A new bill filed by State Rep. Stevens in the North Carolina House seeks to strengthen penalties and improve legal clarity in criminal cases, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 308 on March 5 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Criminal Law Changes.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill amends criminal statutes in North Carolina to enhance penalties for certain offenses and clarify legal procedures. It increases the severity of penalties for offenses involving strangulation, shifting some cases from Class F to Class E or Class H to Class G felonies, and clarifies definitions and procedures related to domestic violence misdemeanors. Additionally, it prohibits expunctions for individuals with pending charges or warrants, ensuring such cases cannot be cleared from records if there are ongoing legal proceedings. The bill also mandates that sentences run consecutively unless specified otherwise by the court, altering the administration of multiple sentence terms. The provisions become effective Dec. 1, 2025, applying to relevant offenses and petitions filed from that date onward.
Stevens proposed another five bills during the 2025 regular session.
Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
Stevens graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1981 with a BS and again in 1986 from Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law with a JD.
Stevens, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2009 to represent the state’s 90th House district, replacing previous state representative Jim Harrell.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Stevens | HB 308 | 03/05/2025 | Criminal Law Changes. |
| Sarah Stevens | HB 307 | 03/05/2025 | Various Criminal Law Revisions. |
| Sarah Stevens | HB 237 | 02/26/2025 | Child Welfare. |
| Sarah Stevens, Hugh Blackwell, Kyle Hall, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 182 | 02/24/2025 | Rev. Law Perm. Protect Order/Child Abuse. |
| Sarah Stevens and Keith Kidwell | HB 188 | 02/24/2025 | Automatic Renewal of Contracts. |
| Sarah Stevens, Carson Smith, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Jennifer Balkcom | HB 164 | 02/21/2025 | Parental Consent to Release Child Autopsies. |
