GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 699
Short Title: Sheriff's Deputies/Dismissals. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative A. Jones.
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Judiciary 1, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules,
Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 3, 2025
*H699 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT PROVIDING THAT A SHERIFF SHALL NOT DISCHARGE A DEPUTY SHERIFF 2
OR OTHER EMPLOYEE IN THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF FOR FAILING TO MAKE 3
A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUT ION TO THE SHERIFF OR THE SHERIFF'S CAMPAIGN 4
COMMITTEE. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1. G.S. 153A-103 reads as rewritten: 7
"ยง 153A-103. Number of employees in offices of sheriff and register of deeds. 8
Subject to the limitations set forth below, the board of commissioners may fix the number of 9
salaried employees in the offices of the sheriff and the register of deeds. In exercising the 10
authority granted by this section, the board of commissioners is subject to the following 11
limitations: 12
(1) Each sheriff and register of deeds elected by the people has the exclusive right 13
to hire, discharge, and supervise the employees in his office. However, the his 14
or her office; provided, however, a sheriff shall not discharge a deputy sheriff 15
or other employee for failing to make a campaign contribution to the sheriff 16
or the sheriff's campaign committee. The board of commissioners must 17
approve the appointment by such an officer of a relative by blood or marriage 18
of nearer kinship than first cousin or of a person who has been convicted of a 19
crime involving moral turpitude. 20
(2) Each sheriff and register of deeds elected by the people is entitled to at least 21
two deputies who shall be reasonably compensated by the county, provided 22
that the register of deeds justifies to the Board of County Commissioners the 23
necessity of the second deputy. Each deputy so appointed shall serve at the 24
pleasure of the appointing officer. 25
(3) In addition to the number of salaried employees fixed by the board of 26
commissioners, each sheriff is entitled to the number of school resource 27
officers required to satisfy any agreements entered into under 28
G.S. 162-26.5(b). 29
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, approval of the board of 30
commissioners is not required for the reappointment or continued employment of a near relative 31
of a sheriff or register of deeds who was not related to the appointing officer at the time of initial 32
appointment." 33
SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law. 34