Sen. Ralph Hise

Maddy summarySenate Bill 671 establishes the Helene Local Government Revenue Replacement Grant Program, administered by the Department of Revenue. This program provides grants to local governments in western North Carolina that experienced revenue loss from property taxes, sales and use taxes, and water and sewer receipts due to Hurricane Helene. Eligible counties and municipalities, specifically those in FEMA-declared disaster areas, can apply for these grants to cover their qualified revenue losses, which can then be used for any public purpose. The bill also provides for interest relief on property taxes for property owners who sustained significant damage from Hurricane Helene, and appropriates $40 million for the grant program.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 335 allows pharmacists to order and perform CLIA-waived tests to treat influenza, provided they follow statewide protocols and do not use controlled substances. The bill mandates that health benefit plans cover healthcare services provided by pharmacists if the services are within their licensed scope of practice and would be covered if performed by another healthcare provider. It also ensures consistent application of prescription drug and pharmacy service coverage requirements across insurers, third-party administrators, and pharmacy benefits managers. These changes aim to expand access to certain healthcare services through pharmacists, affecting patients, pharmacists, and health insurance providers. Most provisions become effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Simple Resolution (SR 260) formally asks the North Carolina Senate to consider confirming Dr. Devdutta Sangvai for appointment as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). It follows state law requiring Senate confirmation for the Governor's appointment of a department head. The resolution triggers the Senate's formal review process for this specific nomination, which is pending under North Carolina's constitutional requirements. The bill itself does not change policy or create new rules - it solely addresses the procedural step of confirming a gubernatorial appointment.

Maddy summarySB 509 revises North Carolina's Statewide Health Information Exchange Act to require certain health care providers serving Medicaid and other state-funded health care programs to connect to the statewide health information exchange network (HIE Network). It overrides the previous voluntary nature of the HIE Network by mandating participation for covered entities providing state-funded care, aiming to improve care coordination and reduce costs through secure electronic sharing of patient data. The bill also adds new civil penalties for violations and introduces a state health data assessment fee. These changes directly affect health care providers, health plans, and facilities receiving state health care funds, with the goal of enhancing data sharing for quality improvement and cost management.

Maddy summarySB 485 prohibits the intentional release of weather-altering techniques like stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), cloud seeding, or electromagnetic emissions within North Carolina to change temperature, weather, or sunlight. It directly affects entities or individuals conducting such activities within the state, excluding licensed pesticide applications via aircraft. The bill defines "atmospheric modification" broadly to cover these methods and adds a specific prohibition against their intentional use for altering weather or climate. The Environmental Management Commission must create implementing rules, and the law becomes effective upon enactment.

Maddy summarySB 540 increases funding for small county school systems in North Carolina by revising their supplemental allotment schedule. It provides higher base funding amounts based on student enrollment (e.g., counties with 0-1,300 students receive $1.82 million annually instead of prior rates), directly affecting small school districts with under 3,300 students. The bill appropriates $20,961,180 in recurring funds from the General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to implement these changes. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, ensuring increased per-student funding for eligible small county school systems.

Maddy summarySB 601 revises eligibility rules for North Carolina's need-based scholarships at private colleges. It requires qualifying institutions to hold specific regional accreditation (like SACSCOC) and meet campus standards, directly affecting private colleges seeking state scholarship funding and their students. The bill updates definitions in law to clarify which schools qualify, adding new accreditation criteria and distinguishing between "main permanent" and "permanent" campuses. These changes apply to scholarships awarded starting in the 2025-2026 academic year. The bill does not alter scholarship amounts or create new programs, only refining which institutions can participate.

Maddy summarySB 537 defines the scope of practice for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) in North Carolina, specifically for nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), and clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). The bill provides statutory definitions for each role, detailing permitted activities like diagnosing conditions, prescribing medications, ordering diagnostic tests, and managing patient care within their specialized focus areas. By codifying these definitions in state law, the bill removes longstanding ambiguity about APRN practice that has persisted for decades, as noted by North Carolina courts and the executive branch. This change directly affects over 20,000 APRNs in the state by legally clarifying their scope of practice.

Maddy summarySB 709 reorganizes North Carolina's state investment laws by restructuring existing statutes into a new "2025 State Investment Modernization Act." It creates the North Carolina Investment Authority as an independent state agency within the Treasurer's office, granting it autonomy from budgetary controls by the Treasurer, Budget Director, and Department of Administration. The bill establishes definitions, tax exemptions for the authority, and confidentiality rules for investment negotiations, but does not change investment policies or fund management practices. This is a procedural reorganization of legal structure, not a policy change affecting specific residents or programs.

Maddy summarySB 516, the Women's Safety and Protection Act, requires single biological sex use in restrooms, changing facilities, and sleeping quarters within covered facilities like public schools, prisons, domestic violence centers, and juvenile detention centers. It defines "biological sex" based on reproductive anatomy and mandates that facilities designated for one biological sex must be used exclusively by that sex, with exceptions for maintenance, medical emergencies, law enforcement, or natural disasters. The law applies to all state-funded facilities and includes specific rules for public schools regarding student sleeping arrangements during school activities. It explicitly states that facilities may not be used by individuals of a different biological sex unless covered by the listed exceptions.