HB 22 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Fire Investigation Law Revisions.

HB 22 expands the investigatory authority of North Carolina's State Fire Marshal to investigate fires, particularly clarifying when the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) must lead investigations (e.g., for deaths, serious injuries, arson, or government/educational buildings). It requires fire departments, county marshals, and the State Fire Marshal to submit detailed written reports within one week of a fire, including cause, property details, and ownership, with electronic options available. Insurance companies must now provide fire loss information to authorized officials upon request. This directly affects fire investigators, insurance companies, and property owners involved in fire incidents by standardizing reporting and increasing investigative oversight.

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 29, 2025 Last action Mar 11, 2025

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What changed between versions

Edition 1 → Edition 2 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill revision updates the Fire Investigation Law by clarifying which officials have authority over fire investigations and modernizing how reports are submitted. The changes expand supervisory powers to include both the State Bureau of Investigation Director and State Fire Marshal, and allow electronic submission of fire reports instead of requiring written statements.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on fire investigation procedures, but the applicability of supervisory authority is now explicitly shared between two agencies rather than one.

ENFORCEMENT

Changed fire investigation supervision authority from 'either the Director of the State Bureau of Investigation or the State Fire Marshal' to 'both the Director of the State Bureau of Investigation and the State Fire Marshal', meaning both agencies now have concurrent supervisory rights over investigations.

TECHNICAL

Added language allowing fire reports to be submitted electronically using computers, magnetic tapes, or telecommunications systems instead of requiring written statements, modernizing the reporting process.

Removed the specific mention of 'standard punch cards' as an approved format for submitting fire reports, updating the technology references to be more current.

REQUIREMENT

Added provisions allowing investigations to be conducted privately with the ability to exclude persons not required to be present, giving investigators more discretion over investigation procedures.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 11, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Insurance

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav Com Substitute

lower

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

Re-ref to the Com on State and Local Government, if favorable, Insurance, if favorable, Judiciary 1, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Committee

Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Introduced

Filed

lower

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors