Senate Rules takes up criminal law, court bills as short session calendar moves

RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina Senate committee was scheduled Thursday to consider bills dealing with criminal law and court operations, putting both measures closer to possible Senate floor action.

The Senate Rules and Operations Committee was scheduled to meet at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the North Carolina General Assembly calendar. The agenda included House Bill 308, titled “2026 Criminal Law Changes,” and House Bill 377, titled “2026 Court Changes.” The committee agenda also included Senate Bill 876, “Rowan County Local Modifications,” and Senate Bill 858, “GSC Add Member from High Point Law School.”

House Bill 308 is sponsored by Rep. Sarah Stevens, R-Surry, with Reps. William Brisson, Keith Kidwell and Howard Penny Ward also listed as sponsors. The bill passed the House in April 2025 on a 110-2 vote and was sent to the Senate. According to the bill page, the measure deals with criminal procedure, criminal records, domestic violence, sentencing, expunctions and related court issues.

The bill’s last listed action before Thursday’s Rules calendar was a May 7 referral to the Senate Judiciary Committee, with a referral to Rules and Operations if favorable.

House Bill 377, sponsored by Stevens, passed the House in April 2025 on a 113-0 vote. The bill page lists the measure as “2026 Court Changes” and says it touches multiple areas of law, including courts, court clerks, estates, trusts, wills, electronic government and public records-related provisions.

The bill was reported favorably with a committee substitute in the Senate on May 20, according to the General Assembly bill history. It was then re-referred to Senate Rules and Operations, where it appeared on Thursday’s committee calendar.

Rules and Operations is a key stop for bills before they advance to the Senate floor. A favorable report from the committee would not itself make either bill law, but it could position the measures for full Senate consideration.

The Senate was also scheduled to convene at 10 a.m. Thursday. The House was scheduled to convene at 9:30 a.m.

The committee calendar also showed the Senate Health Care Committee meeting scheduled for 10 a.m. was cancelled. That meeting had listed House Bill 565, “Check Yes, Save Lives,” which would allow organ and tissue donor enrollment through state income tax returns.

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.