Sen. Tim Moffitt

Maddy summarySB 200 allocates $150 million in one-time state funds to the North Carolina Housing Trust Fund specifically for housing relief in counties affected by Hurricane Helene. This funding will support housing assistance for residents displaced or damaged by the hurricane in areas designated under a federal major disaster declaration. The bill directs the funds to be administered through existing housing program rules (Chapter 122E of state law) for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It directly benefits hurricane-impacted homeowners, renters, and communities in designated counties. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 195, the "Protect Campus Survivors Act," exempts personally identifiable student disciplinary records at North Carolina's public colleges and universities from being disclosed as public records under state law. It defines these records as any materials containing student identifiers (like names, addresses, or social security numbers) related to disciplinary investigations, making them confidential even if federal law (FERPA) might permit disclosure. This applies to all UNC system institutions, community colleges, and their disciplinary processes. The bill takes effect upon enactment, affecting how schools handle and share such records with the public. It does not change federal privacy rules but ensures these specific records remain private under North Carolina's public records law.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes Hendersonville's municipal election filing period to match the timing used for county partisan elections. It directly affects city candidates and voters by standardizing when they can officially file to run for mayor and council positions. The law amends Hendersonville's charter to specify that municipal election filing periods will follow the same schedule as county partisan elections, applying to all future elections after the law takes effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows North Carolina local governments to borrow money to accelerate transportation projects already identified for funding under the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). Local governments can issue "grant anticipation notes" to cover project costs before receiving state funds, but notes must mature within 12 months after the project's scheduled completion year (no renewals allowed). Borrowing is capped at the full project cost, requires a special agreement with the DOT outlining project details and repayment plans, and must be repaid solely from state grant funds - without using local tax revenue or pledging the government's credit. The bill also ensures STIP program changes won't delay repayment of these notes.

Maddy summarySB 147, titled "Teacher License Reciprocity," changes North Carolina's teacher licensing rules to make it easier for out-of-state educators to work in the state. It prohibits the State Board of Education from requiring teachers licensed in other states to pass a standardized exam for a North Carolina continuing professional teaching license (CPL), provided they have at least three years of teaching experience and are in good standing with their home state. This directly affects educators seeking to move their teaching careers to North Carolina without retaking exams. The bill applies to license applications submitted on or after its effective date.

Maddy summarySB 137 requires written consent from all property owners for any zoning change that reduces development density or permitted land uses (down-zoning), except when local governments initiate down-zoning specifically for farmland preservation. It directly affects property owners in Henderson County and specific towns within the county (Fletcher, Mills River, Flat Rock, Laurel Park, and Saluda) by giving them veto power over most down-zoning proposals. The key mechanism is the consent requirement, with the exception allowing local governments to protect farmland without owner approval. This bill applies retroactively to January 31, 2025, and modifies existing zoning law to prioritize property owner consent in zoning decisions.

Maddy summarySB 136 restores Rutherford County and its municipalities' authority to initiate down-zoning without requiring written consent from all affected property owners. Down-zoning refers to changes that reduce development density (like limiting building height or lot coverage) or restrict permitted land uses (such as banning certain businesses). This bill reverses a prior law (S.L. 2024-57) that had required property owner consent for such changes, returning the process to the pre-December 11, 2024, standard. It directly affects property owners in Rutherford County by changing who controls zoning amendments that reduce land use potential. The bill applies only to Rutherford County and its municipalities and takes effect retroactively to December 11, 2024.

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 128, the Heroes Homestead Act, increases the property tax exemption for disabled veterans in North Carolina from $45,000 to $76,500 of a home's appraised value. This change directly affects qualifying disabled veterans who own and occupy their primary residence, providing greater tax relief on their homes. The bill amends North Carolina's property tax law to set the new exclusion amount, effective for taxes due on or after July 1, 2026. It does not apply to other property tax relief programs.

Maddy summarySB 132 creates the Swannanoa Valley Tourism Development Authority (TDA) to manage tourism funding for Buncombe County’s Swannanoa Valley (encompassing Broad River, Black Mountain, and Swannanoa townships). It directs that a portion of the room occupancy tax collected in these areas be remitted to the TDA instead of the county’s general tourism fund. The TDA will allocate these funds into two programs: one for tourism infrastructure projects (like hotel upgrades or attractions) and another for community-focused initiatives (such as natural resource enhancement), both requiring projects to boost lodging patronage and benefit residents. The bill prohibits using funds for operational costs, mandates industry-led committee reviews for project approval, and explicitly excludes for-profit entities from receiving grants.