North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 5 D cosponsors

SB 620 — The STRONG Act of 2025.

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 24% · 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.

  • 5 sponsors

    2 primary, 3 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (5 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

25 added · 26 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Senate Bill 620 includes several key changes but maintains its focus on funding and training related to law enforcement and public safety. It adds $10 million in recurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, aimed at improving services such as child care and law enforcement training. This funding is important because it supports enhanced safety measures and services in the community, which can help reduce crime and improve overall public safety.

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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 620 Short Title:
620 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS35226-MGfa-97 Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT ENACTING THE "STOPPING TRAFFICKING AND REINFORCING OPIOID AND NARCOTICS GUARDRAILS (S.T.R.O.N.G.) ACT" TO PROVIDE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE RESPONSE TO THE FENTANYL CRISIS BY INCREASING PENALTIES FOR CERTAIN DRUG TRAFFICKERS, CERTAIN DEATH BY DISTRIBUTION OFFENSES, AND FOR TRAFFICKING NEAR SCHOOLS AND CERTAIN OTHER PUBLIC PLACES;
Rules and Operations of the Senate March 26, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT ENACTING THE "STOPPING TRAFFICKING AND REINFORCING OPIOID AND NARCOTICS GUARDRAILS (S.T.R.O.N.G.) ACT" TO PROVIDE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE RESPONSE TO THE FENTANYL CRISIS BY INCREASING PENALTIES FOR CERTAIN DRUG TRAFFICKERS, CERTAIN DEATH BY DISTRIBUTION OFFENSES, AND FOR TRAFFICKING NEAR SCHOOLS AND CERTAIN OTHER PUBLIC PLACES;
*DRS35226-MGfa-97* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 PART III.
*S620-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 PART III.
Subject to any applicable State law, federal law, or constitutional requirements, a law enforcement agency investigating an offense under this subdivision may intercept, endeavor to intercept, or procure any other person Page 2 DRS35226-MGfa-97 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 to intercept or endeavor to intercept, any wire, oral, or electronic communication." SECTION 3.1.(b) This section becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.
Subject to any applicable State law, federal law, or constitutional requirements, a law enforcement agency investigating an offense under this subdivision may intercept, endeavor to intercept, or procure any other person Page 2 Senate Bill 620-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 to intercept or endeavor to intercept, any wire, oral, or electronic communication." SECTION 3.1.(b) This section becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.
90-95(h)(4) on property used for a child care center, or for an elementary or secondary school, or for a playground, or within 1,500 feet of the boundary of real property used for a child care center, an elementary or secondary school, or a playground, shall be punished as a Class B1 felon.
90-95(h)(4) on propertyused for a child care center, or for an elementary or secondary school, or for a playground, or within 1,500 feet of the boundary of real property used for a child care center, an elementary or secondary school, or a playground, shall be punished as a Class B1 felon.
LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING AND RESOURCES FUND STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION DRUG TASK FORCE SECTION 4.1.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Bureau ofInvestigation thesum oftenmilliondollars($10,000,000)in recurring funds forthe2025-2026 fiscal year to be used to support and expand its Drug Task Force.
LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING AND RESOURCES FUND STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION DRUG TASK FORCE SECTION 4.1.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Bureau of Investigation thesum oftenmilliondollars($10,000,000)in recurringfunds forthe2025-2026 fiscal year to be used to support and expand its Drug Task Force.
Article 5 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
Article 5 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended byadding a new section to read:
DRS35226-MGfa-97 Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (a) Task Force Established.
Senate Bill 620-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (a) Task Force Established.
– No later than March 1 of each year, the Task Force shall report to the Joint LegislativeOversightCommitteeonJusticeandPublicSafety any findings, legislativeproposals, or other information the Task Force determines would aid State and federal law enforcement officers and agencies in the interdiction of illegal controlled substances within the State of North Carolina.
