GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 394
Short Title: Distracted Driving/Children and Animals. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative Iler.
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Transportation, if favorable, Judiciary 1, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and
Operations of the House
March 17, 2025
*H394 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT MAKING IT UNLAWFUL TO INTERACT WI TH CHILDREN OR ANIMA LS IN 2
AN UNSAFE MANNER WHI LE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE ON A PUBLIC 3
STREET, HIGHWAY, OR PUBLIC VEHICULAR AREA. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1. Article 3 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes is amended by adding 6
a new section to read: 7
"§ 20-137.4B. Distracted driving caused by interacting with children or animals prohibited. 8
(a) Prohibited Conduct. – It shall be unlawful for a person to operate a vehicle on a public 9
street, highway, or public vehicular area while (i) holding an animal or allowing an animal to sit 10
in the operator's lap or (ii) interacting with a child or an animal in a manner that impairs or 11
restricts the proper operation of the motor vehicle and results in operation that is careless, 12
reckless, or heedless under the conditions then existing. 13
(b) Exception. – The provisions of this section shall not apply to fully autonomous 14
vehicles being operated in accordance with Article 18 of this Chapter. 15
(c) Penalty. – A violation of this section shall be an infraction punishable by a fine of one 16
hundred dollars ($100.00) and the costs of court. No insurance surcharge shall be assessed as a 17
result of a violation of this section." 18
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to offenses 19
committed on or after that date. For the six months immediately after the effective date of this 20
act, law enforcement shall only issue warning tickets for offenses committed. 21