Sen. Warren Daniel

Maddy summarySB 694 automatically restores driver's licenses in North Carolina after 36 months for individuals whose licenses were revoked solely due to unpaid fines for minor traffic offenses (e.g., speeding tickets), removing a major barrier to employment. This change applies to people who haven’t paid court costs or fines but haven’t committed serious offenses like driving while license revoked. The bill requires the state to notify affected individuals via mail and online about license restoration and appropriates funds for a text reminder system to help prevent missed court dates. Individuals will still owe unpaid fines but no longer face license suspension for nonpayment after the 36-month period.

Maddy summarySB 428 (Water Transfer Regulations) requires permits for large-scale transfers of surface water between North Carolina's river basins. It mandates a certificate from the state commission for transfers exceeding 2 million gallons per day (or increases of 25%+ for existing transfers), with exceptions for facilities operational by July 1993. The bill establishes public hearing requirements, including meetings in source and receiving basins, and requires applicants to evaluate alternatives to transfers. It directly affects water users, local governments, and utilities planning cross-basin water transfers. The law aims to regulate water movement between drainage areas while maintaining existing infrastructure.

Maddy summarySB 615, the Property Tax Rate Transparency Act, requires local governments in North Carolina to hold a vote on whether to use a revenue-neutral tax rate during years when they conduct a general property reappraisal. This affects counties, cities, and other local governments that reappraise property values. The bill mandates that governing boards vote on adopting a tax rate calculated to maintain the same total tax revenue as the previous year (after accounting for new property values), rather than automatically adjusting rates based on reappraised values. If approved by a majority, the local government must use this revenue-neutral rate in its budget; otherwise, it follows standard tax levy procedures. This changes how local tax rates are set during reappraisal cycles, making the rate decision subject to a formal vote.

Maddy summarySB 322, the Utility Worker Protection Act, increases penalties for assaulting utility or communications workers who are visibly identifiable (e.g., wearing company-logo uniforms or hats) while performing their duties. It specifically targets assaults against workers providing electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, or internet services. The bill reclassifies such assaults as Class 1 misdemeanors, raising the punishment level for these offenses. This change applies to incidents occurring on or after December 1, 2025. The law does not affect prosecutions for offenses committed before that date.

Maddy summarySB 320 creates an additional retirement allowance for North Carolina state and local law enforcement officers who retire after meeting specific service and age requirements. Eligible officers with at least 30 years of service (or 55+ with 5+ years) under age 62 can choose between two calculation methods for their annual allowance: one based on their current pay rate and service, or one based on their pay rate at 30 years of service. The allowance, paid monthly from state funds, stops upon the officer’s death, reaching age 62 (for the first method), or meeting a time-based condition (for the second method). This change supplements retirement income without affecting other retirement benefits or salary increases.

Maddy summaryNorth Carolina's SB 296 requires state and local governments to use iron and steel products manufactured in the United States for public works projects funded by state money. This applies to permanent materials like structural steel, pipes, and construction components, but includes exceptions when U.S. products are unavailable (e.g., insufficient supply, 20%+ cost increase), or when foreign materials cost less than 0.1% of the total project cost. The bill excludes electrical components (except poles) and does not apply to Department of Transportation projects already covered by federal Buy America rules. It takes effect July 1, 2026, for contracts awarded after that date.

Maddy summarySB 309 creates North Carolina's first Uniform Electronic Wills Act, allowing residents to create legally valid wills using electronic means. The bill requires electronic wills to be signed by the person making the will (testator), stored in readable electronic form, and witnessed by two people - matching current paper-will requirements. It also establishes procedures for certifying paper copies of electronic wills for court use and converting existing paper wills to electronic format. This directly affects anyone in North Carolina creating or updating a will, providing a modern method to execute wills while maintaining legal safeguards. The bill aligns with recommendations from the North Carolina Bar Association's Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section.

Maddy summarySB 261, the Energy Security and Affordability Act, removes a mandated interim timeline for carbon reduction by North Carolina's major electric utilities (those serving 150,000+ customers) and introduces an alternative cost recovery method for ongoing construction of base load power plants. The bill requires these utilities to achieve a 70% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 (from 2005 levels) and carbon neutrality by 2050, with the Utilities Commission developing a Carbon Plan by 2026 for achieving these goals. It specifies that new solar energy must come from 45% third-party power purchase agreements for small solar facilities (80 MW or less) and 55% utility-owned or purchased sources, including for solar paired with storage. This bill directly affects North Carolina's largest electric utilities and the Utilities Commission, altering their regulatory framework for emissions and infrastructure costs.

Maddy summarySB 290, the NC REINS Act, requires North Carolina's General Assembly to approve certain state agency regulations before they take effect. It directly affects state agencies creating rules with significant economic impact (over $1 million annually) and gives legislators a 30-day window to block such rules through a specific disapproval bill. The bill adds a legislative review period for all permanent rules and mandates that rules with substantial economic impact must be ratified by the legislature, effectively creating a veto power over those regulations. This changes current process by requiring explicit legislative action for high-impact rules instead of automatic implementation after agency approval.

Maddy summarySB 155 establishes the Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact to allow licensed social workers in North Carolina to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. It directly affects licensed social workers, particularly those serving military families or providing telehealth services, by removing barriers to cross-state practice. The bill creates a system where a "home state" license permits practice in all member states (called "remote states") through mutual recognition, reducing duplicate licensing requirements. Key provisions include standardized disciplinary information sharing between states and ensuring social workers comply with the laws of the state where the client is located during service.