Criminal Justice

failed · North Carolina · House Aug 6, 2026

HB 308: 2026 Criminal Law Changes.

HB 308 reclassifies strangulation as a Class H felony (up from Class G) and clarifies "serious bodily injury" to include permanent disfigurement or prolonged hospitalization. It clarifies that certain domestic violence misdemeanors cannot be treated as lesser offenses under related statutes and creates a new "habitual misdemeanor assault" offense for repeat offenders involving domestic violence. The bill prohibits expunging criminal records for individuals with pending charges and requires judges to review criminal history when setting pretrial release conditions in domestic violence cases. Judges must also impose specific conditions like staying away from victims' homes or abstaining from alcohol for those charged under domestic violence laws.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeReclassifies strangulation as higher felony, prohibits expungement for pending charges, creates habitual offender provision - increases penalties and restricts defendant rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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signed · North Carolina · House Jul 8, 2026

HB 206: DPS/Other Changes.

HB 206 modifies North Carolina's process for handling firearms surrendered under domestic violence protective orders. It requires defendants to immediately surrender firearms, ammunition, and permits to the sheriff when such orders are issued, with a 24-hour deadline if immediate surrender isn't possible. The bill clarifies that sheriffs must store these items, may charge reasonable storage fees, and must conduct criminal background checks before returning firearms after the order ends. This directly affects domestic violence defendants, victims, and sheriffs managing firearm storage and retrieval.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires firearm surrender in domestic violence cases to enhance victim safety and prevent gun violence, aligning with criminal justice reform priorities.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jun 22, 2026

SB 484: Clarify Tourism-Related Expenditures.

This bill amends North Carolina's workplace violence prevention laws to include "mass picketing" as a form of unlawful conduct. It defines mass picketing as any picketing that obstructs entry to or exit from a workplace or public roads. The bill expands the definition of "unlawful conduct" to include hindering work or blocking access through mass picketing. This allows employers to seek civil no-contact orders against individuals engaging in these newly defined unlawful acts. The legislation explicitly states it does not apply to union activities or labor disputes protected by federal law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCriminalizes protest activities under CRIMES, expanding criminalization of mass picketing as unlawful conduct per bill's definition.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRestricts worker organizing by criminalizing mass picketing (a labor protest tactic) and enabling employer lawsuits against protesters, weakening collective action rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

passed · North Carolina · House May 14, 2026

HB 1219: Memorandums of Understanding Tennessee Counties/Madison.

This bill allows Madison County in North Carolina to sign agreements with sheriff's offices in three neighboring Tennessee counties for joint law enforcement work. These agreements would enable the sheriff's offices to cooperate on special operations and other crime-fighting activities across state lines. The bill also requires that any such agreement include a plan for sharing liability for damages and mandates an annual report to the state Department of Justice.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enables cross-state law enforcement cooperation and crime-fighting activities, directly strengthening criminal justice efforts.85% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

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signed · North Carolina · House Oct 3, 2025

HB 307: Iryna's Law.

HB 307, "Iryna's Law," modifies North Carolina's pretrial release rules for defendants charged with specific violent offenses, including murder, rape, and certain sexual offenses against children. It requires police to inform judicial officials about defendant behavior observed during arrest that suggests danger to self/others, and restricts pretrial release for those charged with the listed violent crimes. The bill also extends probation terms for youth convicted of violent offenses, mandates victim notification when probation ends, and appropriates funds for additional legal staff in Judicial District 26. These changes directly affect defendants facing violent crime charges, victims, and court resources in the specified district.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts pretrial release for violent offenses and extends probation terms, increasing custody duration and limiting defendant rights.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

passed both · North Carolina · House Sep 22, 2025

HB 42: Back the Blue Pay Act.

This bill revises North Carolina's burglary and breaking-and-entering laws to increase penalties when a firearm or deadly weapon is used. It raises the felony classification by one level for offenses like burglary (first/second degree), breaking out of a dwelling at night, or entering a building with intent to commit a felony or terrorize occupants, if a weapon was present during the crime. The law directly affects individuals convicted of these specific offenses when a firearm was involved, not the general public. It does not change sentencing for weapon-free offenses or address police pay, despite the title "Back the Blue Pay Act" suggesting otherwise. The changes take effect December 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for weapon-assisted burglaries by raising felony classifications - directly expanding criminalization and mandatory sentencing per bill summary.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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signed · North Carolina · House Jul 29, 2025

HB 318: The Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act.

HB 318 requires North Carolina county jails and detention facilities to check the immigration status of individuals charged with specific offenses (including certain felonies, misdemeanors, and impaired driving) and to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if a detainer is issued. If ICE issues a detainer, facilities must hold the person for up to 48 hours (or until ICE takes custody) and notify ICE 2 hours before the person would otherwise be released. For pretrial defendants facing similar charges, the bill mandates a two-hour hold to allow ICE to issue a detainer; if none is received, the defendant must be released. The law also shields state officials from liability when following these procedures.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRequires local jails to hold individuals for ICE detainers, reducing defendant rights and expanding immigration enforcement within criminal justice system85% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationMandates local jails to verify immigration status and hold individuals for ICE detainers, increasing state cooperation with federal enforcement per bill's requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jul 9, 2025

SB 311: The Law and Order Act.

SB 311, titled "The Law and Order Act," increases penalties for assaulting utility and communications workers while they are identifiable in uniform and performing duties. It also creates new offenses, including criminal possession of embalming fluid, larceny of gift cards, and unlawful possession of certain explosive devices. The bill enhances punishments for reckless driving causing death, hit-and-run offenses, and firearm use by felons during crimes, while adding a mitigating factor for impaired drivers using ignition interlocks. Additional provisions revise burglary penalties, expand workplace violence prevention to cover mass picketing, and establish civil liability for gift card theft. The bill directly affects workers in essential services and individuals committing specified violent or property crimes.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for multiple offenses, creates new crimes (e.g., embalming fluid possession), and enhances punishments without reform elements, expanding criminalization.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · North Carolina · Senate Jul 9, 2025

SB 429: 2025 Public Safety Act.

SB 429 creates new criminal offenses for knowingly exposing children under 16 to controlled substances (like drugs or opioids), with penalties ranging from a Class H felony (exposure alone) to a Class B1 felony (if exposure causes death). It also revises rules for sharing autopsy records: medical examiners must provide finalized toxicology and autopsy reports to prosecutors during criminal investigations, but public disclosure is restricted to specific recipients like family members or estate representatives. The law applies to offenses occurring on or after December 1, 2025, and excludes cases where a medical professional administers prescribed medication to a child. This bill directly affects caregivers, medical examiners, and prosecutors handling child exposure cases.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offenses for drug exposure to minors with enhanced penalties (Class B1 felony for causing death), expanding criminalization and increasing sentencing severity, opposing reform efforts.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · North Carolina · House Jul 2, 2025

HB 620: Administrative Office of the Courts Agency Requests.

HB 620 adds High Point University School of Law to the list of educational institutions receiving five free copies of appellate court reports annually. It establishes a new program within the Administrative Office of the Courts to oversee local accountability and recovery courts, requiring annual reports on their operation and effectiveness. The bill also prohibits modifying court forms without clear notation of changes and removes public notice requirements for name changes when applicants are in address confidentiality programs or victims of domestic violence, sexual offense, or stalking, keeping related records private. These changes directly affect courts, law schools, attorneys, and individuals seeking name changes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes program for recovery courts (addressing substance abuse) with annual effectiveness reports, directly supporting criminal justice reform through rehabilitation oversight.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice