North Carolina HB 1236: Voters Approve Taxes.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 1236

Short Title: Const. Amend./Judicial Standards Commission. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Morey, Longest, Butler, and Rubin (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
June 3, 2026
*H1236-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO AMEND THE NORTH CAROLINA CONSTITUTION TO INCLUDE THE 2
JUDICIAL STANDARDS COMMISSION AND TO AMEND THE EXISTING 3
STATUTES ON THE JUDICIAL STANDARDS COMMISSION. 4
Whereas, the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission has become increasingly 5
partisan and secretive, and it is in the public interest to establish a fair, impartial, and transparent 6
Commission that oversees implementation of the North Carolina Judicial Code of Conduct; Now, 7
therefore, 8
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 9
10
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ESTABLISHING JUDICIAL STANDARDS 11
COMMISSION 12
SECTION 1.(a) Article IV of the North Carolina Constitution is amended by adding 13
a new section to read: 14
"Sec. 23. Judicial Standards Commission. 15
(1) Membership. The Judicial Standards Commission shall consist of the following 16
residents of this State: 17
(a) Five judges appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as follows: 18
1. One Court of Appeals judge. 19
2. Two superior court judges. 20
3. Two district court judges. 21
(b) Five licensed attorneys appointed by the officers of the North Carolina State 22
Bar. 23
(c) Five citizens who are neither lawyers nor judges, active or retired, appointed 24
by the Governor. 25
(2) Public hearings and records. Any disciplinary hearings held before and sanctions 26
imposed by the Commission as prescribed by law shall be made public." 27
SECTION 1.(b) The amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section shall be 28
submitted to the qualified voters of the State at the general election to be held on November 3, 29
2026, which election shall be conducted under the laws then governing elections in the State. 30
Ballots, voting systems, or both may be used in accordance with Chapter 163 of the General 31
Statutes. The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be: 32
"[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST 33
Constitutional amendment to add the Judicial Standards Commission to the 34
Constitution to ensure that complaints against judges and justices are handled in fair, transparent, 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 1236-First Edition
and nonpartisan proceedings, and to require that the Commission's disciplinary hearings and 1
sanctions be made public." 2
SECTION 1.(c) The State Board of Elections shall certify the results of the 3
referendum conducted under subsection (b) of this section. If a majority of votes cast on the 4
question are in favor of the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of 5
State shall enroll the amendment among the permanent records of that office. If a majority of 6
votes cast on the question are against the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the 7
amendment shall have no effect. 8
SECTION 1.(d) If the certification from the State Board of Elections under 9
subsection (c) of this section reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of 10
the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the amendment set out in subsection (a) 11
of this section is effective upon certification. 12
13
AMENDING JUDICIAL STANDARDS COMMISSION STATUTES 14
SECTION 2. Article 30 of Chapter 7A of the General Statutes reads as rewritten: 15
"Article 30. 16
"Judicial Standards Commission. 17
"§ 7A-374.1. Purpose. 18
The purpose of this Article is to provide for the investigation and resolution of inquiries 19
concerning the qualification or conduct of any judge or justice of the General Court of Justice. 20
The procedure for discipline of any judge or justice of the General Court of Justice shall be in 21
accordance with this Article. Article and the North Carolina Constitution, Article IV, Section 23. 22
Nothing in this Article shall affect the impeachment of judges under the North Carolina 23
Constitution, Article IV, Sections 4 and 17. 24
... 25
"§ 7A-375. Judicial Standards Commission. 26
(a) Composition. – The Judicial Standards Commission shall consist of the following 27
residents of North Carolina: 28
(1) Two Court of Appeals judges, each appointed by the Chief Justice of the 29
Supreme Court. 30
(2) Two superior court judges, each appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme 31
Court. 32
(3) Two district court judges, each appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme 33
Court. 34
(4) Four judges appointed by the General Assembly in accordance with 35
G.S. 120-121, selected as follows: 36
a. One district court judge recommended by the President Pro Tempore 37
of the Senate. 38
b. One district court judge recommended by the Speaker of the House