North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 3 D cosponsors

SB 686 — The Fair Sentencing Act.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

  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 March 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

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

Prognosis

Stalled 20% · 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.

  • 3 sponsors

    1 primary, 2 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (3 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

24 added · 25 removed

Plain-language change summary

Senate Bill 686 has undergone some editorial changes, mostly involving the removal of redundant phrases and the clarification of sentencing guidelines. One notable addition specifies that individuals convicted of certain offenses must complete community service, especially if they are monitored for alcohol use. These changes are important as they aim to create clearer legal language and ensure that offenders engage in community service as part of their rehabilitation, potentially leading to better outcomes for both the individuals and the community.

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FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA Mar 25, 2025 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 686 Short Title:
686 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS45353-ML-107 Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REMOVE THE MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN CRIMINAL OFFENSES.
Rules and Operations of the Senate March 26, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REMOVE THE MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN CRIMINAL OFFENSES.
"(a) A person who is convicted of a firearm-related felony and is also convicted of the statusoffensemust,upon convictionorpleaofguiltyunderindictment asprovidedinthisArticle, be sentenced as a Class C felon (except where the felon has been sentenced as a Class A, B1, or B2 felon).
"(a) A person who is convicted of a firearm-related felony and is also convicted of the statusoffensemust,upon convictionorpleaof guiltyunderindictment asprovidedinthisArticle, be sentenced as a Class C felon (except where the felon has been sentenced as a Class A, B1, or B2 felon).
*DRS45353-ML-107* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (g) Level One Punishment.
*S686-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (g) Level One Punishment.
If the defendant is subject to Level Two punishment based on a finding that the grossly aggravating factor in subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection(c)ofthissectionapplies,theconviction foraprioroffenseinvolvingimpaireddriving occurred within five years before the date of the offense for which the defendant is being sentenced and the judge suspends all active terms of imprisonment and imposes abstention from alcohol as verified by a continuous alcohol monitory system, then the judge must also impose as an additional condition of special probation that the defendant must complete 240 hours of community service.
If the defendant is subject to Level Two punishment based on a finding that the grossly aggravating factor in subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection(c)ofthissectionapplies,theconviction foraprioroffenseinvolvingimpaireddriving occurred within five years before the date of the offense for which the defendant is being sentenced and the judge suspends all active terms of imprisonment and imposes abstention from alcohol as verified by a continuous alcohol monitory system, then the judge must also impose as an additional condition of special probation that the defendant must complete 240 hours of communityservice.
If the defendant is placed on probation, the judge shall impose a requirement that the defendant obtain a substance abuse assessment and the education or treatment required by Page 2 DRS45353-ML-107 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 G.S.
If the defendant is placed on probation, the judge shall impose a requirement that the defendant obtain a substance abuse assessment and the education or treatment required by Page 2 Senate Bill 686-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 G.S.
– Adefendant subject to Level Fivepunishmentmaybe fined up to two hundred dollars ($200.00) and shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment that includes a minimum term of not less than 24 hours and a maximum term of not more than 60 days.
– Adefendant subject to Level Fivepunishment maybe fined up to two hundred dollars ($200.00) and shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment that includes a minimum term of not less than 24 hours and a maximum term of not more than 60 days.
"(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the following provisions apply except as otherwise provided in this Article:
"(h) Notwithstanding anyother provision of law, the following provisions apply except as otherwise provided in this Article:
DRS45353-ML-107 Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 d.
Senate Bill 686-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 d.
Page 4 DRS45353-ML-107 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (3) Any person who sells, manufactures, delivers, transports, or possesses 28 grams or more of cocaine and any salt, isomer (whether optical or geometric), salts of isomers, compound, derivative, or preparation thereof, or any coca leaves and any salt, isomer, salts of isomers, compound, derivative, or preparation of coca leaves, and any salt, isomer, salts of isomers, compound, derivative or preparation thereof which is chemically equivalent or identical with any of these substances (except decocainized coca leaves or any extraction of coca leaves which does not contain cocaine) or any mixture containing such substances, shall be guilty of a felony, which felony shall be known as "trafficking in cocaine" and if the quantity of such substance or mixture involved:
