GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 157

Short Title:  Criminal Tech./Clarifying Amend.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives Michaux, Barnes, and Redwine.

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Referred to:  Judiciary II.

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February 9, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO MAKE TECHNICAL AND CLARIFYING AMENDMENTS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE SENTENCING COMMISSION.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
PART I.  TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.
Section 1.  G.S. 14-72.1(e) reads as rewritten:
"(e)	Punishment. – For a first conviction under subsections (a) or (d), or for a subsequent conviction for which the punishment is not specified by this subsection, the defendant shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.  The term of imprisonment may be suspended only on condition that the defendant perform community service for a term of at least 24 hours. For a second offense committed within three years after the date the defendant was convicted of an offense under this section, the defendant shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.  The term of imprisonment may be suspended only on condition that the defendant be imprisoned for a term of at least 72 hours as a condition of special probation, perform community service for a term of at least 72 hours, or both. For a third or subsequent offense committed within five years after the date the defendant was convicted of two other offenses under this section, the defendant shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The term of imprisonment may be suspended only if a condition of special probation is imposed to require the defendant to serve a term of imprisonment of at least 11 days.  However, if the sentencing judge finds that the defendant is unable, by reason of mental or physical infirmity, to perform the service required under this section, and the reasons for such findings are set forth in the judgment, the judge may pronounce such other sentence as the judge finds appropriate."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 15A-1021(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	In superior court, the prosecution and the defense may discuss the possibility that, upon the defendant's entry of a plea of guilty or no contest to one or more offenses, the prosecutor will not charge, will dismiss, or will move for the dismissal of other charges, or will recommend or not oppose a particular sentence. If the defendant is represented by counsel in the discussions the defendant need not be present. The trial judge may participate in the discussions."
Sec. 3.  G.S. 15A-1340.17(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Punishments for Each Class of Offense and Prior Record Level; Punishment Chart Described. – The authorized punishment for each class of offense and prior record level is as specified in the chart below.  Prior record levels are indicated by the Roman numerals placed horizontally on the top of the chart.  Classes of offense are indicated by the letters placed vertically on the left side of the chart.  Each cell on the chart contains the following components:
(1)	A sentence disposition or dispositions: 'C' indicates that a community punishment is authorized; 'I' indicates that an intermediate punishment is authorized; 'A' indicates that an active punishment is authorized; and 'Life Imprisonment Without Parole' indicates that the defendant shall be imprisoned for the remainder of the prisoner's natural life.
(2)	A presumptive range of minimum durations, if the sentence of imprisonment is neither aggravated or mitigated; any minimum term of imprisonment in that range is permitted unless the court finds pursuant to G.S. 15A-1340.16 that an aggravated or mitigated sentence is appropriate.  The presumptive range is the middle of the three ranges in the cell.
(3)	A mitigated range of minimum durations if the court finds pursuant to G.S. 15A-1340.16 that a mitigated sentence of imprisonment is justified; in such a case, any minimum term of imprisonment in the mitigated range is permitted.  The mitigated range is the lower of the three ranges in the cell.
(4)	An aggravated range of minimum durations if the court finds pursuant to G.S. 15A-1340.16 that an aggravated sentence of imprisonment is justified; in such a case, any minimum term of imprisonment in the aggravated range is permitted.  The aggravated range is the higher of the three ranges in the cell.

PRIOR RECORD LEVEL

I	II	III	IV	V	VI
0 Pts	1-4 Pts	5-8 Pts	 9-14 Pts	15-18 Pts	19+ Pts

A 	Life Imprisonment Without Parole or Death as Established by Statute

A	A	A	A	A	A	DISPOSITION
240-300	288-360	336-420	384-480	Life Imprisonment	Aggravated
Without Parole
B1	192-240	230-288	269-336	307-384	346-433	384-480	PRESUMPTIVE
144-192	173-230	202-269	230-307	260-346	288-384	Mitigated

A	A	A	A	A	A	DISPOSITION 
135-169	163-204	190-238	216-270	243-304	270-338	Aggravated 
B2 108-135	130-163	152-190	173-216	194-243	216-270	PRESUMPTIVE 
81-108	 98-130	114-152	130-173	146-194	162-216	Mitigated 

A	A	A	A	A	A	DISPOSITION 
63-79	 86-108	100-125	115-144	130-162	145-181	Aggravated 
C	 50-63	 69-86	 80-100	 92-115	104-130	116-145	PRESUMPTIVE 
38-50	 52-69	 60-80	 69-92	 78-104	 87-116	Mitigated 

