North Carolina SB 311: 14th Senatorial District Local Act-4.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025

SESSION LAW 2025-71
SENATE BILL 311

*S311-v-5*
AN ACT TO INCREASE THE PUNISHMENT FOR COMMITTING AN ASSAULT
AGAINST A UTILITY OR COMMUNICATIONS WORKER; TO CREATE THE
OFFENSE OF CRIMINAL POSSESSION AND UNLAWFUL SALE OF EMBALMING
FLUID AND TO MAKE OTHER TECHNICAL REVISIONS; TO AMEND WORKPLACE
VIOLENCE PREVENTION LAWS TO COVER MASS PICKETING; 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; TO ESTABLISH A
CRIMINAL OFFENSE FOR POSSESSING CERTAIN EXPLOSIVE OR INCENDIARY
DEVICES OR MATERIAL; TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR RECKLESS
DRIVING OR STREET RACING THAT CAUSES SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH AND
INCREASE PENALTIES FOR HIT AND RUN OFFENSES THAT RESULT IN DEATH;
TO CREATE THE OFFENSES OF POSSESSING, BRANDISHING, OR DISCHARGING
A FIREARM OR WEAPON OF MASS DEATH AND DESTRUCTION BY A FELON
DURING THE COMMISSION OR ATTEMPTED COMMISSION OF A FELONY; TO
INCREASE THE PUNISHMENT FOR LARCENY OF MAIL; TO REVISE THE
OFFENSES OF FIRST AND SECOND DEGREE BURGLARY AND TO ENHANCE THE
PUNISHMENT IMPOSED FOR CERTAIN BURGLARY AND BREAKING OR
ENTERING OFFENSES COMMITTED BY A PERSON IN POSSESSION OF A
FIREARM; TO ESTABLISH A MITIGATING FACTOR FOR CERTAIN PERSONS
CHARGED WITH IMPAIRED DRIVING WHO VOLUNTARILY EQUIP AND
OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE WITH AN IGNITION INTERLOCK SYSTEM PRIOR
TO TRIAL; TO ENACT THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE AND CARGO PROTECTION
ACT; AND TO MODIFY MISDEMEANOR EXPUNCTION.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

PART I. ASSAULT AGAINST UTILITY WORKER
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 14-33(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b) Unless his the conduct is covered under some other provision of law providing greater
punishment, any person who commits any assault, assault and battery, or affray is guilty of a
Class 1 misdemeanor if, in the course of the assault, assault and battery, or affray, he:the person
does any of the following:
...
(9) Commits an assault and battery against a sports official when the sports
official is discharging or attempting to discharge official duties at a sports
event, or immediately after the sports event at which the sports official
discharged official duties. A "sports official" is a person at a sports event who
enforces the rules of the event, such as an umpire or referee, or a person who
supervises the participants, such as a coach. A "sports event" includes any

Page 2 Session Law 2025-71 Senate Bill 311
interscholastic or intramural athletic activity in a primary, middle, junior high,
or high school, college, or university, any organized athletic activity
sponsored by a community, business, or nonprofit organization, any athletic
activity that is a professional or semiprofessional event, and any other
organized athletic activity in the State.
(10) Assaults a utility or communications worker while the worker is (i) readily
identifiable as a worker and (ii) discharging or attempting to discharge his or
her duties. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "utility or
communications worker" means an employee of, agent of, or under contract
with an organization, entity, or company, whether State-created or privately,
municipally, county, or cooperatively owned, that provides electricity, natural
gas, liquid petroleum, water, wastewater services, telecommunications
services, or internet access services. For purposes of this subdivision, the term
"readily identifiable as a worker" shall be construed to include the worker
wearing, at the time of the assault, a uniform, hat, or other outerwear bearing
the logo of the utility or communications company for which the worker is an
employee of, agent of, or under contract with."
SECTION 1.(b) This section becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to
offenses committed on or after that date.

PART II. EMBALMING FLUID OFFENSES
SECTION 2.(a) G.S. 90-210.20 reads as rewritten:
"§ 90-210.20. Definitions.
The following definitions apply in this Article:
(a)(1) "Advertisement" means the Advertisement. – The publication, dissemination,
circulation or placing before the public, or causing directly or indirectly to be
made, published, disseminated or placed before the public, any announcement
or statement in a newspaper, magazine, or other publication, or in the form of
a book, notice, circular, pamphlet, letter, handbill, poster, bill, sign, placard,
card, label or tag, or over any radio, television station, or electronic medium.
(b)(2) "Board" means the Board. – The North Carolina Board of Funeral Service.
(c)(3) "Burial" includes Burial. – Includes interment in any form, cremation and the
transportation of the dead human body as necessary therefor.
(c1)(4) "Chapel" means a Chapel. – A chapel or other facility separate from the
funeral establishment premises for