Ray Pickett

Drug-Free Zones/Unauthorized Public Camping

This bill creates two main policies: (1) establishes drug-free zones around homeless service facilities where drug offenses become Class E felonies, and (2) bans unauthorized public camping on government property statewide, though local governments may designate specific areas for temporary camping if they meet safety and service requirements and receive state approval.

UNC Omnibus & Capital Contracting Law Changes

This bill authorizes approximately $636.9 million in capital improvement projects across UNC campuses funded through bonds and non-appropriated sources, standardizes residency requirements for the NC School of Science and Mathematics, expands tuition grants for NCSSM and UNCSA graduates, increases the UNC Board of Governors' authority over capital projects up to $4 million, raises various construction project thresholds, and restricts state agencies from using appropriated funds for public-private partnerships without legislative approval.

Interstate Compact for School Psychologists

This bill adopts an interstate compact that allows school psychologists licensed in one state to practice in other participating states without repeating all licensure requirements. The bill also appropriates $1 million to East Carolina University for a virtual school psychology training program.

ABC & Gaming Omnibus Bill

This omnibus bill makes numerous changes to North Carolina's alcohol laws, gaming regulations, and ABC Commission operations. Key provisions include allowing premixed cocktails to be sold like other beverages, creating a service business permit for complimentary alcohol service, expanding game night and raffle allowances for nonprofits, adding two members to the ABC Commission, and implementing various technical corrections and regulatory adjustments throughout the ABC system.

Additional Capital Appropriations

This bill appropriates over $1 billion in additional capital funding for state infrastructure projects across multiple agencies and universities for fiscal year 2025-2026, including $100 million specifically designated for repairs and renovations at North Carolina Central University, and $5 million for the State Bureau of Investigation to purchase radios, vehicles, and a case management system.

Various Ed Law/Tax Acct/NIL Changes

This bill makes multiple changes to North Carolina education and tax laws. It requires schools to evaluate technology costs and report device repair rates; allows community college students under 18 to share education records with parents; expands dual enrollment pathways for high school sophomores; allows uniformed service members to defer UNC enrollment; authorizes UNC capital projects; protects education savings accounts from creditor claims; and creates rules for athlete agents handling name, image, and likeness contracts.

UNC Tuition Discounts for Certain Students

This bill allows UNC constituent institutions to offer discounted tuition to two groups of students: those receiving military tuition assistance (federal or North Carolina National Guard) and those enrolled in employer-sponsored financial support programs. The discount amount cannot exceed the difference between the military assistance or employer funding received and the applicable tuition, and UNC must report annually to the legislature on the number of students served and financial impact.

The Jason Flatt Act of North Carolina

This bill requires North Carolina public schools to include suicide prevention education as part of their school-based mental health policies. It mandates that all licensed educators receive annual suicide prevention training, establishes a suicide risk referral protocol for schools, and requires the State Board of Education to develop model programs and training materials that schools must follow.

1-to-1 Credit for Career and College Promise

This bill allows Career and College Promise students to earn high school graduation credit for specific community college courses in English, math, science, and history. It also removes Math III as a mandatory graduation requirement, allowing students to take math courses aligned with their career development plans instead.

Home-Based Business Fairness Act

This bill prevents North Carolina cities from banning 'no-impact home-based businesses'—small businesses run from home that don't generate extra traffic, parking, or street visibility. Cities can still enforce health and safety rules and can prohibit certain illegal activities, but they cannot require permits, licenses, or rezoning for qualifying home businesses.

Modify HC POA/Adv Direct

This bill updates North Carolina's rules for health care powers of attorney and advance directives (living wills). It clarifies witness requirements, allows certain trained healthcare workers to serve as witnesses in limited situations, and enables people to file these documents electronically with the Secretary of State's Advance Health Care Directive Registry.

NC Farmland and Military Protection Act

This bill prohibits entities controlled by adversarial foreign governments from purchasing, leasing, or holding agricultural land or property within 50 miles of North Carolina military installations. It requires existing foreign owners to register with the Secretary of State, allows the Attorney General to enforce violations through forced sales, and establishes penalties for non-compliance.

Various Civil and Insurance Law Changes

This bill makes multiple changes to North Carolina's insurance and civil laws, including updating peer-to-peer vehicle sharing regulations, allowing small cash convenience fees for insurance payments, prohibiting mortgage lenders from requiring reconstruction cost estimates, modifying bail bondsmen requirements, and establishing arbitration procedures for uninsured/underinsured motorist claims.

Modify Nonprofit Corp. Act/Charitable Org

This bill makes several changes to North Carolina's nonprofit corporation laws. It allows charitable and religious nonprofits to merge with certain limited liability companies, requires all nonprofits to file annual reports with the Secretary of State, permits nonprofits to change their state of incorporation (domestication), allows nonprofits to have just one director instead of three, and aligns state disclosure rules for charitable organizations with federal tax requirements.

Robocall Solicitation Modifications

This bill modifies North Carolina's telephone solicitation laws to specifically address robocalls. It defines robocalls as artificial or prerecorded voice messages (including soundboard technology and ringless voicemails) and spam/scam text messages, and establishes stricter rules for their use. The bill requires prior express written consent (rather than just invitation or permission) before most robocalls can be made, creates specific penalties for violations, and adds protections against spoofing and impersonating government officials.

Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI

This bill prohibits North Carolina state agencies and local governments from spending money on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, policies, or staff positions. It defines DEI as initiatives that influence hiring or employment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, nationality, country of origin, or sexual orientation outside of merit-based processes, and establishes penalties for violations including fines up to $10,000 and potential removal from employment.

Honor Mike Clampitt

Limit Use of AI Medicaid/Commercial Insurance

This bill prohibits the use of artificial intelligence as the sole basis for denying insurance coverage decisions and claims in North Carolina's Medicaid and commercial insurance programs. It also bars healthcare providers and AI developers from using AI systems designed to promote 'upcoding' (billing for higher-level services than actually provided), and requires healthcare providers to annually attest their compliance with these restrictions.