Criminal Justice (Corrections)

in committee · North Carolina · House May 6, 2026

HB 1223: Reenact Funding/Mecklenburg Emergency Pension Fund.

This bill renews and expands funding for the Emergency Pension Fund that supports sworn law enforcement officers in Mecklenburg County. It does this by reinstating a $2 fee on criminal court costs for convictions or guilty pleas, while excluding minor traffic violations with small fines or short jail sentences. The collected money must be turned over to the county's Officers Relief Board, and courts will need to submit detailed records of these fees. The changes take effect on October 1, 2026, and apply to cases occurring on or after that date.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill funds emergency pension relief for sworn law enforcement officers, directly supporting the corrections and law enforcement sectors.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts Law Enforcement

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died · North Carolina · Senate May 5, 2026

SB 1031: Returning Citizens Ready to Work.

This bill directs the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction to distribute state funds to 17 local reentry councils starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The primary goal is to help individuals returning to society after incarceration by hiring new staff and providing financial support for housing and transportation. Specific provisions include funding for two new full-time positions at each council, rental assistance for those reentering the community, and transportation vouchers for people under post-release supervision. Additionally, the legislation allocates money to two community colleges to hire education navigators for justice-involved students and funds the creation of online training modules for agencies serving people with criminal records.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill directs state funds to reentry councils for housing and transportation, explicitly advancing budget appropriations for public services.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill funds reentry councils to provide housing and transportation, directly supporting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly funds rental assistance and housing support for returning citizens, directly advancing affordable housing access.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill funds reentry councils to help formerly incarcerated individuals secure housing, transportation, and employment, directly advancing labor access for a vulnerable workforce.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole Renters

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died · North Carolina · Senate May 5, 2026

SB 984: Work Training/Delinquent Child Support.

This bill allows North Carolina courts to order individuals who are behind on child support payments to participate in job search activities or specific work training instead of facing jail time. Under the new rules, a person subject to this order must pay at least $50 per month in support, attend the program for no more than six months, and report their progress to the court every 30 days. The legislation also allocates $3 million in state funds to community colleges to help cover the costs of providing these training programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $3 million in state funds to community colleges for work training programs.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill offers work training and job search alternatives to jail time for delinquent child support, promoting rehabilitation and reducing incarceration.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts

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in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 27, 2026

HB 1044: Justice in Mental Health Act.

This bill aims to improve the connection between the court system and mental health services in North Carolina to reduce unnecessary jail time. It directs state agencies to create training for judges and staff on spotting mental health risks and to build a framework for sending court-involved individuals to treatment instead of detention. The legislation also updates legal standards for determining when someone is a danger to others and provides funding to support these new programs and data-sharing systems.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill promotes criminal justice reform by reducing unnecessary jail time and expanding mental health treatment options for court-involved individuals.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill strengthens mental health services by funding training, creating treatment frameworks, and reducing unnecessary jail time.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts Mental Health

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in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 26, 2025

SB 702: Bail Bond Omnibus.

SB 702 modifies North Carolina's bail bond laws, primarily updating procedures for setting aside bond forfeitures. It directly affects bail bond companies (sureties) and defendants by adding specific circumstances under which a forfeiture can be overturned, such as if the defendant was incarcerated in a jail or prison during the period of failure to appear. Key provisions require bail bond companies to provide documented proof (like prison records or court documents) to the district attorney within 10 days of the defendant's incarceration, and mandate that the district attorney must be notified of the incarceration while the defendant remains detained. The bill also clarifies that forfeitures can be set aside only for these explicitly listed reasons, not other circumstances. This streamlines the process for bond companies seeking to avoid financial liability when defendants miss court due to legitimate incarceration.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeUpdates bail forfeiture procedures to protect defendants from unjust penalties when incarcerated during failure-to-appear, enhancing due process in criminal justice system.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts

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in committee · North Carolina · House Feb 6, 2025

HB 61: Assaults on First Responders.

