Where Does Heidi Stand on Critical Issues?

North Carolina should be strong. But today, we are not. Our state is almost ten years behind on basic security because Republican leaders chose culture wars instead of fixing real problems.

For years, federal homeland-security reports, the Pentagon, and respected military think tanks have warned that states must fix:

• • hungry military families 
  • aging water systems 
  • weak supply chains 
  • utilities open to attack 
  • slow or missing broadband 
  • outdated cybersecurity 
  • struggling state education systems 
  • shrinking rural healthcare access

These are state responsibilities. Only state governments can protect these systems.

But North Carolina’s legislature focused instead on bathroom bills, DEI arguments, gender fights, women’s sports, and abortion. Not one of these is considered a national security threat by military experts.

I listen to the military’s warnings. I take their advice seriously.
Why won’t Republicans?

My first priority is simple: free public school breakfast and lunch for all military kids and kids in poverty.

Hungry kids make us weaker. Fed kids make us stronger. Strong kids today mean a stronger North Carolina tomorrow.

And a stronger North Carolina means a stronger America.

Families are working hard, but everything costs more. It shouldn’t be this hard to stay healthy, raise a child, or care for someone you love.

Heidi believes the government should stand with working families—not big companies.

That’s why she’s fighting to:

• • End the diaper tax, so parents can keep more money for what really matters.
  • End the state-set 2% local tax on baby formula, because feeding your baby shouldn’t be taxed at all.
  • Take the tax off common over-the-counter medicines and home-health supplies, like children’s fever reducers and bandages.
  • Cap insulin and diabetes-care costs under health insurance plans, so no one has to choose between their medicine and their groceries.
  • Hold insurance companies and pharmacy middlemen accountable, so families get the care they pay for—without hidden fees or denials.

As a mom who faced gestational diabetes, Heidi knows how expensive staying healthy can be. She’ll make sure North Carolinians get fair prices, honest coverage, and real help when they need it most.

Because your paycheck should go toward your family’s future—not corporate profits.

For Heidi, health care is personal. When her father was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, insurance companies called him “uninsurable.”
The Affordable Care Act gave her family two more good years together — proof that fair laws can save lives.

Now, with federal protections at risk, Heidi will make sure North Carolina steps up to protect every family.

She’ll fight to:

• • Protect people with preexisting conditions by creating strong state laws so no one can be denied coverage or care.
  • Pass a first-in-the-nation law requiring insurance companies to fully cover anti-nausea and comfort medicines for children with cancer, and to cut down on treatment delays and denials, so doctors can focus on care — not paperwork.
  • Update state screening standards to allow earlier and more flexible testing for heart disease, colon cancer, and breast cancer. Early detection saves lives.
  • Clarify state law so that all forms of ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage care are clearly legal and protected, ensuring doctors and patients never have to hesitate when seconds matter.
  • Create a North Carolina emergency-care law similar to the federal EMTALA rule, guaranteeing that no hospital can ever turn away someone in a life-threatening emergency — whether it’s a heart attack, stroke, childbirth complication, miscarriage, or violent injury.

Because in North Carolina, your health should never depend on your ZIP code, your income, or whether an insurance company can profit from your pain.

Everyone deserves a safe, affordable place to live. But today, too many North Carolinians are being priced out by hidden costs, unfair fees, and rigged rules.
Heidi believes owning or renting a home should be fair—not full of surprises that drain working families’ budgets.

She’ll fight to:

• • Ban junk and HOA fees that drive up the cost of buying a home. Families shouldn’t have to pay surprise charges for paperwork or basic neighborhood services.
  • Stop unnecessary rental fees, including apartment application and payment-processing fees, so renters can focus on finding a home—not paying to apply.
  • Expand North Carolina’s Tenant Bill of Rights to protect renters displaced by natural disasters. When tragedy strikes, families deserve support, not uncertainty.
  • Require landlords to return security deposits within 30 days, helping renters get their money back quickly so they can move forward.
  • Ban utility shutoffs during extreme weather, stopping heat cutoffs during freezing temperatures and power shutoffs when it’s over 90 degrees.

