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HB 212 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Condemnation/Service on Spouses Not Required.

House Bill 212 revises the procedures for the Department of Transportation (DOT) when initiating condemnation actions to acquire private property. It specifies that the DOT is no longer required to formally notify or include spouses of property owners in these actions unless the spouse has a direct ownership interest in the land. Additionally, the bill clarifies that a surviving spouse cannot claim a life estate in real estate that was condemned by the DOT before the deceased spouse's death. These changes aim to streamline the condemnation process and apply to actions initiated on or after October 1, 2025.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 25, 2025 Last action May 7, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

A1: ACN-2-V-3 → Edition 1 · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill clarifies that the North Carolina Department of Transportation does not need to serve or join spouses in condemnation cases unless the spouse has an ownership interest beyond a potential future election right. It also updates related statutes to align with this change and adds liens disclosure requirements to condemnation complaints.
Scope change
The bill expands clarity on who must be served in condemnation proceedings by explicitly excluding spouses whose only interest is a potential future election right under G.S. 29-30.
ELIGIBILITY

Department of Transportation is not required to serve or join spouses of property owners unless the spouse has an interest in the land other than a possibility of a future election under G.S. 29-30.

Added specific exception in G.S. 29-30 stating that real estate taken by DOT in condemnation actions initiated before the deceased spouse's death does not qualify for the surviving spouse's life estate election.

REQUIREMENT

Updated G.S. 136-103 to clarify service requirements and add requirement to disclose liens or encumbrances on condemned property.

TIMELINE

Bill becomes effective October 1, 2025 and applies to condemnation actions initiated on or after that date.

Floor votes · House May 6, 2025

How they voted

113–0
Passed · 8 other
Total votes 121
May 6, 2025
D Democratic46
42 Yea 4
91% Yea
I Independent2
2 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican73
69 Yea 4
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
5
Committee
7
Amendments
1
May 7, 2025
Committee
Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
upper
May 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed 3rd Reading
lower
May 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amend Adopted A1
lower
May 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav
lower
Mar 18, 2025
Committee
Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Mar 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Committee
Re-ref Com On Judiciary 3
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav
lower
Feb 27, 2025
Committee
Ref to the Com on Transportation, if favorable, Judiciary 3, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Feb 25, 2025
Introduced
Filed
lower
0 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.