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HB 913 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Liability/Unfair/Deceptive Development Actions.

HB 913 aims to hold local governments accountable for development decisions by allowing or mandating the recovery of attorneys' fees and, in some cases, punitive damages for parties who successfully sue them. It directly affects local governments and individuals or entities involved in development projects. The bill mandates attorneys' fees if a local government intentionally violates development laws, intentionally delays approvals, or acts deceptively to provoke legal action. Additionally, punitive damages, up to ten times the proven harm, can be awarded if a local government acts in a flagrantly unfair or deceptive manner with the intent to cause legal action. However, local governments are protected from these awards if they acted in reasonable reliance on court orders or Attorney General opinions.
Issues: ✓ HousingSupports HousingHolds local governments accountable for delaying development approvals, potentially accelerating housing projects by reducing bureaucratic barriers.85% confidence
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 5, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Edition 1 → Edition 2 · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill revision clarifies who can seek legal fees and punitive damages from local governments for unfair development decisions. The changes replace vague references to 'the party' with more specific 'person with standing' language, and update who qualifies for fee recovery in cases of intentional misconduct or delays.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on holding local governments accountable for development decisions, but eligibility for fee recovery is now more precisely defined around standing and specific circumstances of government misconduct.
ELIGIBILITY

Changed references from 'party' to 'person with standing' throughout the fee recovery provisions to clarify who qualifies for legal fee reimbursement.

Updated fee recovery language to specify that the person with standing must show the local government intentionally acted in violation, intentionally delayed approval, or acted unfairly/deceptively with intent to cause their action.

ENFORCEMENT

Changed 'plaintiff' to 'prevailing party' in the damages definition section to broaden who can claim damages beyond just the original plaintiff.

TECHNICAL

Minor formatting adjustments including spacing, line numbers, and version identifiers (v-1 to v-2) without substantive policy impact.

Floor votes · House May 1, 2025

How they voted

69–38
Passed · 14 other
Total votes 121
May 1, 2025
D Democratic46
3 Yea 36 Nay 7
78% Nay
I Independent2
1 Yea 1 Nay
50% Nay
R Republican73
65 Yea 1 Nay 7
89% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
16
Key actions
4
Committee
7
May 5, 2025
Committee
Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
upper
May 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed 3rd Reading
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Committee
Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav Com Substitute
lower
Apr 17, 2025
Committee
Re-ref Com On State and Local Government
lower
Apr 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav
lower
Apr 14, 2025
Committee
Ref to the Com on Housing and Development, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Introduced
Filed
lower
0 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.