For Heidi, housing is about dignity, safety, and fairness—because every North Carolinian deserves a roof they can afford over their head.

Working families are the backbone of North Carolina’s economy, yet too many parents struggle to find safe, affordable care. Heidi believes no parent should have to choose between keeping their job and protecting their child’s well-being.

She’ll fight to:

• • Shorten—and ultimately eliminate—daycare waitlists, so every child who needs care can get it. Parents shouldn’t have to wait months or years for a spot.
  • Lower liability insurance costs for licensed daycares with strong safety records, rewarding centers that go above and beyond to keep children safe.
  • Create a free, state-run certification program for childcare workers and parents that includes CPR and emergency-response training, giving families peace of mind and saving lives.
  • Fast-track background checks and certifications for military childcare professionals, and offer temporary permits for military spouses and veterans with clean records so they can keep working when they move or come home.

Heidi knows that strong families build strong communities. By making childcare safer, more affordable, and easier to access, she’ll help every North Carolina parent work with confidence knowing their children are in good hands.

Clean water is not a luxury—it’s a basic right. Every North Carolinian should be able to turn on the tap and know the water is safe to drink. For Heidi, protecting our water and environment isn’t just about public health—it’s a promise to future generations.

She’ll fight to:

• • Require a statewide plan to reduce and eliminate microplastics from public drinking water by 2035, protecting families from tiny contaminants that quietly build up over time.
  • Modernize small-town water systems so rural communities have the same clean, reliable water as larger cities.
  • Protect North Carolina’s freshwater and national security by limiting how much land with freshwater access can be owned by foreign companies. Our lakes, rivers, and groundwater should never become foreign-controlled assets.

For Heidi, safeguarding clean water means protecting our children, our farms, and our future.

When disaster strikes, North Carolinians come together to help one another—but families shouldn’t have to depend on luck or federal red tape to get help fast. Heidi believes our state must be ready to protect and rebuild stronger, no matter what storms come our way.

She’ll fight to:

• • Create the nation’s first Extreme Weather Victims’ Bill of Rights, guaranteeing that survivors of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and other natural disasters get quick, reliable help—even when federal relief is delayed.
  • Promote storm-resistant construction materials and building practices for homes, schools, and public buildings to save lives and cut recovery costs.
  • Establish a state-activated emergency satellite internet program to restore communication when power and cell towers go down, keeping families connected when it matters most.
  • Strengthen emergency rental programs so displaced families can find safe, temporary housing while they rebuild.

Heidi’s goal is simple: make sure every North Carolinian has the tools, support, and dignity they deserve when facing disaster—and build a state strong enough to weather any storm.

North Carolina’s farmers feed our state, fuel our economy, and preserve our way of life. Yet rising costs, corporate consolidation, and foreign ownership are squeezing out the family farms that have sustained our communities for generations. Heidi believes it’s time to put power back in the hands of the people who actually work the land—and make sure every harvest helps feed North Carolina families.

She’ll fight to:

• • Support the right to repair farm equipment, requiring manufacturers to give farmers and independent mechanics full access to software, diagnostic codes, and tools. Farmers should be able to fix what they own without waiting on expensive corporate service contracts.
  • Ban non-compete agreements for farm-equipment technicians, so skilled workers can serve local farmers freely and fairly.
  • Create a state-level crop-insurance backup program to protect farmers if federal coverage is delayed or cut.
  • Limit foreign ownership of farmland, safeguarding North Carolina’s food supply and national security.
  • Require military bases and state facilities to source part of their food locally, strengthening in-state farms and processors.
  • Launch the Hunters Feeding Families program, eliminating hunting-license fees for hunters who donate 100% of their harvest to state-approved processors that turn the meat into safe, high-protein meals for food banks and meal programs—feeding hungry North Carolina families while managing wildlife responsibly.

For Heidi, agriculture is about community, stewardship, and fairness—because North Carolina’s land and harvest should always work for the people who call it home.

