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HB 771 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Criminal Law Procedures.

House Bill 771 modifies criminal law procedures by expanding the ability to preserve witness testimony through depositions. It authorizes the State to take depositions from material witnesses in criminal cases under specific conditions, such as when a witness is in danger, elderly, or unlikely to be available for trial. Defendants already have the right to depose witnesses who are infirm, incapacitated, or non-residents. The bill outlines procedures for these depositions, ensuring defendants receive notice, have the right to be present, and can have legal counsel.
Issues: ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands State's ability to preserve witness testimony under specific conditions, enhancing procedural fairness in criminal cases without restricting defendant rights.92% confidence
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Apr 3, 2025 Last action Apr 30, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Filed → Edition 1 · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill underwent significant formatting and structural changes during its review process, including updates to header information, document identifiers, and line numbering. The substantive legislative content regarding deposition procedures for witnesses appears to remain largely unchanged, with the core provisions for when depositions may be ordered and the procedural requirements intact.
TECHNICAL

Header information was updated to reflect the current session date (April 7, 2025) and revised document identifiers from DRH10350-SA-8 to H771-v-1.

Sponsorship information was changed to direct readers to the North Carolina General Assembly website for a complete list of sponsors, replacing the previous format.

Line numbering and formatting were reorganized throughout the document, with the legislative text being renumbered from lines 1-50 to lines 1-50 in a new sequence.

The document was truncated at the end of the provided diff, cutting off mid-sentence at subsection (d) regarding notification of the officer having custody of a defendant.

Floor votes · House Apr 29, 2025

How they voted

112–3
Passed · 6 other
Total votes 121
Apr 29, 2025
D Democratic46
39 Yea 3 Nay 4
84% Yea
I Independent2
2 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican73
71 Yea 2
97% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
14
Key actions
3
Committee
5
Apr 30, 2025
Committee
Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
upper
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed 3rd Reading
lower
Apr 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Committee
Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav
lower
Apr 7, 2025
Committee
Ref to the Com on Judiciary 2, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Apr 3, 2025
Introduced
Filed
lower
0 primary · 4 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.