Bill Summary for S 455 (2021-2022)

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Summary date: 

Apr 28 2021

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2021
Senate Bill 455 (Public) Filed Thursday, April 1, 2021
AN ACT TO CONFORM THE HEMP LAWS WITH FEDERAL LAW BY PERMANENTLY EXCLUDING HEMP FROM THE STATE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT.
Intro. by Britt, Mohammed, Lee.

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Bill summary

Senate committee substitute deletes the content of the 1st edition and replaces it with the following.

Amends GS 153A-123 (concerning counties) and GS 160A-175 (concerning cities), making identical changes as follows. Provides that violations of county or city ordinances can only be misdemeanors or infractions if specified in the ordinance, except for eight specified types of ordinances which cannot impose a criminal penalty, including ordinances adopted pursuant to respective state laws concerning regulating and licensed businesses and trades (previously provided violations to be a misdemeanor or motor vehicle violations an infraction as specified in GS 14-4). Adds a new provision prohibiting enacting an ordinance specifying a criminal penalty at the meeting in which it is first introduced. 

Amends GS 14-4 to provide that a person cannot be found responsible or guilty of a local ordinance violation if, when tried, the person produces proof of compliance with the local ordinance through (1) no new alleged violations of the local ordinance within 30 days from the date of the initial alleged violation, or (2) proof of a good-faith effort to seek assistance to address any underlying factors related to unemployment, homelessness, mental health, or substance abuse that might relate to the person's ability to comply with the local ordinance.

Effective December 1, 2021, and applies to offenses and violations committed on or after that date. Makes conforming changes to the act's titles.