North Carolina 2025 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina House Bill H202 Amended / Bill

Filed 02/26/2025

                    GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA 
SESSION 2025 
H 	1 
HOUSE BILL 202 
 
 
Short Title: Defense Against Porch Pirates Act. 	(Public) 
Sponsors: Representatives Logan and Willingham (Primary Sponsors). 
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site. 
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House 
February 26, 2025 
*H202 -v-1* 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 
AN ACT TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF LARCENY OF MAIL. 2 
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 3 
SECTION 1. This act shall be known as "The Defense Against Porch Pirates Act." 4 
SECTION 2. Article 16 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding 5 
a new section to read: 6 
"ยง 14-72.10.  Larceny of mail. 7 
(a) Definition. โ€“ For purposes of this section, the term "mail" means a letter, package, 8 
bag, or other item of value sent or delivered to another. 9 
(b) Offense. โ€“ A person is guilty of the offense of larceny of mail if the person does either 10 
of the following: 11 
(1) Unlawfully takes, or exercises unlawful control over, the mail of another 12 
person with the intent to deprive the other person of that mail. 13 
(2) Unlawfully transfers, or exercises unlawful control over, the mail of another 14 
person or an interest in the mail of another person with the intent to benefit 15 
the person or another person not entitled to that mail or interest in that mail. 16 
(c) Punishment. โ€“ Unless covered under some other provision of law providing greater 17 
punishment, a violation of this section is punishable as follows: 18 
(1) A Class A1 misdemeanor if the offense is a first offense and the value of the 19 
mail is less than two hundred dollars ($200.00). 20 
(2) A Class G felony if the offense is a second offense and the value of the mail 21 
is less than two hundred dollars ($200.00). 22 
(3) A Class E felony if the offense is a first or second offense and the value of the 23 
mail is two hundred dollars ($200.00) or more. 24 
(4) A Class D felony if the offense is a third or subsequent offense or if the value 25 
of the mail exceeds two thousand dollars ($2,000)." 26 
SECTION 3. This act becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to offenses 27 
committed on or after that date. 28