North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 4 D cosponsors

SB 887 — Compensation for Wrongfully Detained Persons.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

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  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 28, 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

    1 primary, 3 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

15 added · 16 removed

Plain-language change summary

The revised version of Senate Bill 887 includes a clarification that victims of wrongful detention can claim compensation by providing supporting affidavits. Additionally, it emphasizes that the Industrial Commission will determine these claims based on evidence of unlawful detention. These changes matter because they streamline the process for compensation, making it clearer for victims to seek the financial support they deserve and ensuring that their claims are based on verified evidence.

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FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA Apr 28, 2026 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 887 Short Title:
887 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS45481-MLa-176 Short Title:Compensation for Wrongfully Detained Persons.
Compensation for Wrongfully Detained Persons.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ALLOW FOR THE AWARD OF COMPENSATION TO PERSONS WHO THE COURT FINDS WERE UNLAWFULLY DETAINED BY THE STATE OR A LOCAL POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE.
Rules and Operations of the Senate April 29, 2026 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ALLOW FOR THE AWARD OF COMPENSATION TO PERSONS WHO THE COURT FINDS WERE UNLAWFULLY DETAINED BY THE STATE OR A LOCAL POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE.
SECTION 1.
SECTION1.
Chapter7AoftheGeneral Statutes is amended by adding anewArticle to read:
Chapter7AoftheGeneral Statutes is amended byaddinganewArticle to read:
Such petition shall be addressed to the Industrial Commission and must include a full statementofthefactsuponwhichtheclaimisbased,verifiedinthemannerprovidedforverifying complaints in civil actions, and it may be supported by affidavits substantiating such claim.
Such petition shall be addressed to the Industrial Commission and must include a full statementofthefactsuponwhichtheclaimisbased,verifiedinthemannerprovidedforverifying complaints in civil actions, and it maybe supported byaffidavits substantiating such claim.
Upon its presentation, the Industrial Commission shall fix a time and a place for a hearing, shall mail notice to the claimant, and shall notify the Attorney General or the attorney representing the local political subdivision of the State, at least 15 days before the time fixed therefor.
Upon its presentation, the Industrial Commission shall fix a time and a place for a hearing, shall mail notice to the claimant, and shall notifythe AttorneyGeneral or the attorneyrepresenting the local political subdivision of the State, at least 15 days before the time fixed therefor.
If the Industrial Commission finds from the evidence that the claimant was unlawfully detained and suffered harm as a result of the unlawful detention, the Industrial Commission shall award to the claimant an amount equal to fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for each year or the pro rata amount for the portion of each year of the detention, including any time spent awaiting trial.
If the Industrial Commission finds from the evidence that the claimant was unlawfullydetained and suffered harm as a result of the unlawful detention, the Industrial Commission shall award to the claimant an amount equal to fiftythousand dollars ($50,000) for each year or the pro rata amount for the portion of each year of the detention, including any time spent awaiting trial.
However, (i) in no event shall the compensation, including the compensation provided in subsection (b) of this section, exceed a total amount of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) and (ii) a *DRS45481-MLa-176* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 claimant is not entitled to compensation for any portion of a detention during which the claimant was also concurrently detained for a lawful purpose.
However, (i) in no event shall the compensation, including the compensation provided in subsection (b) of this section, exceed a total amount of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) and (ii) a *S887-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 claimant is not entitled to compensation for any portion of a detention during which the claimant was also concurrently detained for a lawful purpose.
(2) Expenses for tuition and fees at any public North Carolina community college or constituent institution of The University of North Carolina for any degree or program of the claimant's choice that is available from one or more of the applicableinstitutions.
(2) Expenses for tuition and fees at anypublic North Carolina communitycollege or constituent institution of The University of North Carolina for any degree or program of the claimant's choice that is available from one or more of the applicableinstitutions.
Page 2 DRS45481-MLa-176
Page 2 Senate Bill 887-First Edition
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How this bill changes current law

4 changes Share ↗

Compared against the N.C. General Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes a new compensation framework for individuals unlawfully detained, distinct from existing provisions for wrongfully convicted persons.

  • G.S. 148-82

    § 7A-810. Provision for compensation. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any person who, having been civilly or criminally detained by the State or a local political subdivision of the State, and who was thereafter found by a court to have been unlawfully detained, may as hereinafter provided present by petition a claim against the State or the local political subdivision of the State for the pecuniary loss sustained by the person through his or her erroneous detention, provided the petition is presented within five years of the court's finding.

    Creates a new provision for compensation for individuals unlawfully detained.

  • G.S. 148-82

    § 7A-811. Form, requisites and contents of petition; nature of hearing.

    Establishes a process for filing a petition for compensation due to unlawful detention.

  • G.S. 148-82

    § 7A-812. Evidence; action by Industrial Commission; payment and amount of compensation.

    Details the process for evidence submission and the role of the Industrial Commission in awarding compensation for unlawful detention.

  • G.S. 148-82

    This Article does not apply to any person petitioning for compensation under G.S. 148-82.

    Specifies that the new compensation framework is separate from the provisions related to wrongful convictions.

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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1 sponsors · 3 co-sponsors · 175 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (3)

Not signed on (175)

175 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.

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 887?
SB 887 is sponsored by Joyce Waddell (Democratic), Caleb Theodros (Democratic), Natalie S. Murdock (Democratic), and Kandie D. Smith (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 887?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced April 28, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 887?
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