North Carolina legislation · 2025-2026 Session
North Carolina S982: Make Enf. Liable & Transparent (MELT) Act.
Status: Introduced, May 5, 2026
What the bill says
An act to make enforcement liable and transparent.
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO MAKE ENFORCEMENT LIABLE AND TRANSPARENT. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: PART I. SUPPORT IMMIGRANT LEGAL DEFENSE LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND TITLE SECTION 1.1.(a) The General Assembly makes the following findings: (1) Session Law 2025-85 (House Bill 318) expanded cooperation between local jails and federal immigration enforcement in ways that chilled community trust in law enforcement. (2) Session Law 2025-85 created additional pretrial detention based on immigration status rather than risk or flight, undermining due process. (3) Warrantless civil immigration arrests based solely on administrative warrants raise serious constitutional and civil liberty concerns. (4) North Carolina benefits when immigrant residents have access to competent legal counsel in removal proceedings, asylum claims, and status stabilization matters. (5) Investing in trusted, community-based legal service providers is a more effective and humane approach than prolonging detention based on federal immigration detainers. SECTION 1.1.(b) This Part shall be known as "Repeal Session Law 2025-85 and Support Immigrant Legal Defense Act." REPEAL SESSION LAW 2025-85 SECTION 1.2. S.L. 2025-85 is repealed. REQUIREMENT OF JUDICIAL WARRANT FOR FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS WITHIN NORTH CAROLINA SECTION 1.3.(a) Article 20 of Chapter 15A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read: "§ 15A-407. Judicial warrants required. (a) Definitions. - For the purposes of this section, …
Sponsors
- Chitlik, Sophia (D, 22) · primary sponsor
- Theodros, Caleb (D, 41) · primary sponsor
- Murdock, Natalie S. (D, 20) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget
- : Withdrawn From Com
- : Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- : Passed 1st Reading
- : Filed
Subjects: NOTIFICATION, HOSPITALS, PROPERTY-LOCAL GOVERNMENT, CORPORATIONS, NONPROFIT, BUDGETING, EDUCATION, BUILDINGS, HEALTH SERVICES
Common questions
- What is S982?
- S982 is a bill in the North Carolina Legislature (2025-2026 Session): Make Enf. Liable & Transparent (MELT) Act.
- What does S982 do?
- In its own words: An act to make enforcement liable and transparent.
- What is the status of S982?
- Introduced as of May 5, 2026. Latest action: Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget (May 5, 2026).
- Who sponsored S982?
- Chitlik, Sophia (D, 22), with 2 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for S982?
- On the North Carolina Legislature website: https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S982
Source: official North Carolina record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.