Sen. Caleb Theodros

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new advisory council and grant program in North Carolina to support high-quality after-school activities for children and youth up to age 18. It establishes the LEAP Advisory Council to guide the Department of Public Instruction on grant criteria, program quality standards, and strategies to serve rural and underserved communities. The legislation also sets up the LEAP Fund, which will be financed by state appropriations, federal funds, private donations, and any legal settlements against social media companies, to distribute grants to eligible community-based organizations and schools. These grants, limited to a maximum of two years per award, must provide structured programs with adult mentors focused on positive youth development rather than basic classroom instruction. The bill ensures that grant funds supplement existing programs and includes requirements for evaluating outcomes such as attendance, skill development, and community engagement.

Maddy summaryThis bill mandates that all public schools in North Carolina, including charter and laboratory schools, provide free breakfast and lunch to every student starting in the 2026-2027 school year. To support this requirement, the state will allocate $116 million from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction, with additional flexibility to use existing state aid if necessary. The legislation outlines specific criteria for distributing these funds, such as school size, the number of eligible students, and the quality of food provided, while ensuring that state money supplements rather than replaces other funding sources.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires electric public utilities in North Carolina to submit detailed reports on how well they use their existing power grids. These reports must analyze current performance, explore ways to improve efficiency without building new lines, and outline plans for implementing these improvements. The state's Utilities Commission will review the reports and set specific targets for utilities to meet, while also establishing metrics to measure grid usage. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Commission decide within 240 days how these usage metrics will influence future decisions on approving utility investment costs.

Maddy summarySB 960 increases the funding cap for North Carolina public schools serving students with disabilities from 13% to 16% of a district's student population. The bill also creates a new High-Cost Disabilities Support Fund to provide extra reimbursement for students requiring intensive and specialized services. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, the state will allocate approximately $97.8 million in recurring funds to help districts meet these obligations without diverting money from general classroom instruction.

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina bill allocates $359.3 million in recurring funds to hire additional school psychologists and counselors starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The legislation establishes specific staffing ratios, requiring one psychologist for every 700 students and one counselor for every 250 students statewide. These positions are intended to create a tiered support system for students within the Leandro Comprehensive Remedial Plan.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority to conduct a feasibility study on creating a student loan forgiveness program for graduates of public colleges and universities in the state. The study will evaluate the costs, eligibility requirements, and potential economic benefits of offering debt relief to encourage graduates to remain in North Carolina after graduation. To fund this analysis, the bill appropriates $150,000 from the state's General Fund for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The Authority must complete the study and submit a report with recommendations to the legislature by October 1, 2027. The bill does not establish a forgiveness program itself but rather authorizes a review to determine if such a program is viable.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides funding to the North Carolina Department of Commerce for small business support and the Biotechnology Center, while also transferring the Advisory Council on Rare Diseases to the Department of Health and Human Services. It establishes a 19-member council with representatives from medical professionals, patients, caregivers, and industry stakeholders to advise on rare disease research and treatment. The legislation also creates a new reserve fund for life sciences and biomanufacturing technologies and allows certain water and sewer economic development projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs $250,000 to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners to fund grants for counties that advertise property tax relief programs. It also modifies the state's homestead circuit breaker program by raising the income eligibility limit to $45,000 for single applicants starting in 2027, with a higher threshold for married couples. Additionally, the law requires counties to report their total tax deferrals to the Secretary of Revenue by September 1 to receive reimbursement for those amounts. These changes take effect for tax years beginning on or after July 1, 2027, and July 1, 2026, respectively.

Maddy summarySB 910 requires health insurance plans in North Carolina that cover pregnancy-related benefits to also cover infertility care for diagnosed individuals. The bill mandates specific coverage limits, including at least four oocyte retrievals, unlimited embryo transfers, and unlimited cycles of intrauterine and intracervical insemination. It also requires insurance to cover fertility preservation services, such as egg or embryo freezing, when a person has a medical condition that could impair their future fertility. This legislation directly affects insurance providers and individuals seeking assisted reproductive technologies or fertility preservation in the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill seeks to increase the number of magistrates authorized to serve in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. It amends existing state statutes to raise the minimum requirement and appropriates $236,140 from the General Fund to hire five additional magistrates. The Administrative Office of the Courts will receive these funds starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The new positions become effective on July 1, 2026.