Senate committee substitute to the 2nd edition replaces the prior edition in its entirety with the following. Makes conforming changes to act’s long title.
Part I.
Enacts Article 52, the Prohibit Litigation Investments Act, to GS Chapter 66 (Act) to broadly prohibit non-party investment in legal claims and prevent the transformation of the civil justice system into a market for financial investment so that North Carolinians can avail themselves of their right to access the civil justice system free from improper foreign financial influences. Contains seven findings on how litigation investment undermines the civil justice system and threatens national security. States the State’s policy that the civil justice system function to resolve disputes on the merits between the parties to the proceeding, redress injured parties for civil wrongs, provide consistent and fair treatment to all parties, and, above all, to mete out justice.
Defines three terms, including litigation investment, which means the provision of money, whether as a direct payment, advancement, loan, investment, or otherwise, for the fees, costs, and expenses of or related to a pending or potential civil proceeding in exchange for a right to receive repayment or other consideration that is contingent in any respect on the outcome of the pending or potential civil proceeding. Excludes nine types of legal assistance from the definition including:
- the provision of legal services on a contingency basis in accordance with the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct,
- an attorney or law firm's advancement of costs and expenses in accordance with the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct,
- an insurer's or other entity’s contractual obligation to defend or indemnify a party to a civil proceeding,
- the provision of money to or by a nonprofit legal services organization for the pro bono, cost-free representation of a client in a civil proceeding so long as any repayment amount is limited to the original amount plus reasonable interest, and
- an immediate family member's provision of money or other financial support to a party for fees, costs, and expenses of a civil proceeding or for personal and household expenses during the pendency of a civil proceeding, regardless of whether the immediate family member receives a right to any portion of the judgment, settlement, or other monetary relief the party recovers in the civil proceeding or any other right to receive repayment or other consideration that is contingent in any respect on the outcome of the civil proceeding.
Makes it unlawful for a person to engage in litigation investment in this State or to furnish litigation investment to a party or counsel of record in a civil proceeding in this State in GS 66-514.
Voids any contract in violation of the Act in GS 66-515. Gives the Attorney General the right to bring a civil action to enjoin violations of the Act and authorizes the court to impose a civil penalty of up to $50,000 for each violation in such proceedings. Gives parties injured by violations of the Act the right to bring an action to recover damages, with recovery of statutory damages measured by treble the amount of full potential litigation investment contemplated by the investor. Specifies that the potential defendants in either action has purposefully availed themselves of the privileges of conducting business in the State and is subject to suit here, whether they have transacted business in the State or not. Specifies that the remedies in GS 66-515 are in addition to any other remedies provided for by law. Directs that the Act be liberally construed to effect its purpose in GS 66-516.
Applies to civil proceedings commenced on or after the act becomes law.
Part II.
Amends GS 97-29 (Rates and duration of compensation for total incapacity) to increase the minimum weekly workers compensation for total disability from $30 to $50. Requires the Industrial Commission to increase the maximum weekly compensation provided under the statute based on the percentage change of the Consumer Price Index over the previous year, beginning July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter. Effective July 1, 2026.
Effective July 1, 2026, amends GS 97-31 (Schedule of injuries; rate and period of compensation), to make the maximum compensation for serious facial or head disfigurement $32,000 (was, $20,000), serious bodily disfigurement $16,000 (was, $10,000), and loss or permanent injury to any important external or internal organ or part of the body $32,000 (was, $20,000).
Effective July 1, 2027, amends GS 97-31 as amended by the act, to make the maximum compensation for serious facial or head disfigurement $44,000, serious bodily disfigurement $22,000, and loss or permanent injury to any important external or internal organ or part of the body $44,000.
Effective July 1, 2028, amends GS 97-31 as amended by the act, to make the maximum compensation for serious facial or head disfigurement $56,000, serious bodily disfigurement $28,000, and loss or permanent injury to any important external or internal organ or part of the body $56,000. Requires the Industrial Commission to increase the maximum compensation for these injuries based on the percentage change of the Consumer Price Index over the previous year, beginning July 1, 2029, and annually thereafter.
GIFT CARD THEFT & UNLAWFUL BUSINESS ENTRY.
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View NCGA Bill Details(link is external) | 2025-2026 Session |
AN ACT TO PROHIBIT LITIGATION INVESTMENTS IN THE CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM, TO PREVENT THE CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM FROM BECOMING A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT MARKET, TO AMEND THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION ACT TO INCREASE CERTAIN BENEFITS UNDER THE SCHEDULE OF INJURIES, AND TO PROVIDE FOR AUTOMATIC BENEFIT ADJUSTMENTS BASED UPON INCREASES IN THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX.Intro. by Pyrtle, Miller, Carson Smith, Reives.
