Jaleeyah’s Law would expand gang prosecution resources, toughen criminal gang penalties

RALEIGH — A North Carolina House bill scheduled for consideration Wednesday would appropriate money for additional gang prosecution resources and make several changes to state criminal gang laws, including higher felony classifications for soliciting gang participation.

House Bill 1173, titled “Jaleeyah’s Law,” was re-referred Tuesday to the House Rules, Calendar and Operations Committee. The committee was scheduled to consider the bill Wednesday, according to the N.C. General Assembly calendar.

The bill’s second edition, a committee substitute that received a favorable report Tuesday, describes the measure as an act “to make certain modifications related to the criminal laws of North Carolina and to appropriate certain funds.”

The proposal would appropriate $397,014 in recurring funds beginning in the 2026-27 fiscal year and $7,504 in nonrecurring funds to the Conference of District Attorneys to hire two additional resource prosecutors. Those prosecutors would focus on criminal gang activity prosecutions, though they could perform other duties assigned by the executive director of the Conference of District Attorneys.

The bill would also appropriate $136,298 in recurring funds and $4,198 in nonrecurring funds for a district attorney investigator focused on criminal gang activity prosecutions. Those funding provisions would take effect July 1, 2026.

The legislation would revise state definitions for criminal gang activity, criminal gang leaders and criminal gang members. Under the bill, a person could be identified as a criminal gang member by meeting two or more listed criteria, rather than three or more under current law. Those criteria include admitting gang membership, being identified by a reliable source, previous involvement in criminal gang activity, use of gang symbols or colors, physical or electronic evidence, tattoos or markings, gang-related language or social media promotion of a criminal gang.

The bill would also change the definition of a criminal gang leader or organizer by requiring that a person meet at least one listed criterion, rather than two or more. Those criteria include decision-making authority, participation in planning or organizing criminal gang activity, recruiting gang members, receiving a larger portion of criminal proceeds or exercising control over other members.

The measure would increase penalties for causing, encouraging, soliciting or coercing another person to participate in criminal gang activity. For people 18 or older, the offense would rise from a Class H felony to a Class F felony. For minors under 18, the offense would rise from a Class F felony to a Class D felony. Those changes would apply to offenses committed on or after Dec. 1, 2026.

The bill also would create a new offense involving the use, carrying or possession of a firearm by a criminal gang member in relation to a drug felony or crime of violence.

The proposal comes as lawmakers continue to consider public safety measures that pair criminal penalties with funding for prosecutors, courts or law enforcement. If advanced by the Rules Committee, the bill could move to the House floor.

Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.