(David Beasley, The Center Square) Proposed legislation drafted in response to a stabbing death last month on a Charlotte light rail train would make it more difficult for accused violent criminals to be released without posting cash bail.
Irnya’s Law, known also as House Bill 307, passed the Senate 28-8 on Monday evening. It is named for Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old from the Ukraine killed Aug. 22.
The House of Representatives takes up the proposal on Tuesday.
DeCarlos Brown Jr., 34, is accused of first-degree murder. He had a history of mental health issues and a long criminal history including armed robbery.
Brown was aboard the train in part because of a “written promise to appear” in a nonviolent misdemeanor case involving misuse of the 911 emergency call system.
HB307 eliminates written promises to appear that allow defendants to avoid cash bail, said Sen. Danny Britt, R-Robeson. He presented the bill to the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier in the day, where is passed on for the floor vote.
If a judicial official does determine that pretrial release is appropriate, cash bond or house arrest with monitoring through an electronic device would be the only options for first or second offenders or those convicted of three or more or more Class 1 misdemeanors or higher within the past 10 years.
The bill also creates requirements for judges to order mental health evaluations of defendants if they been charged with a violent offense and had been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility within the previous three years. The judge would be required to order a mental health evaluation for any defendant if there is cause to believe that they are suffering from a mental health crisis, Britt said.
The legislation also provides funding for 10 additional assistant district attorneys in Mecklenburg County, where Charlotte is located.
“We had a rather short window to do what we did in this bill,” Britt told the committee. “We believe that this does make North Carolina safer and does help to promote law and order. “
The legislation now goes to the Senate Rules Committee, with a floor afterward possible.
The committee also approved the Regulatory Reform Act of 2025, known as House Bill 926, which reforms licensing regulations within some of the 186 professions in North Carolina.
