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HB 270NORTH CAROLINASession 2025State Billin committee
High Impact

North Carolina bill authorizes firing squad and lethal injection alongside electrocution for death row inmates

Original title: Revise Law on the Death Penalty.

Last action · May 6, 2025: Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (House action)Sponsors: David Willis and 9 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Would Do

North Carolina House Bill 270 allows individuals sentenced to death to choose execution by or , if available, in addition to , and provides that execution assistance by licensed health care professionals will not trigger state disciplinary measures. The legislation applies to future and pending executions and takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Why it matters

The measure establishes alternative execution methods and protects participating health care professionals from state board license discipline, impacting state correctional procedures, death row inmates, and licensed medical personnel.

Background
  • North Carolina last carried out an execution in 2006, after which legal challenges regarding lethal injection protocols led to a de facto moratorium. context
  • House Bill 270 was introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly during the 2025 session by Representative Willis and other primary sponsors. context

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

death row inmates

Inmates sentenced to death gain the option to elect execution by firing squad or lethal injection if available, or face default execution by electrocution if they waive election.

Directly affected

Department of Adult Correction

The department is responsible for determining availability of methods, establishing protocols, providing written notice to inmates, and carrying out executions.

Directly affected

licensed health care professionals

Health care professionals who assist with executions are protected from disciplinary or corrective measures by state licensing boards.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What execution methods are available under this bill?
A person sentenced to death may be executed by , or at their election, by or if available at the time of election.
How and when must an inmate elect an execution method?
The election must be made in writing 14 days before each execution date. If a stay is granted or the date passes, the election expires and must be renewed in writing 14 days before a new execution date.
Will health care professionals face disciplinary action for assisting with an execution?
No, assistance rendered by licensed health care professionals shall not be cause for disciplinary or corrective measures by any State licensing authority, such as the North Carolina Medical Board, Board of Nursing, or Board of Pharmacy.
Are the identities of execution witnesses and personnel public?
No, their identities including names, addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers are confidential and exempted from public records laws, unless disclosure is ordered by the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge for Wake County.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

7 actions
  1. May 6, 2025House
    Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
  2. May 6, 2025House
    Reptd Fav
  3. Apr 29, 2025House
    Re-ref Com On State and Local Government
  4. Apr 29, 2025House
    Reptd Fav
  5. Mar 5, 2025House
    Ref to the Com on Judiciary 2, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
  6. Mar 5, 2025House
    Passed 1st Reading
Show 1 earlier action
  1. Mar 3, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

David WillisHouse · District 68RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Reece PyrtleHouse · District 65RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Charlie MillerHouse · District 19RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Bill WardHouse · District 5RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Jonathan AlmondHouse · District 73RepublicanCosponsor
Show 5 more sponsors
Jennifer BalkcomHouse · District 117RepublicanCosponsor
Todd CarverHouse · District 95RepublicanCosponsor
Neal JacksonHouse · District 78RepublicanCosponsor
Keith KidwellHouse · District 79RepublicanCosponsor
Paul ScottHouse · District 111RepublicanCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift98% confidence

Expansion of Execution Methods

The bill broadens available execution options beyond lethal injection and electrocution to explicitly include the firing squad upon inmate election.

Department of Adult Correction

Connected Entities

North Carolina Board of Pharmacy, North Carolina Board of Nursing, Department of Adult Correction and 5 more
OrganizationNorth Carolina Board of Pharmacy“State board overseeing pharmacy professionals.”Map →
OrganizationNorth Carolina Board of Nursing“State board overseeing nursing professionals.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Adult Correction“Responsible for protocols, procedures, and determining execution methods.”Map →
locationRaleigh“Location of the North Carolina penitentiary.”Map →
OrganizationNorth Carolina Medical Board“State board overseeing health care professionals.”Map →
OrganizationCentral Prison“Warden of Central Prison may obtain and employ necessary drugs.”Map →
locationWake County“Senior Resident Superior Court Judge for Wake County may order disclosure of con”Map →
OrganizationNorth Carolina Supreme Court“Receives certification regarding available execution methods.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.ncleg.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy85
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz60
    Current news / social attention level

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