Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

This North Carolina legislation expands the state's hate crime laws to cover additional protected characteristics, including gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. It increases criminal penalties for offenses motivated by bias and allows victims or their families to file civil lawsuits for damages such as emotional distress. The bill also requires the state to create a hate crimes statistics database and mandates specialized training for law enforcement officers and prosecutors. Finally, it gives courts the option to order convicted offenders to participate in restorative justice sessions with victims at the defendant's cost.