Bill > H95

This bill increases legal protections and penalties for assaults and threats against public officials in North Carolina, specifically expanding the definition of protected officers to include local elected officials. The bill modifies existing statutes to increase criminal penalties by reclassifying certain offenses to higher felony classes: assault on an officer moves from a Class I to a Class G felony, assault with a deadly weapon from a Class F to a Class D felony, and assault causing serious bodily injury from a Class E to a Class C felony. Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions for threats against officers, reclassifying these from a Class I to a Class H felony. A significant new component requires that a judge, not a magistrate, must determine pretrial release conditions for defendants charged with threatening or assaulting public officials, with the judge empowered to impose specific conditions such as staying away from the victim's home, workplace, or other locations, and considering the defendant's criminal history. The bill also modifies election laws to strengthen protections for election officers by expanding the definition of intimidation. These changes will take effect on December 1, 2025, and apply to offenses committed on or after that date, aiming to provide greater legal safeguards for public officials and ensure more careful consideration of pretrial release for individuals charged with such offenses.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H95