North Carolina 2023-2024 Session Status: Passed Senate Bipartisan · 11 R · 5 D cosponsors

SB 51 — Kayla's Act: Protecting Dom. Violence Victims.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

61 added · 60 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the latest version of Senate Bill 51, some wording was removed that could have made it confusing about the conditions for allowing remote testimony in court. The changes clarify under what circumstances a court can permit a witness to testify remotely, even if there is an objection. This matters because it seeks to ensure that the process remains fair and transparent, especially in cases involving sensitive situations like domestic violence, protecting victims' rights while maintaining the integrity of the judicial process.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2023 S 2 SENATE BILL 51 Judiciary Committee Substitute Adopted 3/21/23 Short Title:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2023 S 1 SENATE BILL 51 Short Title:
Senators Britt, Craven, and Barnes (Primary Sponsors).
February 2, 2023 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO MODIFY LAWS PERTAINING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TO BE KNOWN AS KAYLA'S ACT:
Rules and Operations of the Senate February 2, 2023 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO MODIFY LAWS PERTAINING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TO BE KNOWN AS KAYLA'S ACT:
– All cases in which the defendant is charged with assault on, stalking, communicating a threat to, or committing a crime provided in Article 7B, 8, 10, or 15 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes upon a spouse or former spouse, a person with whom the defendant lives or has lived as if married, or a person with whom the defendant is or has been in a dating *S51-v-2* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023 relationship as defined in G.S.
– All cases in which the defendant is charged with assault on, stalking, communicating a threat to, or committing a crime provided in Article 7B, 8, 10, or 15 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes upon a spouse or former spouse, a person with whom the defendant lives or has lived as if married, or a person with whom the defendant is or has been in a dating *S51-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023 relationship as defined in G.S.
– Upon motion of a partyor the court's own motion, and for good cause shown, the court shall hold a separate evidentiary hearing on a date prior to the proceeding at which the remote testimony is proposed to be allowed to determine whether to allow remote testimony.
– Upon motion of a partyor the court's own motion, and for good cause shown, the court shall hold an evidentiary hearing to determine whether to allow remote testimony.
Page 2 Senate Bill 51-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023 (1) State the method by which the domestic violence victim witness is to testify.
(1) State the method by which the domestic violence victim witness is to testify.
(2) List any individual or category of individuals allowed to be in, or required to beexcluded from, the presenceofthe domesticviolencevictim witness during the testimony.
Page 2 Senate Bill 51-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023 (2) List any individual or category of individuals allowed to be in, or required to beexcludedfrom, the presenceofthe domesticviolencevictim witness during the testimony.
The court shall ensure that the physical location where the domestic violence victim witness testifieshas been mutuallyagreed to byboth thedefendant and theStateor approved bythecourt.
The court shall ensure that both the defendant and the State shall be allowed to have at least two representatives approved by the court, in addition to the prosecutor and defense counsel, present at the location where the domestic violence victim witness is testifying.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 4.(a) Chapter 50B of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 50B-10.
Recording required.
All district court trials and proceedings held pursuant to this Chapter, whether before a judge or magistrate, shall be recorded in a manner that memorializes the audio and visual participation of each party to the trial or proceeding." SECTION 4.(b) This section becomes effective December 1, 2023, and applies to trials or proceedings occurring on or after that date.
SECTION 5.
Senate Bill 51-Second Edition Page 3
Senate Bill 51-First Edition Page 3
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  3. Regular Message Sent To House

  4. Regular Message Received From Senate

  5. Passed 2nd Reading

  6. Passed 3rd Reading

  7. Reptd Fav

  8. Reptd Fav Com Substitute

  9. Com Substitute Adopted

  10. Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  11. Withdrawn From Com

  12. Re-ref to Judiciary. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate

  13. Passed 1st Reading

  14. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  15. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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2 sponsors · 18 co-sponsors · 159 not signed on

Sponsors (2)

Co-sponsors (18)

Not signed on (159)

159 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 51?
SB 51 is sponsored by Danny Earl Britt, Jr. (Republican), David W. Craven, Jr. (Republican), Lisa S. Barnes (Republican), W. Ted Alexander (Republican), Sydney Batch (Democratic), Jim Burgin (Republican), Jay J. Chaudhuri (Democratic), Kevin Corbin (Republican), Bobby Hanig (Republican), Hunt, Krawiec, Michael V. Lee (Republican), Paul A. Lowe, Jr. (Democratic), Marcus, Tom McInnis (Republican), Timothy D. Moffitt (Republican), Gladys A. Robinson (Democratic), Norman W. Sanderson (Republican), Joyce Waddell (Democratic), and Woodard.
What is the current status of SB 51?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 51?
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