Sen. Vickie Sawyer

Maddy summaryThis bill shortens the early voting period for all elections in North Carolina to a maximum of 10 consecutive days, ending the current practice of allowing voting to begin several weeks before an election. It directly affects all registered voters by limiting their ability to cast ballots in person prior to election day, with specific provisions for special elections and municipal votes. The legislation also adjusts nomination procedures for congressional vacancies and requires local governments to approve early voting schedules at least 60 days before an election. By codifying a fixed timeframe for early voting, the bill standardizes the process across different election types while removing the option for extended early voting periods.

Maddy summarySB 1080 proposes a constitutional amendment to cap North Carolina's state income tax rate at a maximum of 3.5%. If approved by voters in the November 2026 election, this change would prevent the legislature from raising the income tax rate higher than that threshold in the future. The bill applies to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, and requires a majority vote in favor to become law.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new section to the North Carolina Constitution to establish a "right to work" for all residents. The key provision states that a person's right to work cannot be denied based on whether they are a member of a labor union or pay union dues. If approved by voters in a 2026 referendum, the amendment would legally protect employees from being forced to join or financially support a union as a condition of employment. The bill also authorizes the state legislature to pass additional laws to define and implement these protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new section to the North Carolina Constitution to explicitly protect the right of people to farm and practice forestry. The amendment would declare activities such as growing crops, raising livestock, and harvesting timber as essential parts of the state's heritage that must be preserved for the public good. It clarifies that these rights are subject only to laws passed by the state legislature, meaning the change would not override existing regulations but rather affirm the practice of agriculture and forestry. Currently, the bill is in the process of being reviewed by state committees and would be voted on by eligible voters in a statewide election in November 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the North Carolina Infrastructure Investment Commission to create a long-term, 20-year strategy for improving the state's critical systems like roads, water, and energy. The new commission will consist of ten appointed members led by the State Treasurer, who will develop a comprehensive investment plan focusing on maintenance, modernization, and resilience against severe weather. Once the plan is submitted to various legislative committees and the governor by March 2028, the commission will dissolve, and any funding decisions must still be approved by the General Assembly. The legislation also allocates $300,000 to cover the administrative costs of running the commission starting in fiscal year 2026-2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates state funds to enhance workforce training for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in North Carolina community colleges. It establishes a program to offer micro-credentials and on-the-job training, while funding specific roles to connect colleges with business partners and expand career pathways for high school students. Additionally, the legislation directs money toward a study on creating faster routes for apprentices to become teachers and provides resources to implement a secure digital wallet system for managing academic credentials.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores the ability of local governments in Craven, Carteret, Onslow, Jones, and Lenoir counties to propose down-zoning changes without needing permission from every property owner. Previously, a law required unanimous consent from all affected landowners to reduce development density or limit permitted uses, but this legislation removes that requirement for these specific military host counties. The change applies retroactively to December 11, 2024, meaning any down-zoning efforts initiated after that date can proceed under the new rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates North Carolina's foster care insurance rules to clarify how foster parents can remove coverage for children who no longer live with them and to create a new insurance program for foster youth. It requires the state insurance rate bureau to develop a specific policy option that allows foster children to be listed as named drivers on non-owner insurance policies, ensuring they can legally operate vehicles provided to them. Additionally, the legislation establishes a financial assistance program funded by $1 million to help cover the extra cost of adding foster children to a parent's insurance or to pay for separate non-owner policies, provided the youth has completed an approved driver's education course. These changes aim to ensure foster youth have valid liability coverage while reducing the financial burden on foster families and the state.

Maddy summaryThe Workforce Act of 2026 allocates state funding to modernize education-to-workforce pathways and improve credit transfer for students in North Carolina. A primary provision directs $3.1 million to the ApprenticeshipNC program to support work-based learning and increase employer participation in apprenticeships. The bill also provides $350,000 to the Department of Commerce to create a list of industry-valued credentials and link them to labor market data such as wages and job placement. Additionally, it increases funding for short-term workforce development grants and requires private colleges to be included in the state's common digital transcript system by March 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires electric public utilities in North Carolina to submit detailed reports on how well they use their existing power grids. These reports must analyze current performance, explore ways to improve efficiency without building new lines, and outline plans for implementing these improvements. The state's Utilities Commission will review the reports and set specific targets for utilities to meet, while also establishing metrics to measure grid usage. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Commission decide within 240 days how these usage metrics will influence future decisions on approving utility investment costs.