GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 162
Short Title: Local Gov't Applicants/Criminal History Check. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Loftis, N. Jackson, Ward, and Kidwell (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Judiciary 2, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules,
Calendar, and Operations of the House
February 24, 2025
*H162 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT PROVIDING THA T COUNTIES AND CITIES SHALL REQUIRE CRIM INAL 2
HISTORY RECORD CHECK S FOR APPLICANTS FOR EMPLOYMENT IF THE 3
POSITION BEING FILLED REQUIRES THE APPLI CANT TO WORK WITH 4
CHILDREN IN ANY CAPACITY. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 153A-94.2 reads as rewritten: 7
"§ 153A-94.2. Criminal history record checks of employees permitted. 8
(a) The board of commissioners may adopt or provide for rules and regulations or 9
ordinances concerning a requirement that any applicant for employment be subject to a criminal 10
history record check of State and National Repositories of Criminal Histories conducted by the 11
State Bureau of Investigation in accordance with G.S. 143B-1209.25 [G.S. 143B-1209.26]. 12
G.S. 143B-1209.26. The local or regional public employer may consider the results of these 13
criminal history record checks in its hiring decisions. 14
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, if the position being 15
filled requires an applicant for employment to work with children in any capacity, the board of 16
commissioners shall require the applicant be subject to a criminal history record check conducted 17
by the State Bureau of Investigation in accordance with G.S. 143B-1209.26." 18
SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 160A-164.2 reads as rewritten: 19
"§ 160A-164.2. Criminal history record check of employees permitted. 20
(a) The council may adopt or provide for rules and regulations or ordinances concerning 21
a requirement that any applicant for employment be subject to a criminal history record check of 22
State and National Repositories of Criminal Histories conducted by the State Bureau of 23
Investigation in accordance with G.S. 143B-1209.25 [G.S. 143B-1209.26]. G.S. 143B-1209.26. 24
The city may consider the results of these criminal history record checks in its hiring decisions. 25
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, if the position being 26
filled requires an applicant for employment to work with children in any capacity, the council 27
shall require the applicant be subject to a criminal history record check conducted by the State 28
Bureau of Investigation in accordance with G.S. 143B-1209.26." 29
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective October 1, 2025, and applies to applications 30
for employment on or after that date. 31