 10 years. The bill also lets boards adjust closing dates to meet required instructional days. This applies to all schools except those already operating under modified calendars since 2003-2004, and takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summarySB 94 would eliminate the death penalty in North Carolina by repealing all legal provisions allowing it as a sentencing option. It directly affects all current death row inmates, who would be resentenced to life imprisonment without parole, and future defendants convicted of capital offenses, who would receive life without parole instead of the death penalty. Key mechanisms include removing the death penalty from murder statutes (like G.S. 14-7.12), repealing related procedures (such as evidence retention for death penalty cases), and updating sentencing rules to mandate life without parole for violent habitual felons. The bill makes no exceptions for specific crimes or circumstances, replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment without parole as the sole alternative. This is a substantive policy change that would end capital punishment in North Carolina if enacted.

Maddy summarySB 96 increases the flat penalty for tax payments returned due to insufficient funds or non-existent accounts from $25 to $35. It directly affects taxpayers who submit checks or electronic payments for taxes that bounce. The bill replaces the previous $25 penalty with a fixed $35 fee, while maintaining the same maximum cap of $1,000 and the exception for accidental errors. This change applies to all tax payments made on or after July 1, 2025. The bill does not alter the existing interest or criminal penalty structures for unpaid taxes.

Maddy summarySB 99 would create 11-month contracts for specific teachers in North Carolina, including initially licensed teachers, mentor teachers, teachers in low-performing schools, and certain veteran teachers. The bill changes their salary payment structure from a standard 10-month contract to 11 months, allowing them to receive pay for an additional month during the summer. This aims to provide dedicated time for teachers to engage in professional development, collaborate with peers, and receive evaluation feedback without disrupting the regular school year. The policy directly affects eligible teachers by altering their contract term and compensation schedule under state law.

Maddy summaryThis bill, SB 74, is a procedural "Local Act" that formally names the 40th Senatorial District as "the 40th Senatorial District" for administrative purposes. It contains no substantive policy changes or provisions affecting residents, laws, or government operations. The bill solely serves to identify the district in official records without altering any existing laws or creating new obligations. It has no direct impact on constituents or policy outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new statewide Medicaid plan specifically for children and families, requiring the state to issue a request for proposals to select a provider by December 2024. The legislation defines this new plan as distinct from standard Medicaid plans and allows the state to require automatic enrollment in this specialty plan unless a social services official determines that a different plan is better for the child. Additionally, the bill establishes a closed network of providers for specialized services like residential treatment and intensive in-home care within this new plan, while also clarifying rules about when certain groups can leave their current Medicaid plans and what services must be covered.