Sen. Sydney Batch

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina bill prevents public utilities from disconnecting residential service during declared periods of extreme heat, extreme cold, or poor air quality, requiring instead that customers be offered deferred payment plans. It also allows landlords to restrict tenants from installing portable cooling or air filtration devices only under specific conditions, such as when the device violates safety codes, damages the property, or requires electrical capacity that cannot be provided. Additionally, the legislation defines what constitutes an extreme weather or air quality event based on official alerts from agencies like the National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the North Carolina Consumer Privacy Act, establishes new rules to protect the personal data of individuals living in the state. It directly affects businesses that collect consumer information, requiring them to define specific terms like "personal data" and "consent" to ensure users understand how their information is used. Key provisions mandate that companies obtain clear, voluntary agreement from consumers before processing their data and set standards for handling sensitive information such as biometrics. The legislation also creates a new chapter in state law to oversee these requirements and appropriates funds to support the enforcement of these privacy protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a special fund to protect North Carolina state employees from having their take-home pay reduced if their health insurance premiums rise. To achieve this, the state will transfer $150 million from scholarship reserves to the new fund, which will be used to supplement employee compensation and maintain their net income. The State Treasurer, in consultation with the Office of State Human Resources, will manage the fund and establish rules for its administration. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026, and applies specifically to participants in the North Carolina State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the North Carolina Small Business Capital Access Act to help small businesses and companies in underserved areas get the money they need to start, run, and grow. It creates a new state office and an oversight board to manage a program that includes loan guarantees, direct investments, and technical assistance for eligible businesses. The loan guarantee component is designed to encourage private lenders to provide financing by covering up to 90% of the loan amount for businesses in the most disadvantaged regions. The program specifically targets small businesses with fewer than 500 employees and those operating in low-income or rural census tracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Affordable Housing Efficiency Grant Program in North Carolina to provide funding for energy efficiency and electric upgrades in affordable multifamily housing buildings. The program targets residential complexes with at least 50% of units reserved for low-income households that have been in service for at least 15 years, with a focus on projects located in underserved communities. Eligible buildings can receive grants of up to $0.75 per square foot to cover costs for measures such as heat pumps, electric water heaters, insulation, and related planning or health improvements, provided they maintain their affordability status. The Department of Environmental Quality will manage the program using $5 million in recurring state funds starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year, while recipients must report annually on energy savings and other outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina bill creates a new program to help workers who lose their jobs due to artificial intelligence or automation. It establishes a $50 million fund to pay for job retraining and education, with a focus on skilled trades like healthcare and advanced manufacturing. The law also requires companies receiving state economic incentives to report any layoffs caused by AI or automation. Finally, it directs the State Education Assistance Authority to transfer the necessary funds to the Department of Commerce to launch this program on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 1045, titled the Utility Profit Oversight Act, requires the North Carolina General Assembly to explicitly approve any proposed electric utility rate increases that would raise the utility's authorized return on equity. Under this bill, the Public Service Commission must immediately suspend such rate changes until the legislature passes a specific act ratifying them, ensuring that significant profit increases receive direct legislative oversight. The legislation also mandates a study by the Commission to evaluate the cost of equity capital for electric utilities in the state. By shifting the approval power for these specific financial adjustments from the regulatory commission to the state legislature, the bill aims to add a layer of political accountability to utility pricing decisions.

Maddy summaryThis North Carolina bill creates a new Human Trafficking Records Commission within the Department of Justice to review and release records related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, while redacting victim information. The legislation modifies existing laws on legislative privilege to allow the commission to investigate lawmakers and authorizes the State Bureau of Investigation to assist with inquiries into individuals identified in the released documents. Additionally, the bill establishes a legal mechanism for courts to issue Extreme Risk Protection Orders that temporarily remove firearms from people named in the commission's records. To support these new operations, the act appropriates ten million dollars in state funds for the commission and investigative activities for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the North Carolina General Assembly to adopt a full spending plan before it can lower tax rates. If the state collects more revenue than specific thresholds set for each fiscal year, the income tax rate will automatically decrease by 0.5% or drop to a minimum of 2.49%, whichever is higher. These automatic reductions would take effect in the tax years following the fiscal year in which the revenue targets are exceeded, starting in 2027. The law applies to future tax years through 2034 and uses final revenue figures reported by the Office of State Controller to determine if the trigger is met.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Nursing Fellows Program at Winston-Salem State University to support students pursuing degrees in nursing or nursing education. The legislation creates a trust fund that provides forgivable loans to high-achieving students who commit to working as nurses or instructors within North Carolina after graduation. Funds from the trust are used to cover tuition and fees, with loan amounts increasing for those who plan to become nursing instructors. The program includes provisions for mentoring, administrative costs, and extracurricular activities to enhance student success.