summary
Introduced
03/25/2025
03/25/2025
In Committee
03/26/2025
03/26/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Session
Bill Summary
AN ACT TO SUPPORT PERSONS ERRONEOUSLY CONVICTED OF FELONIES, TO BE KNOWN AS THE RONNIE LONG NO CAP ACT. Whereas, the State of North Carolina is committed to the principles of liberty and justice, and justice necessitates compensating those who wrongfully lose their liberty; and Whereas, a price cannot be put on the loss of liberty to a wrongful conviction, including the loss of life's milestones - weddings, births, graduations, deaths, and others - that are irreplaceable; and Whereas, in addition to life's milestones, wrongfully incarcerated people often lose their formative years to incarceration, when they otherwise would be learning skills necessary to adulthood, acquiring assets, and building savings; and Whereas, North Carolina has recently seen the exoneration of men who have lost their liberty for decades to wrongful incarceration, including, among others, Ronnie Long (44 years of incarceration), Charles Ray Finch (43 years), Montoyae Dontae Sharpe (25 years), and Howard Dudley (24 years); and Whereas, the $750,000 cap on compensation resulted in wrongfully incarcerated people receiving compensation for only 15 years of the time they served for crimes they did not commit; and Whereas, North Carolina's commitment to justice requires compensating wrongfully incarcerated people for all the years lost to wrongful incarceration; and Whereas, removing the $750,000 cap on compensation would meet these demands of justice and help wrongfully incarcerated people as they transition back to society and try to rebuild their lives following their unjust incarceration; Now, therefore,
AI Summary
This bill, named the Ronnie Long No Cap Act, makes significant changes to support individuals who have been wrongfully convicted of felonies in North Carolina. The bill removes the previous $750,000 cap on compensation for exonerees, allowing them to receive $50,000 for each year they were wrongfully imprisoned. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to seek a waiver to provide Medicaid coverage to exonerees without regard to income, resources, or assets. The Department of Adult Correction is now required to provide comprehensive transition services for exonerees, including assistance with housing, employment, and sustenance, with a maximum cost of $25,000 per person. The bill is retroactive for living exonerees and aims to address the substantial life losses experienced by individuals who have been wrongfully incarcerated, such as missed life milestones and lost opportunities for personal and professional development. The legislation specifically references several notable North Carolina exonerees, including Ronnie Long, who spent 44 years in prison before being cleared of his charges, and seeks to provide more meaningful support for those who have been unjustly imprisoned.
Sponsors (9)
Danny Britt (R)*,
Jim Burgin (R)*,
Graig Meyer (D)*,
Val Applewhite (D),
Sydney Batch (D),
Sophia Chitlik (D),
Julie Mayfield (D),
Natalie Murdock (D),
DeAndrea Salvador (D),
Last Action
Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (on 03/26/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S704 |
| BillText | https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2025/Bills/Senate/PDF/S704v1.pdf |
| BillText | https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2025/Bills/Senate/PDF/S704v0.pdf |
Loading...