North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina House Bill H923 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	H 1
4		-	HOUSE BILL 923
	3	+	H D
	4	+	HOUSE BILL DRH10425-ND-8A
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: Protect Personal Info/Judicial Personnel. (Public)
8		-	Sponsors: Representatives Chesser, Schietzelt, and Alston (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
10		-	Referred to: Judiciary 3, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
11		-	April 14, 2025
12		-	H923 -v-1
	9	+	Sponsors: Representative Chesser.
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRH10425 -ND-8A
13	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
14	14		AN ACT TO REQUIRE CITIES AND COUNTIES TO REMOVE PERSONAL 2
15	15		INFORMATION FROM WEBSITES MAINTAINED BY COUNTIES AND CITIES 3
16	16		WHEN REQUESTED BY CERTAIN PROSECUTORS, PUBLIC DEFENDERS, AND 4
17	17		JUDICIAL PERSONNEL, AND TO CLARIFY CERTAIN PERSONNEL RECORDS OF 5
18	18		LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. 6
19	19		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 7
20	20		SECTION 1. Article 7 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes is amended by 8
21	21		adding a new section to read: 9
22	22		"§ 153A-148.2. Removal of personal information from public websites; judicial personnel. 10
23	23		(a) For purposes of this section, "personal information" includes the physical address and 11
24	24		phone number of the individual, but not the name of the individual. 12
25	25		(b) Each county shall develop and make available a process by which any official listed 13
26	26		in this subsection may request that the county remove that individual's personal information from 14
27	27		any website maintained by the county and available to the general public. The request to remove 15
28	28		personal information may also include a request to remove the personal information of the 16
29	29		individual's spouse. The following individuals may request the removal of personal information 17
30	30		from a county's website: 18
31	31		(1) A State judge, justice, or magistrate. 19
32	32		(2) A district attorney or assistant district attorney. 20
33	33		(3) A prosecutor employed by the North Carolina Department of Justice. 21
34	34		(4) A United States Attorney or Assistant United States Attorney. 22
35	35		(5) A public defender or assistant public defender. 23
36	36		(6) A federal judge. 24
37	37		(c) The request must be in writing and include all of the following: 25
38	38		(1) The name of the individual making the request. 26
39	39		(2) Information indicating the individual is eligible to make the request. 27
40	40		(3) The specific personal information to be removed. 28
41	41		(d) The county must remove the personal information if properly requested under this 29
42	42		section. The personal information removed from the website shall not be placed on the website 30
43	43		again unless the county receives a written revocation from the individual who made the original 31
44	44		request. 32
45	45		(e) Neither the request to remove the personal information nor the revocation of the 33
46		-	request is a public record as defined by G.S. 132-1, and the county shall keep the request and any 34 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
47		-	Page 2 House Bill 923-First Edition
48		-	revocation confidential. Personal information removed from the website continues to be a public 1
49		-	record if it would otherwise be subject to disclosure under Chapter 132 of the General Statutes. 2
50		-	(f) A county and its officers, officials, employees, and agents, both past and present, in 3
51		-	their official and individual capacity, shall be immune and held harmless from liability in any 4
52		-	action brought by or on behalf of any person injured or harmed by the action or inaction, in good 5
53		-	faith, of the county or its officers, officials, employees, and agents in implementing the provisions 6
54		-	of this section. However, if the actions of an officer, official, employee, or agent which result in 7
55		-	harm were not within the course and scope of the duties of the officer, official, employee, or 8
56		-	agent, the officer, official, employee, or agent may be subject to liability as an individual to the 9
57		-	extent permitted by the laws of this State." 10
58		-	SECTION 2. Article 9 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes is amended by 11
59		-	adding a new section to read: 12
60		-	"§ 160A-208.2. Removal of personal information from public websites; judicial personnel. 13
61		-	(a) For purposes of this section, "personal information" includes the physical address and 14
62		-	phone number of the individual, but not the name of the individual. 15
63		-	(b) Each city shall develop and make available a process by which any official listed in 16
64		-	this subsection may request that the city remove that individual's personal information from any 17
65		-	website maintained by the city and available to the general public. The request to remove personal 18
66		-	information may also include a request to remove the personal information of the individual's 19
