Criminal justice bill ‘Iryna’s Law’ heads to the governor

On Tuesday evening, Iryna’s Law was presented to Gov. Josh Stein after the North Carolina House of Representatives approved it by a vote of 81–31. House Bill 307 is a sweeping criminal justice reform billintroduced and advanced after the murder of Iryna Zarutska just one month earlier on the Charlotte mass transit system. The House vote came only a day after the measure swiftly cleared Senate committees and passed on the Senate floor 28-8 following a lengthy debate. 

“For too long, activist judges and magistrates have turned dangerous criminals loose, endangering lives and spreading chaos in our communities,” said Speaker of the House, Rep. Destin Hall, R-Caldwell. “That ends now. Iryna Zarutska’s murder is a tragic reminder of what’s at stake. That’s why we are delivering some of the strongest tough-on-crime reforms in North Carolina history.”

HB 307 tightens pretrial conditions for the release of violent offenders, eliminates cashless bail, establishes a new protocol for ordering mental health evaluations in the criminal justice system, and sets a firmer timeline for appeal in death penalty cases.

“We are sending a clear message: North Carolina will not tolerate allowing violent criminals to walk free on our streets,” said House Majority Leader Rep. Brenden Jones, R-Columbus. “Iryna’s Law strengthens protections for our citizens and restores accountability in our courts, because the safety of our families and communities comes first.”

The bill eliminates cashless bail for certain offenses, restricts judicial discretion in granting pretrial release, and creates a new category of “violent offenses” requiring GPS monitoring, house arrest, or secured bond for those accused. It also mandates mental health evaluations in specific cases, tightens deadlines on death penalty appeals, and adds committing a capital felony on public transportation to the list of aggravating factors that can make a defendant eligible for the death penalty. Republican leaders say the changes are designed to ensure violent and repeat offenders remain off the streets while holding magistrates more accountable for release decisions.

“No family should have to endure what Iryna’s family has suffered,” said Rep. Tricia Cotham, R-Mecklenburg. “People across Mecklenburg County and North Carolina should never have to fear for their safety in their own neighborhoods. Iryna’s Law prevents violent offenders from walking free and ensures that those who threaten our community face real consequences before they can harm another soul.”

The bill also establishes a new protocol requiring judicial officials to order a mental health evaluation if (1) a defendant is charged with a violent offense and has been involuntarily committed within the last three years, or (2) a defendant is charged with any offense and the judicial official has cause to believe the defendant is a danger to himself or others. The judicial official must then order an evaluation for involuntary commitment. If the examiner determines that the defendant needs to be committed, commitment proceedings must be initiated. 

“Iryna’s Law is about more than punishment; it’s about prevention,” said Rep. Sara Stevens, R-Surry. “By requiring mental health evaluations and stricter pretrial conditions for violent offenders, we are taking decisive steps to stop tragedies before they happen.”

HB 307 modifies procedures related to capital cases. According to a press release from Speaker Destin Hall’s office, R-Caldwell, the bill sets timelines for pending appeals and motions: any filing over 24 months old must be scheduled for a hearing by December 2026, with the hearing held on or before December 2027. It also requires that hearings in death penalty cases occur in the county of the original conviction.

“This law is about restoring common sense and protecting innocent lives,” said Rep. Brian Echevarria, R-Cabarrus. “The nation watched Iryna’s life be murderously taken. We shouldn’t have needed that tragedy to enact common-sense legislation that helps keep violent people off the streets.”

The bill would also classify committing a capital felony against a victim using public transportation as an aggravating factor in death penalty cases. This provision ensures prosecutors can seek—and courts can impose—the death penalty in cases similar to the one that claimed Iryna’s life.

“Iryna’s Law puts common-sense limits on pretrial release, ensures violent offenders cannot get out scot-free, and protects our neighbors, our children, and our communities from preventable harm,” said Rep. David Willis, R-Union.

Additionally, the bill would clarify that a judicial official must review and consider the defendant’s criminal history before setting pretrial release conditions. It would also require the judicial official to make written findings of fact explaining the reasons for determining the conditions of release in each case. Failure by a judge or magistrate to make these required findings would be grounds for removal.

The bill further allows the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or the Chief District Court judge to initiate suspension proceedings for magistrates. Finally, it directs the North Carolina Collaboratory to study the intersection of mental health and the justice system in North Carolina for both adults and juveniles, examine the availability of house arrest as a condition of pretrial release, and evaluate alternative methods of execution beyond those currently authorized in the state. 

“Criminal justice bill ‘Iryna’s Law’ heads to the governor” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.