Administration of Justice Bulletin #1999/05

As in most sessions, the 1999 General Assembly made numerous changes to the state’s criminal laws. The changes were of a more technical nature than in previous sessions, however. Offenses were created and revised, punishments raised, and procedures modified, but few major initiatives were enacted. Perhaps the most groundbreaking legislation this session involved limiting prosecutors’ authority over the criminal calendar. The General Assembly also toughened the laws concerning offenses at schools, controlled substances, and impaired driving.

Each ratified act discussed here is identified by its chapter number in the session laws and by the number of the original bill. When an act creates new sections in the General Statutes (G.S.), the section number is given; however, the codifier of statutes may change that number later.