67		-	spouse. The following individuals may request the removal of personal information from a city's 20
68		-	website: 21
69		-	(1) A State judge, justice, or magistrate. 22
70		-	(2) A district attorney or assistant district attorney. 23
71		-	(3) A prosecutor employed by the North Carolina Department of Justice. 24
72		-	(4) A United States Attorney or Assistant United States Attorney. 25
73		-	(5) A public defender or assistant public defender. 26
74		-	(6) A federal judge. 27
75		-	(c) The request must be in writing and include all of the following: 28
76		-	(1) The name of the individual making the request. 29
77		-	(2) Information indicating the individual is eligible to make the request. 30
78		-	(3) The specific personal information to be removed. 31
79		-	(d) The city must remove the personal information if properly requested under this 32
80		-	section. The personal information removed from the website shall not be placed on the website 33
81		-	again unless the city receives a written revocation from the individual who made the original 34
82		-	request. 35
83		-	(e) Neither the request to remove the personal information nor the revocation of the 36
84		-	request is a public record as defined by G.S. 132-1, and the city shall keep the request and any 37
85		-	revocation confidential. Personal information removed from the website continues to be a public 38
86		-	record if it would otherwise be subject to disclosure under Chapter 132 of the General Statutes. 39
87		-	(f) A city and its officers, officials, employees, and agents, both past and present, in their 40
88		-	official and individual capacity, shall be immune and held harmless from liability in any action 41
89		-	brought by or on behalf of any person injured or harmed by the action or inaction, in good faith, 42
90		-	of the city or its officers, officials, employees, and agents in implementing the provisions of this 43
91		-	section. However, if the actions of an officer, official, employee, or agent which result in harm 44
92		-	were not within the course and scope of the duties of the officer, official, employee, or agent, the 45
93		-	officer, official, employee, or agent may be subject to liability as an individual to the extent 46
94		-	permitted by the laws of this State." 47
95		-	SECTION 3. G.S. 153A-98(c4) reads as rewritten: 48
96		-	"(c4) Even if considered part of an employee's personnel file, the The following information 49
97		-	regarding any sworn law enforcement officer employed by the county shall not be disclosed to 50
98		-	an employee or any other person, unless disclosed in accordance with G.S. 132-1.4, or in 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
99		-	House Bill 923-First Edition Page 3
100		-	accordance with G.S. 132-1.10, or for the personal safety of that sworn law enforcement officer 1
101		-	or any other person residing in the same residence: 2
102		-	(1) Information that might identify concerning the residence of a sworn law 3
103		-	enforcement officer. 4
104		-	(2) Emergency contact information. 5
105		-	(3) Any identifying information as defined in G.S. 14-113.20." 6
106		-	SECTION 4. G.S. 160A-168(c4) reads as rewritten: 7
107		-	"(c4) Even if considered part of an employee's personnel file, the The following information 8
108		-	regarding any sworn law enforcement officer employed by the city shall not be disclosed to an 9
109		-	employee or any other person, unless disclosed in accordance with G.S. 132-1.4, or in accordance 10
110		-	with G.S. 132-1.10, or for the personal safety of that sworn law enforcement officer or any other 11
111		-	person residing in the same residence: 12
112		-	(1) Information that might identify concerning the residence of a sworn law 13
113		-	enforcement officer. 14
114		-	(2) Emergency contact information. 15
115		-	(3) Any identifying information as defined in G.S. 14-113.20." 16
116		-	SECTION 5. The process required by Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall be developed 17
117		-	and implemented by October 1, 2025. 18
118		-	SECTION 6. This act is effective when it becomes law. 19
	46	+	request is a public record as defined by G.S. 132-1, and the county shall keep the request and any 34
	47	+	revocation confidential. Personal information removed from the website continues to be a public 35
	48	+	record if it would otherwise be subject to disclosure under Chapter 132 of the General Statutes. 36
	49	+	H.B. 923
	50	+	Apr 10, 2025
	51	+	HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	52	+	Page 2 DRH10425-ND-8A
	53	+	(f) A county and its officers, officials, employees, and agents, both past and present, in 1
	54	+	their official and individual capacity, shall be immune and held harmless from liability in any 2
	55	+	action brought by or on behalf of any person injured or harmed by the action or inaction, in good 3
	56	+	faith, of the county or its officers, officials, employees, and agents in implementing the provisions 4
	57	+	of this section. However, if the actions of an officer, official, employee, or agent which result in 5
