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HB 923

Protect Personal Information/Judicial Personnel.

2025-2026 Session

HB 923 lets eligible judicial officials have their personal identifying information removed from public websites, online databases, and GIS upon written request.

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Bill Summary · HB 923

Summary — HB 923: Protect Personal Information / Judicial Personnel

Status note: The materials provided include multiple drafts and procedural entries. The bill text summarized below reflects the North Carolina Committee Substitute (Second Edition) of House Bill 923 (2025 session). The file also includes an earlier House-first-edition and related procedural history. Because public records show different procedural steps across versions, confirm final enactment status on the North Carolina General Assembly website for the authoritative current status.

Main purpose / intent

HB 923 is designed to protect the personal safety and privacy of judges, prosecutors, public defenders and other specified judicial officials by requiring public agencies (state, county, city) to remove certain personal identifying information from websites, online databases, and geographic information systems (GIS) when requested by eligible judicial officials. The bill also clarifies confidentiality limits for certain personnel information of sworn law enforcement officers.

Key provisions

  • New §132‑20 (removal from public websites / databases)

    • Any eligible judicial official may submit a written request that “personal identifying information” about them (and optionally their spouse) be removed from any public agency website, online database, or GIS that is accessible to the general public.
    • Required contents of a request: requester’s name, evidence of eligibility, and the specific personal identifying information to be removed.
    • Public agencies must develop and publish a process to receive and process such requests and must remove the information if the request complies with the statute.
    • Removed information shall not be made available online again unless the official provides a written revocation.
    • The removal request and any revocation are not public records and must be kept confidential; however, the underlying information remains a public record and can be disclosed as otherwise permitted under the public records law.
    • Public agencies and their officers are immune from liability for good‑faith compliance with the statute.

  • Definitions

    • “Judicial official” (broadly defined) includes magistrates; state judges and justices; district attorneys and assistants; assistant attorneys general employed by the NC DOJ; U.S. Attorneys and assistants; public defenders and assistants; federal judges; clerks of superior court; and resource prosecutors employed by the Conference of District Attorneys.
    • “Personal identifying information” (excludes name) includes: physical residential addresses, personal phone numbers, identifying information as defined in G.S. 14‑113.20(b) (e.g., certain account/password/personal ID data), and vital records (birth and marriage certificates).

  • Geographic information systems and online databases

    • Amendments to statutes governing GIS and online public records require counties, cities, and other public agencies to comply with §132‑20 and remove requested personal identifying information from GIS databases and online public-records databases.

  • Law enforcement personnel records

    • Clarifies/expands protections for sworn law enforcement officers by prohibiting disclosure (to other employees or the public) of: residence information, emergency contact information, and identifying information as defined in G.S. 14‑113.20, except as otherwise allowed by existing public-records exceptions or for personal safety.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: judges, magistrates, district attorneys, assistant DAs, prosecutors employed by the NC DOJ, U.S. Attorneys and assistants, public defenders and assistants, federal judges, clerks of superior court, resource prosecutors and (optionally) their spouses.
  • Government actors: all public agencies (state, county, city) that maintain websites, online databases, or GIS systems; their web administrators and records custodians must adopt processes to handle requests.
  • Public access: members of the public and third parties who use publicly posted location/contact information may find less information available online for protected officials; the underlying records remain subject to public‑records law (may be obtain-able by other lawful means).

Procedural / implementation timeline

  • The committee substitute requires each public agency to develop and make available a removal process. One earlier version specified implementation by October 1, 2025.
  • The bill’s effective date language varies across drafts. The Committee Substitute indicates the statute takes effect when it becomes law. Check the official legislative status for enactment date and any effective-date language in the enrolled or enacted act.

Practical impacts and considerations

  • Safety/privacy: The bill reduces online exposure of residential addresses, phone numbers, and other sensitive identifiers for covered judicial officials — intended to reduce risks of harassment, targeted threats, or other harms.
  • Administrative burden: Agencies must create and maintain application processes, remove content from websites/databases/GIS, and keep removal requests confidential; modest implementation costs and staff time are likely.
  • Transparency tradeoff: The statute restricts online availability of certain information but preserves public‑record status (so disclosures remain possible under Chapter 132 rules).
  • Liability protection: Agencies acting in good faith are insulated from civil liability for complying with requests.

For the current procedural status (committee actions, enrollment, or enactment), refer to the North Carolina General Assembly bill page for HB 923 (2025 session).

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

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