NC House passes Political Terrorism Prevention Act

On Sept. 23, the North Carolina House of Representatives passed the Political Terrorism Prevention Act (SB 13) in a 105–6 vote. The bill advanced quickly after being introduced in the House earlier that day.

The legislation was introduced in response to the shooting death of conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk, on Sept. 10. Bill sponsors point to a nationwide rise in acts of political violence and emphasized North Carolina’s commitment to protecting open debate and peaceful political engagement.

“We still believe in free speech. We still believe in powerful debate. We still believe that if you try to kill someone for those beliefs, you deserve full weight of justice, nothing less,” Majority Leader Brenden Jones, R-Columbus, said on the House floor. “So let’s take this moment, and we’re saying once and for all, political violence ends here. This is our turning point. We should not turn back.”

SB 13 defines politically motivated violence as any criminal offense committed against an individual because of their political beliefs, affiliations, candidacy, voting history, advocacy, or lawful political expression. The bill also includes a “Charlie Kirk” clause, which states that politically motivated murder can serve as an aggravating factor in death penalty proceedings.

“For me, this issue was personal, like so many young conservatives inspired today and years past to get involved in public service because of Charlie Kirk…I sit here, I feel, because of Charlie and what he created. He created an organization that I was able to be a part of, I was able to learn, I was able to grow, I was able to network, and I feel it is why I’m here today. Charlie’s assassination issue was not just an attack on a man; it was an attack on free speech that every member of this general simply holds dear. This is why this bill matters.”

Gable is currently the youngest sitting member of the General Assembly. He won his seat at 21 years old during the 2024 primary, defeating incumbent George Cleveland.

“This legislation makes it absolutely clear. If you commit a crime to silence someone’s political beliefs in North Carolina will hold you accountable,” continued Gable. “If you commit a felony and are motivated by political terrorism, your sentence will be raised one full class higher. If you commit a crime based on politics, there will be no parole, no early release, no sentence reduction; simply, you will serve every single day of your punishment. This should not be a left or right issue, not a Democrat or Republican issue. It should be about protecting the First Amendment. It’s about protecting North Carolina living in fear of political violence. Colleagues, my generation is watching, they’re asking if we will stand up and say enough is enough.”

The proposed legislation introduces sentence enhancements for politically motivated crimes. According to a press release from Speaker Destin Hall’s office, R-Caldwell, offenders would become ineligible for parole, early release, or sentence reduction, and politically motivated felonies would be elevated by one class level. Additionally, Class A felonies committed with political motivation, even if not otherwise capital offenses, would become death penalty-eligible.

The bill is a Committee Substitute for one passed in February by the NC Senate will return to that chamber for consideration.

“NC House passes Political Terrorism Prevention Act” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.