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.
SB 539, the North Carolina Utility Worker Protection Act, increases criminal penalties for assaulting utility workers while they perform their duties. It upgrades such assaults to a Class A1 misdemeanor (from lower-level offenses) and adds specific felony charges if deadly weapons are used. The bill defines "utility worker" broadly to include employees providing gas, electricity, water, internet, cable, telecommunications, sewer, or railroad services, covering both public and private sector workers. The law applies to offenses occurring on or after December 1, 2025, and does not affect prosecutions for acts before that date.
HB 511 establishes new salary levels for full-time magistrates in North Carolina, directly affecting these court officers who handle minor cases like traffic violations and small claims. The bill appropriates $11.5 million annually from the General Fund for 2025-2027 to fund these increases, with specific salary steps outlined in the law. Magistrates will receive raises every two years for the first three experience levels and every four years for higher levels, starting at $47,228 for new hires and reaching $90,498 for the highest step. The changes take effect July 1, 2025, and apply to magistrates working at least 40 hours weekly.
HB 927 allocates $31.7 million in state funds to Durham City and County for specific projects in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It provides $30 million for Durham County to upgrade wastewater infrastructure in Research Triangle Park, $500,000 for city park maintenance, and $500,000 for repairing rural roads in Durham County. The bill also funds court system modernization, including $503,481 for eCourts staffing and $500,000 for a legal support center to improve access to justice. Additionally, it requires the Department of Transportation to study road funding criteria for rural areas to ensure equitable project prioritization. These funds directly support Durham residents through enhanced infrastructure, public services, and court efficiency.
SB 142 allocates $75,000 in nonrecurring funds from the General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to Mecklenburg Council of Elders, Inc., a nonprofit organization. The grant supports the organization in hosting seminars and events to raise awareness of citizens' rights and options in Mecklenburg County, regardless of past legal involvement, and assists with its Juvenile Court Intervention program. This funding directly affects Mecklenburg County residents, particularly those with prior interactions with the legal system, by expanding access to civic education and support services.
HB 501 amends North Carolina law to ensure domestic violence protective orders cover same-sex couples in dating relationships. It removes the requirement that dating relationships must involve "opposite-sex" partners, explicitly including same-sex couples under the definition of "dating relationship" in protective order law. This change directly affects same-sex partners who experience domestic violence and seek protection through the dating relationship provision. The bill takes effect for orders issued after it becomes law, making the legal standard for dating relationships gender-neutral.
SB 322, the Utility Worker Protection Act, increases penalties for assaulting utility or communications workers who are visibly identifiable (e.g., wearing company-logo uniforms or hats) while performing their duties. It specifically targets assaults against workers providing electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, or internet services. The bill reclassifies such assaults as Class 1 misdemeanors, raising the punishment level for these offenses. This change applies to incidents occurring on or after December 1, 2025. The law does not affect prosecutions for offenses committed before that date.
SB 633 prohibits individuals convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense from buying or owning firearms. It requires universal background checks for all firearm sales (including private transactions) and mandates that parents/guardians certify safe firearm storage for students in public schools. The bill also reinstates North Carolina’s pistol permit law. These provisions directly affect firearm sellers, private sellers, and people with domestic violence misdemeanor convictions, aiming to restrict firearm access for specific high-risk groups. The law takes effect December 1, 2025, for new offenses.
HB 52, the "Protect Those Who Serve and Protect Act of 2025," increases penalties for assaults against public safety personnel and their animals. It creates a new Class I felony offense for throwing, spraying, or projecting substances (like water) at public safety officers or law enforcement/search and rescue animals while they are on duty or due to their role. The bill also prohibits intentionally pointing laser devices at these protected individuals or animals during duty. These changes update existing assault laws to explicitly cover a wider range of emergency workers (including firefighters, medical staff, National Guard members, and school employees) and add specific protections for animals used in public safety.
SB 302, "The Sergeant Mickey Hutchens Act," allows law enforcement, probation/parole, and corrections officers in North Carolina who hold specific advanced certificates to purchase up to four years of retirement credit. It directly affects officers with an Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate (from NC Criminal Justice or Sheriffs' training commissions) or an Advanced Corrections Certificate (from NC Criminal Justice Commission), provided they have at least five years of existing retirement service. Officers can pay a lump sum to the retirement system’s Annuity Savings Fund to add this credit, calculated based on actuarial assumptions for the retirement system’s liability. The bill applies to both the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System and Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System, effective July 1, 2025.
