North Carolina HB 1080: Public Safety Reinvestment Act.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 1080

Short Title: Public Safety Reinvestment Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Reives, Helfrich, Logan, and Rubin (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 29, 2026
*H1080-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO HIRE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT AND DEPUTY 2
CLERKS OF COURT IN WAKE AND MECKLENBURG COUNTIES, TO 3
APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR SALARY INCREASES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF 4
ADULT CORRECTION, TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR SALARY INCREASES FOR 5
MEMBERS OF THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL, TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO 6
MODERNIZE PUBLIC TRANSIT SAFETY BY MAKING TRAUMA KITS AVAILABLE 7
ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND IMPROVING FARE ENFORCEMENT AND 8
ANTI-FARE-DODGING MEASURES, TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE SUPPORT 9
OF THE DIVISION OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 10
AND THE STATE CRIME LABORATORY, AND TO ENHANCE THE BENEFITS OF 11
CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE TEACHERS' AND 12
STATE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM. 13
Whereas, the General Assembly recognizes that chronic and historic underfunding 14
and workforce instability in critical State institutions have contributed to a public safety crisis 15
where courts and jail systems are overburdened, weakening timely responses and increasing the 16
risk of harm to the public, victims, and frontline personnel; and 17
Whereas, the General Assembly finds that high-volume judicial districts require 18
sufficient clerk and prosecutorial capacity to ensure the timely administration of justice and 19
maintain public confidence in the courts; and 20
Whereas, the General Assembly finds that safe and reliable operations in correctional 21
institutions, juvenile justice facilities, law enforcement agencies, forensic laboratories, and public 22
transportation systems depend upon the recruitment and retention of qualified personnel and the 23
modernization of critical safety infrastructure; and 24
Whereas, the General Assembly finds that targeted investments in staffing, 25
compensation, workplace safety, and operational modernization are necessary to restore capacity 26
and strengthen public safety outcomes statewide; Now, therefore, 27
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 28
29
PUBLIC TRANSIT SAFETY MODERNIZATION 30
SECTION 1.(a) Article 2B of Chapter 136 of the General Statutes is amended by 31
adding a new section to read: 32
"§ 136-44.28. Emergency trauma kits and first aid training. 33
(a) All public transportation operators receiving State funds, including any metropolitan 34
transit authority, regional transit authority, or municipal transit system operating bus, rail, light 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 1080-First Edition
rail, commuter rail, streetcar, or other fixed-route public transportation services within this State, 1
shall equip every revenue service vehicle, including each bus and each individual train car, with 2
an emergency trauma response kit. 3
(b) Each emergency trauma response kit shall include, at minimum, all of the following 4
items: 5
(1) Commercially manufactured tourniquets. 6
(2) Hemostatic dressings. 7
(3) Pressure bandages. 8
(4) Trauma shears. 9
(5) Protective gloves and other appropriate personal protective equipment. 10
(6) Any additional lifesaving supplies recommended by the Department of Health 11
and Human Services in consultation with the Department of Public Safety. 12
(c) All operators and supervisory personnel employed by a public transportation system 13
shall complete emergency first aid and bleeding control training consistent with nationally 14
recognized standards, including training in the proper use of tourniquets and trauma response 15
kits. Such training shall be completed within six months of hire and refreshed at least once every 16
two years. An employee who renders emergency aid in good faith pursuant to this section shall 17
be afforded the protections of G.S. 90-21.14. 18
(d) The Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Department 19
of Transportation and the Department of Public Safety, shall adopt minimum implementation 20
standards to ensure consistency across public transportation systems." 21
SECTION 1.(b) Article 2B of Chapter 136 of the General Statutes is amended by 22
adding a new section to read: 23
"§ 136‑44.29. Fare enforcement and anti-fare-dodging measures. 24
(a) All public transportation operators receiving State funds shall implement reasonable 25
and effective measures to deter and prevent fare evasion. Such measures shall include all of the 26
following: 27
(1) Installation and use of physical access control systems, including turnstiles or 28
gated entry systems where operationally and structurally practicable based on 29
facility design. 30
(2) Use of electronic validation systems,