Page 4 Senate Bill 686-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (3) Any person who sells, manufactures, delivers, transports, or possesses 28 grams or more of cocaine and anysalt, isomer (whether optical or geometric), salts of isomers, compound, derivative, or preparation thereof, or any coca leaves and any salt, isomer, salts of isomers, compound, derivative, or preparation of coca leaves, and any salt, isomer, salts of isomers, compound, derivative or preparation thereof which is chemically equivalent or identical with any of these substances (except decocainized coca leaves or any extraction of coca leaves which does not contain cocaine) or any mixture containing such substances, shall be guilty of a felony, which felony shall be known as "trafficking in cocaine" and if the quantity of such substance or mixture involved:
(3b) Any person who sells, manufactures, delivers, transports, or possesses 28 grams ormoreofmethamphetamineor anymixture containing suchsubstance shall be guilty of a felony which felony shall be known as "trafficking in methamphetamine" and if the quantity of such substance or mixture involved:
(3b) Any person who sells, manufactures, delivers, transports, or possesses 28 grams ormoreofmethamphetamineor anymixturecontaining suchsubstance shall be guilty of a felony which felony shall be known as "trafficking in methamphetamine" and if the quantity of such substance or mixture involved:
DRS45353-ML-107 Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 b.
Senate Bill 686-First Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 b.
Page 6 DRS45353-ML-107 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 1.
Page 6 Senate Bill 686-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 1.
Is 1,000 ormoredosageunits, orequivalent quantity,suchpersonshall be punished as a Class D felon and shall be sentenced to a minimum term of 175 months and a maximum term of 222 months in the State's prison and shall be fined not less than two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000).
Is 1,000 ormoredosageunits, orequivalent quantity, suchpersonshall be punished as a Class D felon and shall be sentenced to a minimum term of 175 months and a maximum term of 222 months in the State's prison and shall be fined not less than two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000).
Is 100 or more tablets, capsules, or other dosage units, but less than 500 tablets, capsules, or other dosage units, or 28 grams or more, but less than 200 grams, the person shall be punished as a Class G felon DRS45353-ML-107 Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 and shall be sentenced to a minimum term of 35 months and a maximum term of 51 months in the State's prison and shall be fined not less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000);
Is 100 or more tablets, capsules, or other dosage units, but less than 500 tablets, capsules, or other dosage units, or 28 grams or more, but less than 200 grams, the person shall be punished as a Class G felon Senate Bill 686-First Edition Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 and shall be sentenced to a minimum term of 35 months and a maximum term of 51 months in the State's prison and shall be fined not less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000);
Is 500 or more tablets, capsules, or other dosage units, but less than 1,000 tablets, capsules, or other dosage units, or 200 grams or more, but less than400grams, thepersonshall bepunishedas a ClassFfelon and shall be sentenced to a minimum term of 70 months and a maximum term of 93 months in the State's prison and shall be fined not less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000);
Is 500 or more tablets, capsules, or other dosage units, but less than 1,000 tablets, capsules, or other dosage units, or 200 grams or more, but less than400 grams, thepersonshall bepunishedas a ClassFfelon and shall be sentenced to a minimum term of 70 months and a maximum term of 93 months in the State's prison and shall be fined not less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000);
The sentencing judge may reduce the fine, or impose a prison term less than the applicable minimum prison term provided by this subsection, or suspend the prison term imposed and place a person on probation when such person has, to the best of the person's knowledge, provided substantial assistance in the identification, arrest, or conviction of any accomplices, accessories, co-conspirators, or principals if the sentencing judge enters in the record a finding that the person to be sentenced has rendered such substantial assistance.
The sentencing judge mayreduce the fine, or impose a prison term less than the applicable minimum prison term provided by this subsection, or suspend the prison term imposed and place a person on probation when such person has, to the best of the person's knowledge, provided substantial assistance in the identification, arrest, or conviction of any accomplices, accessories, co-conspirators, or principals if the sentencing judge enters in the record a finding that the person to be sentenced has rendered such substantial assistance.
Page 8 DRS45353-ML-107 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 g.
Page 8 Senate Bill 686-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 g.
DRS45353-ML-107 Page 9
Senate Bill 686-First Edition Page 9
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

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

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 2 co-sponsors · 176 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (2)

Not signed on (176)

176 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 176 →

"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
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 686?
SB 686 is sponsored by Joyce Waddell (Democratic), Natalie S. Murdock (Democratic), and Kandie D. Smith (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 686?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 686?
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