Sen. Ted Alexander

Maddy summarySB 123 requires all North Carolina public schools - including traditional, charter, regional, and university-operated schools - to display U.S. and North Carolina flags in every classroom and near school entrances, and to schedule daily Pledge of Allegiance recitation with age-appropriate historical instruction. The law explicitly states that no student or staff member may be compelled to stand, salute, or recite the pledge. It allocates $1 million (nonrecurring) for flag purchases in 2025-2026 and $100,000 annually starting in 2026-2027. This applies to all public schools beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

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 92 allows North Carolina public school students to leave class during the school day for religious moral instruction courses, with parental consent required. The bill permits up to five hours per week for these courses, prohibits public funds from covering course costs (beyond minimal administrative fees), and requires religious organizations to provide transportation and maintain attendance records. Students may earn up to two elective credits for successful completion, but courses must be evaluated using secular criteria (like class hours and syllabus) without considering religious content. The law applies to all public school units starting in the 2025-2026 school year and prohibits holding such courses on school property unless under a neutral equal-access policy.

Maddy summarySB 56, the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 - Part I, authorizes the transfer of funds from North Carolina's State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund (SERDRF) to the Hurricane Helene Disaster Recovery Fund. It applies to counties designated as part of the "affected area" under a federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Helene. The bill directs the General Assembly to use existing SERDRF funds for Helene recovery efforts, without creating new programs or changing eligibility. This procedural bill focuses solely on redirecting existing disaster relief funding to support recovery in Helene-impacted counties.

Maddy summarySB 57 amends North Carolina's workers' compensation law to expand coverage for eyeglasses and hearing aids damaged during work-related injuries. It requires that repair or replacement of these devices only occurs if the damage happens incidentally to a compensable injury (e.g., glasses breaking during a workplace fall). Workers will not receive coverage for routine damage or loss unrelated to a covered injury. The change applies to all claims arising on or after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summarySB 46 confirms the current boundary line between Lincoln and Catawba Counties - used for tax purposes and shown on county maps - as the official legal boundary. It requires the North Carolina Geodetic Survey to formally survey and map this line within 42 months (paid for by Lincoln County), and directs all future property records to be filed in the correct county based on this boundary. Existing records filed in the wrong county before the bill's effective date remain valid. The bill affects property owners, county governments, and tax administration in both counties by resolving boundary uncertainty for administrative purposes.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 607, known as the Regulatory Reform Act of 2024, modifies licensing rules in North Carolina to reduce barriers for certain professionals and adjust training standards. The bill exempts specific individuals, such as medical staff and inmates, from needing barber or cosmetologist licenses while performing their duties, and it removes the state residency requirement for electrologists wishing to obtain a license. Additionally, the legislation increases the minimum training hours for massage and bodywork therapists from 500 to 650 hours before they can be licensed. These changes directly affect barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, and massage therapists by altering the qualifications and exemptions required to practice legally in the state.

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 amends the state constitution to eliminate the literacy test requirement for voting. By removing this specific provision, the legislation ensures that all eligible citizens can vote regardless of their reading or writing abilities. The change directly affects voters who previously might have been disenfranchised by this barrier. It does not alter other voting qualifications or the overall structure of the election process.

Maddy summaryThis document is a procedural amendment to Senate Bill 88, which proposes minor text changes to the bill's language. Specifically, it suggests removing a lettered subsection and replacing the phrase "a real person" with "an individual" in the legislation. These adjustments aim to refine the wording of the bill without altering its core policy or scope.