Sen. Tim Moffitt

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 302, "The Sergeant Mickey Hutchens Act," allows law enforcement, probation/parole, and corrections officers in North Carolina who hold specific advanced certificates to purchase up to four years of retirement credit. It directly affects officers with an Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate (from NC Criminal Justice or Sheriffs' training commissions) or an Advanced Corrections Certificate (from NC Criminal Justice Commission), provided they have at least five years of existing retirement service. Officers can pay a lump sum to the retirement system’s Annuity Savings Fund to add this credit, calculated based on actuarial assumptions for the retirement system’s liability. The bill applies to both the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System and Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 315 improves transparency and efficiency in insurance reviews of medical services by setting strict timeframes for insurers to make decisions. For urgent care, insurers must decide within 24 hours; for non-urgent care, within three business days after receiving all necessary information. The bill also requires insurers to clearly explain review processes in patient handbooks, on websites, and on membership cards, and to notify both patients and providers of outcomes. Additionally, it mandates that appeal reviews be conducted by qualified medical professionals without conflicts of interest, ensuring fairer assessments of coverage disputes.

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 291 limits cities' ability to regulate short-term rentals (like Airbnb) by prohibiting ordinances that ban them, restrict rental nights, require owner occupancy, or classify them as commercial use. Cities may still require a $25 permit for short-term rentals, with revocation only after five health/safety violations (after allowing appeal), and must enforce occupancy limits (two adults per bedroom), parking plans, residential zoning compliance, and posting of local noise/waste/parking rules. The bill directly affects property owners using short-term rentals and cities seeking to regulate them, establishing state-level uniformity instead of local rules. Key provisions allow cities to enforce basic safety and zoning standards but block broader restrictions on how owners operate rentals.

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 58 prohibits the North Carolina Attorney General from advancing arguments in court that would invalidate any executive order issued by the U.S. President. It directly affects the state's Attorney General's office, restricting their role in litigation involving presidential executive orders. The bill requires the AG to avoid participating as a party, amicus, or in any capacity in lawsuits challenging such orders. This policy change applies to all pending or future court cases filed on or after the law's effective date. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee as of February 2025.

Maddy summarySB 278, the Smart Heart Act, requires all North Carolina public schools to create cardiac emergency response plans (CERPs) and install at least one AED per school. The plan must include trained response teams, annual drills, staff CPR/AED training (for nurses and athletic supervisors), and integration with local emergency services. Schools must place AEDs in unlocked, visible locations accessible within three minutes, with maintenance and training protocols set by the State Board of Education. The bill allocates $2 million for school AED purchases and plan development, effective for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summarySB 268 amends North Carolina's Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Act to update financial requirements for PEOs seeking or maintaining a license. The bill extends the deadline for submitting an audited financial statement from 90 to 120 days before application and requires PEOs to maintain at least $50,000 in tangible net worth with positive working capital. PEOs with negative working capital must provide an additional surety bond equal to the negative amount. Additionally, the bill clarifies that multiple PEOs under the same parent can apply for a single group license, with each member guaranteeing the financial obligations of all others.