Rep. Dennis Riddell

Maddy summaryHB 402 requires North Carolina state agencies to assess the financial impact of proposed permanent rules. If a rule would cost affected individuals or businesses $20 million or more over five years, it must be approved by the General Assembly before taking effect. For rules with a $1 million or more annual cost impact, agencies must prepare a fiscal note for review by the Office of State Budget and Management. The bill also mandates a two-thirds vote by agency boards to adopt rules exceeding the $1 million cost threshold. This directly affects state agencies creating regulations and the businesses or residents who would bear the costs of those rules.

Maddy summaryHB 805 requires North Carolina state agencies and local governments to use biological sex definitions (based on reproductive anatomy at birth) in all policies, replacing gender identity as a legal equivalent. It directly affects state programs, including healthcare, education, and civil rights enforcement, by mandating that "female," "male," and related terms refer solely to biological sex as defined in the bill. The bill also creates a new "Prevent Sexual Exploitation of Women and Minors Act" with definitions for consent and intimate visual depictions, while including provisions on birth certificates, school accommodations for religious objections, and parental access to library materials. These changes take effect January 1, 2026, and are intended to align state law with federal directives referenced in the bill's preamble.

Maddy summaryHB 907 creates a new Disaster Readiness and Response Fund within the Office of the State Treasurer in North Carolina. This fund is designed to be separate from the state's General Fund and other existing reserves, providing a dedicated financial resource for disaster-related activities. The bill does not specify how the money will be used or who will administer it, leaving those details for future legislation. It applies to the state government and establishes a new financial mechanism for potential future disaster preparedness and response efforts.

Maddy summaryHB 126 requires state and local agencies to seek input from agricultural advisory boards before condemning or rezoning farmland within voluntary agricultural districts. It mandates that agencies request public hearings on such proposals, giving boards 45 days to review and submit recommendations. Agencies cannot proceed with condemnation or rezoning actions while the board is processing the request, extending the timeline to 120 days after the board submits its findings. The bill directly affects landowners in these districts and agencies making land use decisions, effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 661, the Building Industry Efficiency Act of 2025, modifies North Carolina's construction and street regulations to streamline development. It prohibits inspection departments from charging fees for canceling inspections more than one business day early (Section 1.1), and limits municipalities from imposing stricter street design standards than the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for both public and private streets (Sections 1.2-1.3). For private streets, developers must disclose if engineered designs fall below NCDOT standards and provide disclosures to buyers before sales. Municipalities and counties must accept pedestrian facilities or street improvements into public road systems after project completion, but counties need agreements with NCDOT or municipalities first (Sections 1.4-1.5). The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting developers, municipalities, engineers, and property buyers.

Maddy summaryHB 435 clarifies and updates North Carolina's regulations for engineers and land surveyors by reenacting repealed provisions and organizing licensing requirements. It defines "practice of land surveying" to include modern methods like GPS mapping and specifies detailed education/experience rules for land surveyor interns (e.g., requiring four years of surveying curriculum or 10 years of experience) and professionals (e.g., five references from licensed surveyors). The bill applies retroactively to July 1, 2022, affecting individuals seeking or renewing licenses in these professions. It does not create new policy but corrects technical errors in existing law.

Maddy summaryHB 50 creates two new options for retired state and local law enforcement officers with at least 30 years of service or 55 years old with 5+ years of service. It allows officers retiring before age 62 to choose between two calculation methods for an annual separation allowance: either 0.85% of their most recent base pay for each year of service, or a fixed amount based on pay at 30 years of service. The allowance stops when officers turn 62 or pass away. This directly affects qualifying law enforcement officers who retire under North Carolina's state retirement system.

Maddy summaryHB 821, titled "Drivers License Expiration Moratorium," establishes a temporary pause on the expiration of certain Class C driver's licenses. The bill allows these licenses to remain valid for up to two years after their expiration date, aiming to address a backlog of drivers unable to renew in person. This provision does not apply to licenses that are currently canceled, revoked, or suspended, nor to Real ID compliant licenses valid for eight years or more. The act is effective upon becoming law for licenses expiring on or after that date, and it will expire on December 31, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 271 alters how municipal elections are conducted in several towns and cities in Cabarrus County. The bill changes regular municipal elections in the City of Concord, Town of Harrisburg, City of Kannapolis, Town of Midland, and Town of Mount Pleasant from a nonpartisan to a partisan basis. For the City of Concord, it also specifies that only voters residing in a particular district can vote for that district's City Council member, rather than the entire city voting for all members. These changes will apply to elections held in 2025 and thereafter.

Maddy summaryHB 997 requires members of the North Carolina General Assembly to certify whether they have reviewed the U.S. Constitution and the North Carolina Constitution. This certification must be submitted to the Principal Clerk of their respective house before they take their oath of office. The review of the Constitutions must have occurred within the two years prior to taking the oath. This act is scheduled to become effective on January 1, 2027.