Bill > H49

This bill clarifies North Carolina's filial responsibility law by modifying existing statute G.S. 14-326.1 to provide more explicit guidance on supporting parents. The bill maintains the existing provision that adult children with sufficient income who do not support their sick or unable-to-work parents can be charged with a misdemeanor, with penalties escalating from a Class 2 to a Class 1 misdemeanor for repeat offenses. It introduces two new subsections: one specifying that when multiple adult children are responsible for supporting a parent, they should share the financial burden equitably, and another explicitly stating that adult children are not legally responsible for their parents' personal debts. The bill aims to provide clearer legal parameters around children's responsibilities to support their elderly or disabled parents while also protecting adult children from being held liable for their parents' financial obligations. The legislation becomes effective immediately upon becoming law.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H49