	58	+	harm were not within the course and scope of the duties of the officer, official, employee, or 6
	59	+	agent, the officer, official, employee, or agent may be subject to liability as an individual to the 7
	60	+	extent permitted by the laws of this State." 8
	61	+	SECTION 2. Article 9 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes is amended by 9
	62	+	adding a new section to read: 10
	63	+	"§ 160A-208.2. Removal of personal information from public websites; judicial personnel. 11
	64	+	(a) For purposes of this section, "personal information" includes the physical address and 12
	65	+	phone number of the individual, but not the name of the individual. 13
	66	+	(b) Each city shall develop and make available a process by which any official listed in 14
	67	+	this subsection may request that the city remove that individual's personal information from any 15
	68	+	website maintained by the city and available to the general public. The request to remove personal 16
	69	+	information may also include a request to remove the personal information of the individual's 17
	70	+	spouse. The following individuals may request the removal of personal information from a city's 18
	71	+	website: 19
	72	+	(1) A State judge, justice, or magistrate. 20
	73	+	(2) A district attorney or assistant district attorney. 21
	74	+	(3) A prosecutor employed by the North Carolina Department of Justice. 22
	75	+	(4) A United States Attorney or Assistant United States Attorney. 23
	76	+	(5) A public defender or assistant public defender. 24
	77	+	(6) A federal judge. 25
	78	+	(c) The request must be in writing and include all of the following: 26
	79	+	(1) The name of the individual making the request. 27
	80	+	(2) Information indicating the individual is eligible to make the request. 28
	81	+	(3) The specific personal information to be removed. 29
	82	+	(d) The city must remove the personal information if properly requested under this 30
	83	+	section. The personal information removed from the website shall not be placed on the website 31
	84	+	again unless the city receives a written revocation from the individual who made the original 32
	85	+	request. 33
	86	+	(e) Neither the request to remove the personal information nor the revocation of the 34
	87	+	request is a public record as defined by G.S. 132-1, and the city shall keep the request and any 35
	88	+	revocation confidential. Personal information removed from the website continues to be a public 36
	89	+	record if it would otherwise be subject to disclosure under Chapter 132 of the General Statutes. 37
	90	+	(f) A city and its officers, officials, employees, and agents, both past and present, in their 38
	91	+	official and individual capacity, shall be immune and held harmless from liability in any action 39
	92	+	brought by or on behalf of any person injured or harmed by the action or inaction, in good faith, 40
	93	+	of the city or its officers, officials, employees, and agents in implementing the provisions of this 41
	94	+	section. However, if the actions of an officer, official, employee, or agent which result in harm 42
	95	+	were not within the course and scope of the duties of the officer, official, employee, or agent, the 43
	96	+	officer, official, employee, or agent may be subject to liability as an individual to the extent 44
	97	+	permitted by the laws of this State." 45
	98	+	SECTION 3. G.S. 153A-98(c4) reads as rewritten: 46
	99	+	"(c4) Even if considered part of an employee's personnel file, the The following information 47
	100	+	regarding any sworn law enforcement officer employed by the county shall not be disclosed to 48
	101	+	an employee or any other person, unless disclosed in accordance with G.S. 132-1.4, or in 49
	102	+	accordance with G.S. 132-1.10, or for the personal safety of that sworn law enforcement officer 50
	103	+	or any other person residing in the same residence: 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	104	+	DRH10425-ND-8A Page 3
	105	+	(1) Information that might identify concerning the residence of a sworn law 1
	106	+	enforcement officer. 2
	107	+	(2) Emergency contact information. 3
	108	+	(3) Any identifying information as defined in G.S. 14-113.20." 4
	109	+	SECTION 4. G.S. 160A-168(c4) reads as rewritten: 5
	110	+	"(c4) Even if considered part of an employee's personnel file, the The following information 6
	111	+	regarding any sworn law enforcement officer employed by the city shall not be disclosed to an 7
	112	+	employee or any other person, unless disclosed in accordance with G.S. 132-1.4, or in accordance 8
	113	+	with G.S. 132-1.10, or for the personal safety of that sworn law enforcement officer or any other 9
	114	+	person residing in the same residence: 10
	115	+	(1) Information that might identify concerning the residence of a sworn law 11
	116	+	enforcement officer. 12
	117	+	(2) Emergency contact information. 13
	118	+	(3) Any identifying information as defined in G.S. 14-113.20." 14
	119	+	SECTION 5. The process required by Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall be developed 15
	120	+	and implemented by October 1, 2025. 16
	121	+	SECTION 6. This act is effective when it becomes law. 17