Section 1.

Appropriates $999,400 in recurring funds from the General Fund to the State Highway Patrol (SHP) starting in 2026-27 to fund twelve full-time State Trooper positions. Assigns those positions to State Highway Patrol District H5 of Troop H. Effective July 1, 2026.

Section 2.

Increases the number of magistrates assigned to Mecklenburg County from 38.5 to 43.5 in GS 7A-133. Appropriates $402,070 in recurring funds from the General Fund to the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) starting in 2026-27 to hire those magistrates. Appropriates $15,140 from the General Fund to AOC for 2026-27 to hire those magistrates. Effective July 1, 2026.

Section 3.

Amends GS 20-217, which requires motor vehicles to stop for properly marked school buses when stopped in certain described instances, increasing the minimum fines as follows: for violation of the statute, from $500 to $1,000; for willful violation of the statute and also striking any person, from $1,250 to $4,500; and for willful violation of the statute and also striking a person that results in their death, from $2,500 to $7,000. Enacts a new subsection, establishing that it is prima facie evidence that the vehicle was operated by the person in whose name the vehicle was registered at the time of the violation whenever evidence is presented in any court or administrative hearing of the fact that a vehicle was operated in violation of the statute. Provides a similar provision with regard to operation by a renter of a rented vehicle. Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2026. 

Section 4.  

Amends GS 132-1.1 to prohibit highway camera video records stored by the Department  from being disclosed except as provided in new GS 132-1.7B.

Enacts new GS 132-1.7B, providing as follows. Sets out and defines terms, including defining highway camera as a Department of Transportation (DOT) video or digital camera, located on highway rights-of-way, for the purpose of monitoring vehicle traffic.

Requires highway cameras to record and store incidents when requested by law enforcement agencies to assist in the following types of incident investigations along interstates and highways: vehicle chases, hit-and-run crashes, road rage altercations, street races, street takeovers, and any other incident investigations law enforcement agencies feel would be supported and expedited by the use of this technology. Specifies that recordings under this statute are not public records. 

Allows a person to request disclosure of a recording through a written request to DOT that includes the name of the person making the request, date and approximate time of the activity, or otherwise identify the activity with reasonable particularity sufficient to identify the recording. Allows disclosure of a recording to only: (1) a person whose image or voice is in the recording; (2) a personal representative of an adult person whose image or voice is in the recording, if the adult person has consented to the disclosure; (3) a personal representative of a minor or of an adult person under lawful guardianship whose image or voice is in the recording; (4) a personal representative of a deceased person whose image or voice is in the recording; or (5) a personal representative of an adult person who is incapacitated and unable to provide consent to disclosure. Requires disclosing only the portions of the recording relevant to the person's request. Prohibits a person receiving disclosure from recording or copying the recording. Requires DOT to make the disclosure or deny the request as promptly as possible. Sets out six factors the Department is to consider when deciding whether to grant or deny the request. Sets out the procedure under which the person seeking disclosure may apply to the appropriate superior court for a review of the denial of disclosure when disclosure has been denied or disclosure has not been made more than three business days after the request. Sets out conditions under which the court may order disclosure. Sets out individuals that must be notified and given an opportunity to be heard at the hearing.

Provides that recordings are to be released only pursuant to court order. Allows any person requesting release of a recording to file an action in the appropriate superior court for an order releasing the recording. Requires the request to state the date and approximate time of the activity captured in the recording or otherwise identify the activity with reasonable particularity sufficient to identify the recording to which the action refers. Sets out factors the court is to consider in determining whether to order the release of all or a portion of the recording. Limits the release to only those portions of the recording relevant to the person's request and allows placing conditions or restrictions on the release. Sets out individuals that must be notified and given an opportunity to be heard at the hearing.

Requires DOT to disclose or release a recording to a district attorney (1) for review of potential criminal charges, (2) to comply with discovery requirements in a criminal prosecution, (3) for use in criminal proceedings in district court, or (4) for any other law enforcement purpose and allows disclosure or release of a recording for suspect identification or apprehension or to locate a missing or abducted person.

Provides that DOT is not required to retain any recording subject to this statute for more than 30 days, unless a court of competent jurisdiction orders otherwise.

Provides that no civil liability arises from compliance with the statute, so long as the acts or omissions are made in good faith. 

Allows DOT to charge a fee for making a copy of a recording for release, not to exceed the actual cost. Prohibits the court from awarding attorneys' fees.

Prohibits using recordings subject to the statute for fines or private investigation. Provides that no elected official may review recordings subject to this statute, unless they meet the statute's disclosure criteria; excludes a county sheriff or district attorney if review of the recordings is within the scope of a criminal investigation. 

Effective July 1, 2026.

Section 5.

Appropriates $3 million in recurring funds for 2026-27 from the Highway Fund to DOT to be used to expand the operational hours of the IMap and North Carolina Department of Transportation Metrolina Transportation Management Center in Charlotte to 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Allocates $15 million in recurring funds from the fund appropriated to DOT for 2026-27, and $20 million in nonrecurring funds, to be used to expand operational hours of the IMap and Metrolina Transportation Management Center to 24 hours a day, every day. Effective July 1, 2026.

Section 6.

Increases the fine from $250 to not less than $300 but not more than $500 for violation of GS 20-157 (failure to move one’s vehicle out of the way for law enforcement or other first responder vehicles). Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2026. Makes technical changes.

Section 7.

Requires a court to order a person who knowingly violates the street takeover law (GS 20-141.10) to pay restitution for the cost of the damages to the State if they cause damage to a curb, road surface, or any other portion of a public vehicular area. Makes technical changes. Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2026.

Section 8.

Adds GS 75A-10.4, establishing the offenses of death (A1 misdemeanor) and serious injury (Class 1 misdemeanor) by reckless boating. Sets forth the four elements of the crime: (1) the person unintentionally causes the death/serious injury; (2) while recklessly operating the boat in violation of GS 75A-10(a); (3) they were not engaged in the offense of impaired boating; and (4) the offense proximately caused the death/serious injury. Creates an aggravated offense for individuals with prior convictions under GS 75A-10(a) within seven years of the date of the death/serious injury. Prohibits double prosecutions. Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2026.

Section 9.

Repeals GS 14-33(c)(7) (making it a Class A1 misdemeanor to assault a public transit operator, including a public employee or a private contractor employed as a public transit operator, when the operator is discharging or attempting to discharge his or her duties).

Adds GS 14-34.6A, making it a Class I felony if a person an assault causing physical injury on any public transit operator, including a public employee or a private contractor employed as a public transit operator, when the operator is discharging or attempting to discharge the operator's official duties. Makes it a Class D felony if the person uses a firearm unless the person’s conduct is covered by another provision of law providing greater punishment.

Section 10.

Effective when it becomes law, except as otherwise provided.