A new bill filed by State Sen. Eddie D. Settle seeks to amend laws on trespass and looting during emergencies, focusing on protecting temporary housing from unlawful damage, according to the North Carolina State Senate.
The bill, filed as SB 164 on Feb. 25 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Theft of Temporary Housing During Emergency.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill amends North Carolina’s laws regarding trespass and looting during a state of emergency by establishing specific penalties for actions involving temporary housing. It introduces a Class F felony for anyone who, without legal justification, enters another person’s premises in an emergency area during a state of emergency and exerts control over, damages, or destroys temporary housing such as tents, trailers, and mobile homes. The bill allows individuals whose property is harmed by such actions to sue for triple the damages, plus court costs and attorney fees. This act is effective Dec. 1, 2025, applying to offenses committed on or after that date.
Of the three sponsors of this bill, Timothy D. Moffitt proposed the most bills (21) 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.
Settle graduated from Wilkes Community College in 1979 with an AA.
Settle, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 36th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Paul Newton.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie D. Settle, Timothy D. Moffitt, and W. Ted Alexander | SB 164 | 02/25/2025 | Theft of Temporary Housing During Emergency. |
| Eddie D. Settle, Carl Ford, and W. Ted Alexander | SB 123 | 02/21/2025 | Flags at Every School. |
| Eddie D. Settle, Michael A. Lazzara, and Vickie Sawyer | SB 113 | 02/17/2025 | Removal of Squatters from Private Property. |
| Eddie D. Settle, Michael A. Lazzara, and Timothy D. Moffitt | SB 71 | 02/11/2025 | Expedited Removal of Unauthorized Persons. |
| Eddie D. Settle, Bobby Hanig, and Timothy D. Moffitt | SB 58 | 02/05/2025 | AG/Restrict Challenge to Presidential EOs. |
| Eddie D. Settle, Danny Earl Britt, Jr., and Warren Daniel | SB 50 | 02/04/2025 | Freedom to Carry NC. |
| Eddie D. Settle, Danny Earl Britt, Jr., and Todd Johnson | SB 51 | 02/04/2025 | Maintain NAIC Accreditation of DOI.-AB |
| Eddie D. Settle | SB 41 | 02/03/2025 | 36th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