North Carolina is home to one of the largest veteran populations in the nation—and every one of them deserves the care, respect, and opportunity they’ve earned.
For Heidi, this issue is personal. Her uncle, a Vietnam veteran who once struggled with homelessness, showed her how easily even our bravest heroes can be forgotten—and why we must never let that happen again.

She’ll fight to:

• • Expand telehealth for both medical and mental health care, making sure veterans in rural areas or with mobility challenges can get help without long drives or wait times.
  • Extend VA telehealth hours into evenings and weekends, so care fits veterans’ schedules—not the other way around.
  • Allow electronic enrollment for homeless veterans applying for state VA or Medicaid programs, because no one should lose care just for lacking a mailing address.
  • Waive out-of-state tuition at public colleges and universities for veterans who have settled in North Carolina but haven’t met residency requirements yet.
  • Eliminate all state professional, hunting, and fishing license fees for veterans, recognizing their service and removing barriers to work and recreation.

Heidi’s message to every veteran is simple: You kept your promise to us—now North Carolina must keep its promise to you.

Every child in North Carolina deserves a great public education—no matter their ZIP code or family income. Heidi believes our public schools are the backbone of strong communities, and that teachers and students deserve the full support of their state government.

She’ll fight to:

• • Ban households earning over $200,000 from using private school vouchers, unless they live in a declared disaster area. Voucher programs should help families in need—not subsidize the wealthy at the expense of public schools.
  • Raise teacher pay so educators earn a living wage that reflects their value to our communities.
  • Create a state tax credit for classroom supplies, so teachers don’t have to spend their own money to give students the basics they need to learn.
  • Provide budget-neutral free breakfast and lunch for public school students living in poverty, ensuring no child goes hungry at school.
  • Require mental health and financial literacy courses in high schools, so students learn how to care for themselves, manage money wisely, and build healthy lives and futures.
  • Let students earn graduation credit for volunteer work with local nonprofits, encouraging responsibility and community pride.
  • Bring back a back-to-school sales tax holiday for essential school supplies, clothes, and learning materials to help families save money every fall.

For Heidi, investing in public education means investing in North Carolina’s future.
Strong schools build stronger communities, better jobs, and brighter opportunities for every child.

Public service should never be a path to personal profit. Heidi believes North Carolina needs stronger ethics laws to restore trust in government and make sure decisions are made for the people—not for special interests or political insiders.

She’ll fight to:

• • Ban stock trading by state legislators while in session, because lawmakers should focus on serving North Carolinians, not their own portfolios.
  • Prohibit legislators and senior staff from taking lobbying or corporate government relations jobs for two years after leaving office, closing the revolving door between public service and private gain.
  • Bar former legislators, their spouses, children, or companies they own from receiving state contracts for two years after leaving office to prevent favoritism and insider deals.
  • Require all new legislators to complete ethics and conflict-of-interest training, with annual refreshers on the North Carolina and United States Constitutions and on how the state budget process works.
  • Waive candidate filing fees for households earning under $100,000, opening the door for more working-class North Carolinians to run for office with fresh ideas and real-world experience.

Heidi believes honest government starts with clear rules, equal access, and respect for the people who place their trust in it.

As an attorney and the granddaughter of a police officer, Heidi believes in a justice system that is strong, fair, and effective—one that protects the innocent, supports law enforcement, and holds wrongdoers fully accountable. Keeping families and communities safe isn’t partisan—it’s moral.

