North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 4 D cosponsors

SB 792 — Kayla's Act: Protecting Dom. Violence Victims.

Last action — Withdrawn From Com

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

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced April 21, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 22% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    0 primary, 4 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (4 D).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

16 added · 17 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the latest version of Senate Bill 792, there were some text corrections and clarifications, but no major changes to the content. The bill continues to focus on allowing remote testimony in court, particularly in cases involving domestic violence. This ability is aimed at protecting witnesses while also ensuring fair legal proceedings, reaffirming that remote testimony can only be used under specific conditions approved by the court. This matters because it helps to balance the legal rights of defendants with the safety and comfort of victims during court cases.

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FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA Apr 21, 2026 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 792 Short Title:
792 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS35340-NQa-18 Short Title:
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 April 22, 2026 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO MODIFY LAWS PERTAINING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TO BE KNOWN AS KAYLA'S ACT:
– A statement offered against a party that wrongfully caused, oracquiescedin wrongfullycausing,thedeclarant'sunavailabilityasawitness and did so intending that result." SECTION 1.(b) This section is effective when it becomes law and applies to trials beginning on or after that date.
– A statement offered against a party that wrongfully caused, oracquiescedin wrongfullycausing, thedeclarant'sunavailabilityasawitness and did so intending that result." SECTION 1.(b) This section is effective when it becomes law and applies to trials beginning on or after that date.
– 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 *DRS35340-NQa-18* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 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 *S792-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 relationship as defined in G.S.
– If a defendant's attorney of record, or the defendant, objects to remote testimony as provided for in subsection (c) of this section, the court may authorize remote testimony over the objection if the court determines each of the following:
– If a defendant's attorney of record, or the defendant, objects to remote testimony as provided for in subsection (c) of this section, the court may authorize remote testimonyover the objection if the court determines each of the following:
– Upon motion of a party or 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 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.
Hearings in thesuperiorcourtdivision shall berecorded.Thepresenceofthe domestic violence victim witness is not required at the hearing unless ordered by the presiding judge.
Hearings in thesuperiorcourtdivision shall berecorded.
Thepresenceofthe domestic violence victim witness is not required at the hearing unless ordered by the presiding judge.
Page 2 DRS35340-NQa-18 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (1) State the method by which the domestic violence victim witness is to testify.
Page 2 Senate Bill 792-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (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.
(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 mutually agreed to byboth thedefendant andtheState or approved by thecourt.
The court shall ensure that the physical location where the domestic violence victim witness testifieshas been mutuallyagreed to byboth thedefendant andtheState or approvedbythecourt.
(1) Prohibit the use or application of any other method or procedure authorized or required by statute, common law, or rule for the introduction into evidence of thestatementsortestimonyofadomesticviolencevictimwitnessinacriminal or noncriminal proceeding.
(1) Prohibit the use or application of anyother method or procedure authorized or required by statute, common law, or rule for the introduction into evidence of thestatementsortestimonyofadomesticviolencevictimwitnessinacriminal or noncriminal proceeding.
DRS35340-NQa-18 Page 3
Senate Bill 792-First Edition Page 3
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Action History

  1. Withdrawn From Com

  2. Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget

  3. Passed 1st Reading

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

  5. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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0 sponsors · 4 co-sponsors · 175 not signed on

Sponsors (0)

None.

Co-sponsors (4)

Not signed on (175)

175 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 175 →

"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.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 792?
SB 792 is sponsored by Joyce Waddell (Democratic), Sophia Chitlik (Democratic), Woodson Bradley (Democratic), and Kandie D. Smith (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 792?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced April 21, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 792?
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