Rep. Stevens files bill in North Carolina House to change district attorney appointments

A new bill filed by State Rep. Sarah Stevens in the North Carolina House seeks to revise the procedure for filling district attorney vacancies to ensure qualified appointments, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 478 on March 20 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Modify Appointment Process for DA Vacancies.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill modifies the process for appointing district attorneys in North Carolina when vacancies arise. It stipulates that the governor will appoint a replacement from a list of up to three qualified candidates recommended by the district executive committee of the vacating attorney’s political party. If the vacating district attorney was unaffiliated, recommendations will come from a majority of the General Assembly members representing the district. If no recommendations are made within 30 days, the governor may appoint a qualified person independently. An appointee will serve until the next General Assembly election occurring more than 60 days after the vacancy, with special provisions if the term ends on January 1 following such election. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law and applies to all appointments thereafter.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Kyle Hall and Brian Biggs proposed the most bills (20) 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.