She’ll fight to:

• • Raise pay for law enforcement officers, firefighters, rescue workers, and EMTs, so every community—from small towns to big cities—can recruit and keep the skilled first responders needed to protect families.
  • Modernize first responder equipment statewide, ensuring every officer, firefighter, and EMT has safe, up-to-date gear, radios, and vehicles—so no community is left unprotected because of outdated tools.
  • Install Safe Haven Baby Boxes in every North Carolina county, giving parents in crisis a safe, anonymous way to surrender an unharmed infant without fear of prosecution. Every child deserves a chance at life in safety and dignity.
  • Increase penalties for school employees, daycare workers, and youth program staff who harm children in their care, and strengthen consequences for child deaths caused by recklessness, negligence, or malice—including children left in vehicles.
  • Toughen penalties for anyone who enables or profits from child trafficking through North Carolina-based housing, transportation, or online platforms.
  • Ban all marriages under age 18, closing loopholes that have allowed child marriage to continue.
  • Expand support for grandparents and next-of-kin caregivers raising children of incarcerated parents, helping families stay together and reducing pressure on the foster care system.
  • Raise state death benefits for law enforcement officers, firefighters, rescue squad workers, and emergency medical services personnel killed in the line of duty from $100,000 to $300,000, and increase the payout to $500,000 if the fallen hero had at least one child under 21 or disabled dependent —honoring both their sacrifice and their family’s loss.

Heidi’s approach is rooted in both justice and compassion. A strong North Carolina demands safety, fairness, and laws that protect those who need it most.

Heidi believes that when you work hard, you deserve fair treatment, financial security, and a safe place to earn a living. North Carolina’s economy runs on the strength of working people—farmers, teachers, nurses, builders, and service workers—and they deserve laws that value their labor.

She’ll fight to:

• • Ban employers from taking credit-card processing fees out of workers’ tips, ensuring employees keep every dollar they earn.
  • Give new full-time workers the option to independently enroll in life insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage, or burial insurance—at no cost to employers unless they choose to contribute.
  • Offer tax credits for small restaurants that provide at least three paid sick days to food service workers, helping protect public health while supporting local businesses.
  • Require pay transparency and itemized deductions for app-based workers, so gig workers can see exactly how their pay is calculated and what fees are taken out.
  • Establish minimum safety standards for scaffolding, fall protection, and heat exposure on all construction job sites to reduce workplace injuries and save lives.
  • Protect farm, food-service, medical, construction, and gig workers with fair pay, safe working conditions, and clear benefit options—because no one should risk their health or income to earn a living.
  • Crack down on worker misclassification and unsafe job practices in high-risk fields like construction and agriculture, and reward employers who train and retain skilled workers safely and fairly.

As a former bartender who lived off tips, Heidi knows how hard North Carolinians work for every paycheck. Her goal is simple: reward hard work, promote fairness, and help every North Carolinian go home safe, secure, and proud.

Small businesses and skilled trades are the heartbeat of North Carolina’s economy.
Heidi believes government should make it easier—not harder—for people to open, grow, and sustain their businesses.

She’ll fight to:

• • Provide grants to local farmers in exchange for surplus crops and dairy products that will be used to feed hungry children living below the poverty line—supporting local agriculture, reducing food waste, and ensuring no child goes hungry when food is available right here at home.
  • Recognize out-of-state certifications for welders, electricians, plumbers, machinists, and HVAC technicians, so skilled workers can start jobs immediately without needless delays.
  • Require state facilities—including schools, hospitals, and prisons—to prioritize North Carolina–grown food when it’s price-competitive, keeping taxpayer dollars in local communities while supporting family farms and local producers.
  • Create a one-stop business licensing and startup portal, cutting red tape and helping small businesses open faster and grow stronger.
  • Allow e-signatures and online notarization for all business and licensing forms, so entrepreneurs can file paperwork safely and instantly from anywhere in North Carolina.
  • Eliminate the outdated franchise tax and replace it with a simple, flat annual business renewal fee—making taxes fair, predictable, and easy to understand for small business owners.
  • Modernize North Carolina’s outdated ABC system to make it easier for small breweries, distilleries, restaurants, and wine shops to operate—reducing wait times, cutting red tape, and allowing statewide Sunday alcohol sales so every business plays by the same rules.
  • Support training programs and apprenticeships in high-demand trades, ensuring young North Carolinians can build lifelong careers that keep our state strong.

Heidi’s vision is simple: support small businesses, respect skilled trades, and reward hard work with opportunity—not obstacles.