Sen. Kandie Smith

Maddy summarySB 611 allows drivers with non-REAL ID compliant licenses in North Carolina to renew their licenses remotely two times in a row. After two consecutive remote renewals, these licenses must be renewed in person. The bill applies only to licenses that do not meet federal REAL ID standards (required for certain federal purposes like air travel) and does not affect REAL ID-compliant licenses, which still require an in-person renewal after a remote one. The change takes effect January 1, 2026, for all renewals on or after that date.

Maddy summarySB 606 requires North Carolina state services to be accessible in 25 additional languages, including Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, and Cherokee, by mandating translations for driver's license materials, tests, and traffic signs. It also mandates that public schools translate parent documents - such as enrollment forms, consent forms, and disciplinary notices - into those 25 languages. Additionally, the bill encourages schools to grant excused absences for religious observances and allocates $1 million to cover substitute teacher costs when educators take leave for such holidays. These provisions aim to improve access to essential services and education for non-English speaking residents while respecting cultural traditions.

Maddy summarySB 313 establishes a $15 million grant program to support small North Carolina farmers with annual gross cash farm income under $1 million. The program provides financial assistance for essential farm inputs, equipment, and operational improvements to eligible farmers who meet income and residency requirements. Grants will be prioritized based on financial hardship, need, and farm size, with the Department of Agriculture administering the fund and an advisory committee monitoring effectiveness. This act directly affects small-scale farmers seeking to improve their operational viability through targeted financial support.

Maddy summarySB 421, the "Fair and Rehabilitative Prison Labor Act," replaces outdated North Carolina prison labor laws to ensure incarcerated individuals receive fair pay, vocational training, and protections. It requires prison labor programs to pay at least $5 per hour (or state minimum wage for PIECP-certified programs), prioritize job skills for post-release employment, and prohibit using prison labor to displace migrant or seasonal agricultural workers. The bill mandates annual transparency reports on wages, hours worked, and job impacts in agriculture, and requires labor market assessments before agricultural contracts. These changes directly affect incarcerated people in North Carolina prisons, prison labor programs, and agricultural businesses that contract prison labor.

Maddy summarySB 424 broadens how North Carolina can use its megasite funding by expanding eligibility for grants to local governments. It allows the state economic development agency to provide grants covering up to 85% of a megasite's purchase price or tax value (whichever is lower) for acquiring land. To qualify, sites must have binding purchase options, completed due diligence (including surveys and environmental reviews), and local governments must demonstrate their financial commitment. This directly affects local governments seeking to develop industrial sites for major employers in advanced manufacturing.

Maddy summarySB 475, "Wendy Williams's Law," requires court-appointed guardians and guardians ad litem (representatives for adults deemed legally incompetent) in North Carolina to complete mandatory training within six months of their appointment. The training covers essential topics like legal duties, the rights of the incompetent person, medical terminology related to their condition, and preparing required reports. This applies to all guardians managing personal care or finances, as well as court-appointed representatives in legal proceedings. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, for appointments made on or after that date.

Maddy summarySB 463 requires North Carolina Medicaid to cover doula services during pregnancy and the postpartum period, directly affecting Medicaid-enrolled pregnant and postpartum individuals and doulas seeking to provide these services under Medicaid. The bill mandates the state health department to develop coverage rules, including reimbursement rates and provider requirements focused on doula training in areas like childbirth education, lactation support, and cultural awareness. It appropriates $1 million annually from the state general fund (matching $1.8 million in federal funds) for Medicaid coverage changes and $550,000 annually for doula workforce support services. The coverage must be implemented upon federal CMS approval, with a report to lawmakers by March 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 393 requires North Carolina public schools to include instruction on the costs of gambling - including sports betting - and gambling addiction in all required personal financial literacy courses. This policy change directly affects all K-12 students in the state, as it amends existing curriculum standards to add this specific topic. The bill mandates that schools cover these topics alongside other financial literacy elements like credit costs, mortgages, and credit scoring. The requirement will take effect for the 2025-2026 school year. This is a concrete addition to the curriculum, not a procedural change.

Maddy summarySB 420 redirects funds previously allocated for lottery advertising toward foster care programs. The bill eliminates the Lottery Commission’s authority to spend public funds on advertising (as specified in revised G.S. 18C-130(e)) and instead requires those monies to be added to the existing $30 million annual allocation for foster care under G.S. 18C-163(3)(b). This policy change directly affects North Carolina’s foster care system by increasing its funding stream without creating new revenue. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and does not alter other lottery advertising rules or responsibilities.

Maddy summarySB 438, titled "NC Adopt ERA," is a bill to formally ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution. The ERA, proposed by Congress in 1972, was ratified by 38 states (including Virginia in 2020), meeting the constitutional requirement for three-fourths of states. This bill directs North Carolina to send a certified copy of its ratification to the U.S. Archivist and Congress, completing the state's role in the federal amendment process. If enacted, North Carolina would join the 38 states that have ratified the ERA, which the bill states is now the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.