– No later than March 1 of each year, the Task Force shall report to the Joint LegislativeOversightCommitteeonJusticeandPublicSafetyanyfindings, legislativeproposals, or other information the Task Force determines would aid State and federal law enforcement officers and agencies in the interdiction of illegal controlled substances within the State of North Carolina.
… (14) Establish minimum standards for in-service training for criminal justice officers.In-servicetrainingstandardsforswornlawenforcementofficersshall include all of the following training topics:
… (14) Establish minimum standards for in-service training for criminal justice officers.
In-servicetrainingstandardsforswornlawenforcementofficersshall include all of the following training topics:
Page 4 DRS35226-MGfa-97 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 "§ 17E-4.
Page 4 Senate Bill 620-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 "§ 17E-4.
(c) A dispenser shall not be required to report instances in which a controlled substance, or gabapentin, is xylazine, or nitazenes are provided directly to the ultimate user and the quantity provided does not exceed a 48-hour supply.
(c) A dispenser shall not be required to report instances in which a controlled substance, or gabapentin, is xylazine, or nitazenes are provided directlyto the ultimate user and the quantity provided does not exceed a 48-hour supply.
DRS35226-MGfa-97 Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (c1) A dispenser shall not be required to report gabapentin to the controlled substances reporting system when gabapentin is gabapentin, xylazine, or nitazenes are a component of a compounded prescription that is dispensed in dosages of 100 milligrams or less.
Senate Bill 620-First Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (c1) A dispenser shall not be required to report gabapentin to the controlled substances reporting system when gabapentin is gabapentin, xylazine, or nitazenes are a component of a compounded prescription that is dispensed in dosages of 100 milligrams or less.
… (f) For purposes of this section, a "dispenser" includes a person licensed to practice veterinary medicinepursuant to Article11ofChapter90 oftheGeneral Statuteswhenthatperson dispenses any Schedule II through V controlled substance or gabapentin.gabapentin, xylazine, or nitazenes.
… (f) For purposes of this section, a "dispenser" includes a person licensed to practice veterinarymedicinepursuant to Article11ofChapter90oftheGeneral Statuteswhen thatperson dispenses anySchedule II through V controlled substance or gabapentin.gabapentin, xylazine, or nitazenes.
Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services (DMH/DD/SUS), the sum of three million five hundred thousand dollars ($3,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to upgrade data analytics and automation within the Controlled Substances Reporting System.
Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services (DMH/DD/SUS), the sum of three million five hundred thousand dollars ($3,500,000) in nonrecurringfunds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to upgrade data analytics and automation within the Controlled Substances Reporting System.
Page 6 DRS35226-MGfa-97 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 a.
Page 6 Senate Bill 620-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 a.
To that end, the DMH/DD/SUS may use up to two percent (2%) of the funds authorized by this subdivision to study and develop recommendations on this issue.
To that end, the DMH/DD/SUS mayuse up to two percent (2%) of the funds authorized by this subdivision to study and develop recommendations on this issue.
– A partnership, an S-corporation, or a limited liability company subject to income tax under Part 1A or Part 2 of Article 4 of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes.
– A partnership, an S-corporation, or a limited liability companysubject to income tax under Part 1A or Part 2 of Article 4 of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes.
DRS35226-MGfa-97 Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (7) Qualifying provider.
Senate Bill 620-First Edition Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (7) Qualifying provider.
Page 8 DRS35226-MGfa-97
Page 8 Senate Bill 620-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

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

  3. Withdrawn From Com

  4. Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget

  5. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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2 sponsors · 3 co-sponsors · 174 not signed on

Sponsors (2)

Co-sponsors (3)

Not signed on (174)

174 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 174 →

"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 taxation healthcare labor education
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 620?
SB 620 is sponsored by Joyce Waddell (Democratic), Michael Garrett (Democratic), Woodson Bradley (Democratic), Kandie D. Smith (Democratic), and Terence Everitt (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 620?
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 620?
Track SB 620 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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