SOG comments (2):
Long title change
Previous title was AN ACT TO ESTABLISH AN OFFENSE FOR ENTERING A PART OF A BUILDING NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITH THE INTENT TO COMMIT AN UNLAWFUL ACT; TO ESTABLISH THE OFFENSE OF LARCENY OF GIFT CARDS; TO REVISE THE ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT OFFENSE TO INCLUDE OFFENSES INVOLVING GIFT CARDS; AND TO PROVIDE CIVIL LIABILITY FOR LARCENY OF GIFT CARDS.
Bill History:
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Wed, 5 Mar 2025 House: Filed(link is external)
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Mon, 10 Mar 2025 House: Passed 1st Reading(link is external)
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Tue, 18 Mar 2025 House: Reptd Fav Com Substitute(link is external)
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Mon, 24 Mar 2025 House: Reptd Fav(link is external)
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Mon, 24 Mar 2025 House: Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)(link is external)
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Mon, 24 Mar 2025 House: Placed On Cal For 03/26/2025(link is external)
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Wed, 26 Mar 2025 House: Passed 2nd Reading(link is external)
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Wed, 26 Mar 2025 House: Passed 3rd Reading(link is external)
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Thu, 27 Mar 2025 House: Regular Message Sent To Senate(link is external)
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Thu, 27 Mar 2025 Senate: Regular Message Received From House(link is external)
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Thu, 27 Mar 2025 Senate: Passed 1st Reading(link is external)
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Mon, 9 Jun 2025 Senate: Withdrawn From Com(link is external)
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Wed, 18 Jun 2025 Senate: Reptd Fav Com Substitute(link is external)
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Wed, 18 Jun 2025 Senate: Com Substitute Adopted(link is external)
Bill Summaries:
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Bill H 315 (2025-2026)Summary date: Jun 18 2025 - View Summary
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Bill H 315 (2025-2026)Summary date: Mar 18 2025 - View Summary
House committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes.
Amends proposed GS 14-54(b1) to require that the person enters any area, with the intent to commit an unlawful act (was, the person knowingly and wrongfully enters any area) of a building (1) commonly reserved for personnel of a commercial business where money or other property is kept or (2) clearly marked with a sign that indicates to the public that entry is forbidden to GS 14-54 (breaking or entering buildings).
Amends GS 1-538.2 to make any person who commits an act punishable under new GS 14-72.12 (larceny of gift cards) liable for civil damages to the property owner; also makes parents or legal guardians of unemancipated minors who commit an act punishable under new GS 14-72.12 civilly liable to the property owner if they knew or should have known of the propensity for the child to commit such an act, and had the opportunity and ability to control the child, and made no reasonable effort to correct or restrain the child. Makes conforming changes to the act's long title.
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Bill H 315 (2025-2026)Summary date: Mar 5 2025 - View Summary
Adds the offense of knowingly and wrongfully entering any area of a building (1) commonly reserved for personnel of a commercial business where money or other property is kept or (2) clearly marked with a sign that indicates to the public that entry is forbidden to GS 14-54 (breaking or entering buildings). Designates first offense as a Class 1 misdemeanor and subsequent offenses a Class I felony.
Adds new offense pertaining to larceny of gift cards (GS 14-72.12) if a person does any of the following:
- Acquires or retains possession of a gift card or gift card redemption information without the consent of the cardholder or card issuer.
- Obtains a gift card or gift card redemption information from a cardholder or card issuer by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises.
- Alters or tampers with a gift card or its packaging with intent to defraud another.
Sets violation of GS 14-72.72 as a Class H felony unless the value of the gift card is $1,000 or less, then violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Adds defined terms gift card, gift card issuer, gift card value, and gift card redemption information to GS 14-86.5. Makes organizational changes.
Adds the following acts to the offense of organized retail theft under GS 14-86.6:
- Conspiring with another person to acquire or retain possession of a gift card or gift card redemption information without the consent of the cardholder or card issuer.
- Devising a scheme with one or more persons to obtain a gift card or gift card redemption information from a cardholder or card issuer by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises.
- Conspiring with another person to alter or tamper with a gift card or its packaging with intent to defraud another.
Makes conforming changes to listed punishments and multiple theft provisions of GS 14-86.6(a2), with punishment varying from a Class H to Class C felony based on the value of the gift card, to account for new gift card offenses under GS 14-86.6.
Specifies that prosecutions for offenses committed before the act’s effective date are not abated or affected by the act, and the statutes that would be applicable but for the act remain applicable to those prosecutions.
Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2025.
Committee substitute to the 1st edition changed the long title. Original long title was AN ACT TO ESTABLISH AN OFFENSE FOR WRONGFULLY ENTERING A PART OF A BUILDING NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC; TO ESTABLISH THE OFFENSE OF LARCENY OF GIFT CARDS; AND TO REVISE THE ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT OFFENSE TO INCLUDE OFFENSES INVOLVING GIFT CARDS.