HB 446 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Prohibition on Disclosing Booking Photographs.

HB 446 prevents law enforcement from sharing booking photographs (taken during initial arrest) with websites or publications that require payment to remove the photos. It requires those "pay-to-remove" sites to delete such photos within seven business days if the person was not convicted (and provides proof of dismissal, acquittal, or expungement). Sites that fail to comply face civil penalties, including $100 per day for each day the photo remains visible. This directly affects individuals arrested but not convicted and "pay-to-remove" online platforms.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 18, 2025 Last action Mar 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Filed → Edition 1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill update primarily involves formatting and metadata changes rather than substantive policy modifications. The bill text content regarding booking photograph removal requirements remains identical between versions, with no changes to eligibility criteria, deadlines, penalties, or effective dates.

TECHNICAL

Header information was updated to reflect the bill number format (H446-v-1) and added additional sponsor information listing Representatives T. Brown, A. Jones, and Reives as primary sponsors.

Document reference numbers were changed from 'DRH40214-ND-15' to 'H446-v-1' to match the new bill version identifier.

Page footer text was updated to show 'House Bill 446-First Edition' instead of the previous reference number.

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Full legislative history

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Key actions

Committee

Mar 20, 2025

Committee

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

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Introduced

Filed

lower

2 primary · 18 co-sponsors