North Carolina HB 953: Study Committee on Assistant District Attorney/Assistant Public Defender/Private Assigned Counsel Pay.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 2
HOUSE BILL 953
Committee Substitute Favorable 5/6/25

Short Title: Study Committee on ADA/APD/PAC Pay. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
April 14, 2025
*H953-v-2*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE STUDY COMMITTEE ON ASSISTANT DISTRICT 2
ATTORNEY, ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDER, AND PRIVATE ASSIGNED 3
COUNSEL PAY RATES. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1. Committee Established. – There is established the Study Committee 6
on Assistant District Attorney, Assistant Public Defender, and Private Assigned Counsel Pay 7
Rates (Committee). The Committee shall include 12 voting members, as follows: 8
(1) Two members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of 9
the House of Representatives. 10
(2) Two members of the Senate, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the 11
Senate. 12
(3) The Executive Director of the Conference of District Attorneys or the 13
Executive Director's designee. 14
(4) One member appointed by the Conference of District Attorneys. 15
(5) The Executive Director of Indigent Defense Services or the Executive 16
Director's designee. 17
(6) One member appointed by the Office of Indigent Defense Services. 18
(7) Two members of the State Bar that practice criminal law, appointed by the 19
North Carolina Bar Association. 20
(8) Two members of the State Bar that practice criminal law, appointed by the 21
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. 22
SECTION 2. Cochairs. – The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker 23
of the House of Representatives shall each designate a cochair from their appointees. 24
SECTION 3. Vacancies. – A vacancy on the Committee shall be filled by the original 25
appointing authority using the criteria for the prior appointment. 26
SECTION 4. Duties. – The Committee shall serve as a study and advisory committee 27
on the pay rates of assistant district attorneys, assistant public defenders, and private assigned 28
counsel. Pursuant to this work, the Committee shall study, at a minimum, each of the following: 29
(1) The current state of assistant district attorney, assistant public defender, and 30
private assigned counsel pay throughout the State, in general, and when 31
separated into the three cost-of-living categories of urban, suburban, and rural. 32
(2) The current pay structure for assistant district attorneys, assistant public 33
defenders, and private assigned counsel. 34

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 953-Second Edition
(3) The comparison between North Carolina's pay and pay structures studied 1
pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of this section and the pay and pay 2
structures of comparable positions in neighboring and nearby states. 3
(4) The differences in cost of living, availability of housing, and other associated 4
costs in various cities, counties, and regions of the State. 5
(5) Factors that positively or negatively influence law students and attorneys 6
regarding the choice to serve as assistant district attorneys, assistant public 7
defenders, or private assigned counsel, including, at a minimum, the following 8
factors: 9
a. Local amenities. 10
b. Local school quality. 11
c. Economic development opportunities. 12
(6) The structured pay model utilized by the Offices of the United States 13
Attorneys. 14
(7) The structured pay and amenity allowances utilized by the United States 15
Armed Services. 16
(8) Any other subject the Committee finds relevant to its work. 17
SECTION 5. Administration. – The Committee shall meet upon the call of its 18
cochairs, and a quorum of the Committee shall be a majority of its voting members. Members of 19
the Committee shall receive per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses in 20
accordance with G.S. 120-3.1, 138-5, and 138-6, as applicable. The Committee may meet in the 21
Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building. The Legislative Services Officer shall 22
assign professional and clerical staff and provide other necessary resources to assist the 23
Committee in its work. 24
SECTION 6. Reporting. – No later than March 1, 2026, in an interim report, and 25
March 1, 2027, in a final report, the Committee shall report to the following entities regarding 26
the information studied pursuant to this act, including any related findings and legislative 27
recommendations: 28
(1) The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety. 29
(2) The Senate Appropriations Committee on Justice and Public Safety. 30
(3) The House Appropriations Committee on Justice and Public Safety. 31
SECTION 7. This act is effective when it becomes law. 32