HB 61 increases penalties for assaulting certain emergency personnel with a firearm in North Carolina. It reclassifies assaults against law enforcement officers, probation/parole officers, National Guard members, detention facility staff, emergency medical technicians, medical responders, firefighters, and law enforcement telecommunicators as a Class B1 felony (instead of Class D) when committed during their duties. The bill specifically targets firearm assaults, making them punishable by more severe prison sentences. This law takes effect December 1, 2025, for offenses occurring on or after that date.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for assaulting first responders by reclassifying assaults as Class B1 felony, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of harsher sentencing.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects healthcare workers (EMTs, medical responders) by increasing penalties for firearm assaults against them during duties, directly strengthening healthcare workforce safety.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Firearms Probation & Parole

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in committee · North Carolina · Senate Feb 24, 2025

SB 129: Booking Photograph Privacy Act.

SB 129, the Booking Photograph Privacy Act, prohibits North Carolina law enforcement agencies from releasing booking photographs - images taken during arrest or jail processing - making them confidential and not public records. The law directly affects individuals arrested and processed by police departments, sheriff's offices, or other law enforcement agencies. It bans publishing, distributing, or releasing these photos except when connected to a missing person report or if a court orders release for immediate law enforcement needs. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects arrestee privacy by restricting public release of booking photos, aligning with civil rights and reducing potential harm from unregulated law enforcement record disclosure.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyProhibits public release of booking photos, strengthening digital privacy protections for arrest records under data privacy framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts Policing

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in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 421: Prison Reform Omnibus.

SB 421, the "Fair and Rehabilitative Prison Labor Act," replaces outdated North Carolina prison labor laws to ensure incarcerated individuals receive fair pay, vocational training, and protections. It requires prison labor programs to pay at least $5 per hour (or state minimum wage for PIECP-certified programs), prioritize job skills for post-release employment, and prohibit using prison labor to displace migrant or seasonal agricultural workers. The bill mandates annual transparency reports on wages, hours worked, and job impacts in agriculture, and requires labor market assessments before agricultural contracts. These changes directly affect incarcerated people in North Carolina prisons, prison labor programs, and agricultural businesses that contract prison labor.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates fair prison labor pay, vocational training for reentry, and prohibits displacing agricultural workers - directly advancing rehabilitation and reducing recidivism per criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationProhibits prison labor from displacing migrant agricultural workers, protecting immigrant laborers' employment in agriculture.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 464: Inmate Medicaid Suspension/Team-Based Care.

SB 464 creates a new team-based care coordination service for Medicaid recipients with substance use disorders, including screening, medication treatment, recovery support, and case management. It also changes Medicaid policy to suspend coverage during incarceration (rather than terminate it), aligning with federal law to maintain access to care upon release. The bill requires the state health department to develop this service, report costs and implementation plans by October 2025, and launch a statewide education campaign for providers. This directly affects Medicaid enrollees with substance use disorders and incarcerated individuals in North Carolina.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill maintains Medicaid access during incarceration (vs termination) and creates team-based substance use treatment for inmates, advancing rehabilitation-focused correctional healthcare reform to reduce recidivism.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates team-based Medicaid care for substance use disorders, maintains coverage during incarceration to improve access, and requires implementation plans - directly expands healthcare services and continuity for vulnerable populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Medicaid Substance Abuse

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died · North Carolina · Senate Mar 26, 2025

SB 620: The STRONG Act of 2025.

SB 620, the STRONG Act of 2025, targets North Carolina's fentanyl crisis through several key measures. It significantly increases prison terms and fines for drug trafficking, especially for fentanyl, heroin, or carfentanil (e.g., 28+ grams carries a minimum 225-month sentence), and adds 60 months to sentences for offenses near schools or parks (Section 3.3). The bill appropriates $10 million for the State Bureau of Investigation's Drug Task Force (Section 4.1) and expands the Controlled Substances Reporting System. It also funds opioid prevention/treatment programs and creates a tax credit for businesses hiring staff trained in substance use disorder (Section 4.2). These provisions directly affect traffickers, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and eligible businesses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates $10M for Drug Task Force, directly funding a public safety program through state budget.90% confidence ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases mandatory sentences (225+ months for fentanyl trafficking), adds penalties near schools, funds enforcement over reform. Explicitly expands criminalization.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Corrections Drug Policy

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