CIVILIAN TRAFFIC INVESTIGATORS. (NEW)

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View NCGA Bill Details2023-2024 Session
House Bill 140 (Public) Filed Thursday, February 16, 2023
AN ACT AUTHORIZING CITIES TO EMPLOY AND ALLOW CIVILIAN PERSONNEL TO INVESTIGATE TRAFFIC CRASHES INVOLVING ONLY PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Intro. by Faircloth, Hardister, Lambeth, Ross.

Status: Ch. SL 2023-52 (Jun 23 2023)

SOG comments (2):

Long title change

Committee substitute to the 2nd edition changed the long title. Previous long title was AN ACT AUTHORIZING CITIES TO EMPLOY AND ALLOW CIVILIAN PERSONNEL TO INVESTIGATE TRAFFIC CRASHES.

Long title change

Committee substitute to the 3rd edition changed the long title. Previous long title was AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE CITIES OF BURLINGTON, GREENSBORO, GREENVILLE, AND WINSTON-SALEM TO EMPLOY AND ALLOW CIVILIAN PERSONNEL TO INVESTIGATE TRAFFIC CRASHES DURING A THREE-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM.

Bill History:

H 140/S.L. 2023-52

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Jun 26 2023 - View Summary

    AN ACT AUTHORIZING CITIES TO EMPLOY AND ALLOW CIVILIAN PERSONNEL TO INVESTIGATE TRAFFIC CRASHES INVOLVING ONLY PROPERTY DAMAGE. SL 2023-52. Enacted June 23, 2023. Effective June 23, 2023.


  • Summary date: Jun 6 2023 - View Summary

    Senate committee substitute makes the following changes to the 3rd edition.

    Changes new GS 160A-499.6 from a pilot program only run in the cities of Burlington, Greensboro, Greenville, and Winston-Salem to a statewide law authorizing cities to employ and allow civilian personnel to investigate traffic crashes as Civilian Traffic Investigators. Removes requirement that any Civilian Traffic Investigator use the city’s s existing police towing rotation system if one has been established when removing a vehicle that is obstructing a public street or highway. Changes the effective date from July 1, 2023, to when the act becomes law.  Deletes sunset date. Removes reporting requirements. Makes organizational changes, technical changes, and conforming changes to reflect expanded scope of the act. Makes conforming changes to act’s long and short titles.


  • Summary date: May 3 2023 - View Summary

    House committee substitute to 2nd edition makes the following changes.

    Limits the scope of new GS 160A-499.6 to the cities of Burlington, Greensboro, Greenville, and Winston-Salem (previously proposed to be generally applicable statewide). Modifies the statute to refer to "civilian traffic investigators" (previously referred to as "civilian investigators" or "civilian traffic crash investigators"). Makes conforming changes to GS 20-166.1 and the directive requiring the NCJA to develop a training program for these investigators. Adds reporting requirements for cities authorized to employ civilian traffic investigators to report to the specified NCGA committee by February 1, 2026, on the training and use of civilian traffic investigators. Details required content of the reports, including the number of investigations performed and the cost to the city of the program.

    Makes the act effective July 1, 2023, and sunsets the act on June 30, 2026 (was, effective on the date the act becomes law, with no sunset provision). Makes conforming changes to the act's titles. 


  • Summary date: Mar 1 2023 - View Summary

    House committee substitute to 1st edition makes the following changes. Changes the entity responsible for designing civilian investigator training program under GS 160A-499.6 (new provision pertaining to civilian traffic crash investigators) to the North Carolina Justice Academy (NCJA) (was, designed by the chief of police, or the chief's designee, or, if applicable, the sheriff of the county with which the city has contracted to provide law enforcement services, or the sheriff's designee, in consultation with the NCJA). Adds specification that the employment or use of civilian investigators, either full or part time, will not supplant or replace any existing sworn law enforcement personnel or otherwise reduce the number of sworn law enforcement officers employed by the city. Amends GS 20-166.1(i)  (pertaining to reports and investigations required in the event of an accident) to make conforming changes to account for reports made by civilian investigators employed pursuant to new statute. Requires NCJA to develop a uniform statewide training program for civilian investigators and to make the training available to civilian investigators employed by any municipality under the new statute.  


  • Summary date: Feb 16 2023 - View Summary

    Enacts new GS 160A-499.6 authorizing a city to employ and allow civilian personnel to investigate traffic crashes involving only property damage, naming these personnel civilian investigators (investigators). Details nine requirements of the city and investigators regarding the employment of investigators, including establishing minimum employment standards and compliance with specified training conditions, equipment issuance, and limits of investigator authority. Specifies that investigators cannot be issued a weapon and have no authority to arrest or issue criminal process.