North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 6 D · 2 R cosponsors

SB 526 — The Hands Free NC Act.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

Track this bill free

No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.

  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

Advancing 42% · 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.

  • 8 sponsors

    1 primary, 7 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (6 D · 2 R) — cross-party backing.

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

12 added · 13 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Bill SB 526 involves a minor update in the phrasing regarding the definitions of operating a motor vehicle and negligence. The language has been clarified but remains focused on the same concepts. This change matters because clearer definitions can help avoid confusion in legal proceedings that involve determining responsibility in vehicle-related incidents.

→
Previous
Latest
FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA Mar 25, 2025 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 526 Short Title:
526 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS15237-NE-6 Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT MAKING IT UNLAWFUL TO USE A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE WHILE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE ON A PUBLIC STREET, HIGHWAY, OR PUBLIC VEHICULAR AREA.
Rules and Operations of the Senate March 26, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT MAKING IT UNLAWFUL TO USE A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE WHILE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE ON A PUBLIC STREET, HIGHWAY, OR PUBLIC VEHICULAR AREA.
*DRS15237-NE-6* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (1) With a wireless communication device in the person's hand.
*S526-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (1) With a wireless communication device in the person's hand.
(3) A person who violates this section and has previously been found responsible for two or more violations of this section that occurred within the 36-month period prior to the date of the current violation is guilty of an infraction, Page 2 DRS15237-NE-6 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 punishable by a fine of two hundred dollars ($200.00) and insurance points as authorized by G.S.
(3) A person who violates this section and has previously been found responsible for two or more violations of this section that occurred within the 36-month period prior to the date of the current violation is guilty of an infraction, Page 2 Senate Bill 526-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 punishable by a fine of two hundred dollars ($200.00) and insurance points as authorized by G.S.
DRS15237-NE-6 Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 "(l) Violations.
Senate Bill 526-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 "(l) Violations.
Failure to comply with a restriction concerning the time of driving orthepresenceof asupervising driverin thevehicle constitutesoperating amotorvehicle without a license.
Failure to comply with a restriction concerning the time of drivingor thepresenceof asupervisingdriverin thevehicle constitutesoperating amotorvehicle without a license.
Failure to comply with the provisions of subsections (e) and (g) of this section shall not constitute negligence per se or contributory negligence by the driver or passenger in any action for the recovery of damages arising out of the operation, ownership or maintenance of a motor vehicle.
Failure to comply with the provisions of subsections (e) and (g) of this section shall not constitute negligence per se or contributory negligence bythe driver or passenger in anyaction for the recovery of damages arising out of the operation, ownership or maintenance of a motor vehicle.
Page 4 DRS15237-NE-6
Page 4 Senate Bill 526-First Edition
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (2)

Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

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

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 7 co-sponsors · 171 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (7)

Not signed on (171)

171 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 171 →

"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 transportation technology
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 526?
SB 526 is sponsored by Caleb Theodros (Democratic), Gladys A. Robinson (Democratic), Julie Mayfield (Democratic), Lisa Grafstein (Democratic), Jay J. Chaudhuri (Democratic), Woodson Bradley (Democratic), Kevin Corbin (Republican), and Jim Burgin (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 526?
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 526?
Track SB 526 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on SB 526

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of SB 526

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →