HB 953 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Study Committee on Assistant District Attorney/Assistant Public Defender/Private Assigned Counsel Pay.

HB 953 establishes a Study Committee to examine the pay rates of assistant district attorneys, assistant public defenders, and private assigned counsel in North Carolina. This 12-member committee, comprising legislators, judicial representatives, and legal professionals, will research current pay structures, compare them to other states, and analyze factors affecting attorney recruitment and retention, including cost-of-living. The committee is tasked with studying various pay models and will report its findings and legislative recommendations to the General Assembly by March 2026 and March 2027.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Apr 10, 2025 Last action May 7, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Edition 1 → Edition 2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly revised to reduce the number of voting committee members and change how committee leadership is structured. The original version included two representatives from District Attorneys and Indigent Defense Services, plus two voting members from each organization, while the new version reduces these to one voting member each and adds designee options. The leadership structure also shifted from Executive Directors serving as co-chairs to House and Senate leaders designating co-chairs from their appointees.

Scope change

The committee composition was reduced from 12 voting members to 10 voting members, with changes to how representatives from District Attorneys and Indigent Defense Services are appointed.

ELIGIBILITY

Reduced voting members from Conference of District Attorneys from two to one, and added option for designee appointment.

Reduced voting members from Office of Indigent Defense Services from two to one, and added option for designee appointment.

Removed two voting members appointed by Conference of District Attorneys and two voting members appointed by Office of Indigent Defense Services.

REQUIREMENT

Changed co-chair selection from Executive Directors serving as co-chairs to House and Senate leaders designating co-chairs from their appointees.

Removed Section 2 regarding nonvoting members and co-chairs, replacing it with new Section 2 on co-chair designation.

Floor votes · House May 7, 2025

How they voted

110–0

Passed · 11 other

Total votes 121

May 7, 2025

D Democratic46

42 Yea 4

91% Yea

I Independent2

2 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican73

66 Yea 7

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 7, 2025

Committee

Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

upper

May 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed 3rd Reading

lower

May 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav

lower

May 6, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

May 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav Com Substitute

lower

May 1, 2025

Committee

Re-ref to the Com on Judiciary 2, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

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

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Introduced

Filed

lower

2 primary · 11 co-sponsors