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HB 483

Juvenile Justice Legislative Proposals.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Jennifer Balkcom and 12 co-sponsors

Extends supervision for serious juvenile offenses: probation up to 3 years and three years of post-release supervision, boosting monitoring and public safety.

Regular Message Received From House
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Bill Summary · HB 483

Summary — HB 483: Juvenile Justice Legislative Proposals (North Carolina, 2025)

Status snapshot
- Introduced March 24, 2025 (House). Committee substitute (2nd edition) reported favorable 4/29/2025. Referred to Judiciary 1 (if favorable), Rules, Calendar and Operations of the House. As of the latest version, the bill is under legislative consideration (see legislative actions for detailed chronology).

Purpose
- To revise multiple aspects of North Carolina juvenile justice law to (1) lengthen supervision for juveniles adjudicated of certain violent felonies, (2) strengthen victims’ notification rights, (3) modify secure-custody criteria (including for domestic-violence protective-order violations), and (4) make several procedural, definitional, and confinement clarifications recommended by the Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Key provisions (major changes)
1. Extend probation terms for serious juvenile adjudications
- Amends G.S. 7B‑2510: For juveniles adjudicated of offenses that would be Class A, B1, or B2 felonies if committed by an adult, the court may extend probation in one‑year increments (after notice and hearing) up to a total maximum of three years.

  1. Victim notice and participation on termination of supervision

    • Amends G.S. 7B‑2511 and 7B‑2514: Clarifies that when probation or post‑release supervision (PRS) is being terminated in cases involving victims (as defined in Article 20A), victims who have requested notice must be provided notice and an opportunity to be heard. Also addresses which agency provides notice in different contexts (e.g., Division of Juvenile Justice).

  2. Longer post‑release supervision for certain felonies

    • Amends G.S. 7B‑2514: PRS plans for offenses that would be Class A, B1, B2, or C felonies if committed by an adult shall require three years of post‑release supervision (rather than the general 90 days–1 year range).

  3. Secure custody criteria and related authority

    • Amends G.S. 7B‑1903: Clarifies that a superior court judge may enter secure custody after a case is removed to juvenile court. Adds that secure custody may be ordered where a juvenile is charged with violating a Chapter 50B (domestic violence) protective order in specified ways (e.g., unlawful exclusion-from‑residence or prohibited acts under G.S. 50B‑3(a)(9)).

  4. Other clarifications and additions

    • Limits felony school-notification requirements to Class A–E felonies.
    • Extends retention period for closed complaints to allow prosecutor review.
    • Creates a criminal offense for escaping from a juvenile justice facility or officer.
    • Clarifies and makes technical corrections to the juvenile “capacity to proceed” process.
    • Clarifies the place of confinement for persons under 18 who are sentenced to imprisonment in the adult Department of Correction and clarifies process for removal from superior to juvenile court.

Who is affected
- Youth adjudicated in juvenile court (especially those adjudicated for offenses equivalent to Class A–C felonies).
- Victims of juvenile offenses (expanded notice/hearing rights).
- Juvenile court judges, superior court judges, juvenile court counselors, Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, prosecutors, law enforcement, and juvenile detention facility staff.
- Local and state justice system operations (supervision caseloads, custody decisions, prosecutorial review).

Potential impacts and considerations
- Public safety/recidivism: Longer probation and PRS for serious offenses are intended to extend supervision and support/monitoring for higher‑risk youth.
- Victim participation: Clarifies and strengthens victims’ procedural rights to notice and opportunity to be heard before termination of supervision.
- Custody authority: Authorizing secure custody for certain protective-order violations broadens detention options in domestic-violence contexts.
- Administrative/fiscal: Changes (longer supervision periods, expanded custody uses, retention of records) could affect Division caseloads, detention populations, and prosecutorial workload; the bill text does not include an explicit fiscal note in the provided materials.

Procedural / timeline notes
- The bill has been through committee substitution and favorable reporting (Committee Substitute Favorable 4/29/25). Further committee and floor action will determine final passage; effective date would be as specified in the enacted bill (not shown in the excerpt).

Sponsor / source
- Sponsored in the House (primary sponsor list includes Representative Davis and co-sponsors in the House version). The bill reflects recommendations from the Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

For more detail
- Key statutory sections amended include G.S. 7B‑1903, 7B‑2510, 7B‑2511, and 7B‑2514; the bill text contains additional technical and procedural amendments. Review the committee substitute (2nd edition) for the current precise statutory language.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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