A	A	A	A	A	A	DISPOSITION 
55-69	 66-82	 89-111	101-126	115-144	126-158	Aggravated 
D	 44-55	 53-66	 71-89	 81-101	 92-115	101-126	PRESUMPTIVE 
33-44	 40-53	 53-71	 61-81	 69-92	76-101	Mitigated 

I/A	I/A	A	A	A	A	DISPOSITION 
25-31	 29-36	34-42	46-58	53-66	59-74	Aggravated 
E	 20-25	 23-29	27-34	37-46	42-53	47-59	PRESUMPTIVE 
15-20	 17-23	20-27	28-37	32-42	35-47	Mitigated 

I/A	I/A	I/A	A	A	A	DISPOSITION 
16-20	19-24	21-26	25-31	34-42	39-49	Aggravated 
F	13-16	15-19	17-21	20-25	27-34	31-39	PRESUMPTIVE 
10-13	11-15	13-17	15-20	20-27	23-31	Mitigated 

I/A	I/A	I/A	I/A	A	A	DISPOSITION 
13-16	15-19	16-20	20-25	21-26	29-36	Aggravated 
G	10-13	12-15	13-16	16-20	17-21	23-29	PRESUMPTIVE 
8-10	 9-12	10-13	12-16	13-17	17-23	Mitigated 

C/I	I	I/A	I/A	I/A	A	DISPOSITION 
6-8	8-10	10-12	11-14	15-19	20-25	Aggravated 
H	5-6	6-8	 8-10	 9-11	12-15	16-20	PRESUMPTIVE 
4-5	4-6	 6-8	 7-9	 9-12	12-16	Mitigated 

C	C/I	I	I/A	I/A	I/A	DISPOSITION 
6-8	6-8	6-8	8-10	9-11	10-12	Aggravated 
I	4-6	4-6	5-6	6-8	7-9	 8-10	PRESUMPTIVE 
3-4	3-4	4-5	4-6	5-7	 6-8	Mitigated 	" Sec. 4.  G.S. 15A-1444(e)	reads as rewritten:
"(e)	Except as provided in subsections (a1) and (a2) of this section and G.S. 15A-979, and except when a motion to withdraw a plea of guilty or no contest has been denied, the defendant is not entitled to appellate review as a matter of right when he has entered a plea of guilty or no contest to a criminal charge in the superior court, but he may petition the appellate division for review by writ of certiorari.  If an indigent defendant petitions the appellate division for a writ of certiorari, the presiding superior court judge may in his discretion order the preparation of the record and transcript of the proceedings at the expense of the State."
Sec. 5.  G.S. 20-166.1(k) reads as rewritten:
"(k)	Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a violation of any provision of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor."
Sec. 6.  G.S. 113-136(j) read as rewritten:
"(j)	The refusal of any person to stop in obedience to the directions of an inspector or protector acting under the authority of this section is unlawful. A violation of this subsection is a Class 3 misdemeanor."
PART II.  CLARIFYING AMENDMENTS.
Sec.  7.  G.S. 15A-1340.11(2) reads as rewritten:
"(2)	Community punishment. – A sentence in a criminal case that does not include an active punishment, an intermediate punishment, or any of the conditions of probation listed in subdivision (6) of this section."
Sec. 8.  G.S. 15A-1340.14(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Points. – Points are assigned as follows:
(1)	For each prior felony Class A conviction, 10 points.
(1a)	For each prior felony Class B1 conviction, 9 points.
(2)	For each prior felony Class B2, C, or D conviction, 6 points.
(3)	For each prior felony Class E, F, or G conviction, 4 points.
(4)	For each prior felony Class H or I conviction, 2 points.
(5)	For each prior Class 1 misdemeanor conviction, 1 point, except that convictions for Class 1 misdemeanor offenses under Chapter 20 of the General Statutes, other than conviction for misdemeanor death by vehicle (G.S. 20-141.4(a2)), shall not be assigned any points for purposes of determining a person's prior record for felony sentencing.
(6)	If all the elements of the present offense are included in any prior offense for which the offender was convicted, whether or not that prior offense is used in determining prior record level, 1 point.
(7)	If the offense was committed while the offender was on supervised or unsupervised probation, parole, or post-release supervision, or while the offender was serving a sentence of imprisonment, or while the offender was on escape from a correctional institution while serving a sentence of imprisonment, 1 point.
For purposes of determining prior record points under this subsection, a conviction for a first degree rape or a first degree sexual offense committed prior to the effective date of this subsection shall be treated as a felony Class B1 conviction, and a conviction for any other felony Class B offense committed prior to the effective date of this subsection shall be treated as a felony Class B2 conviction."
Sec. 9.  G.S. 15A-1340.21(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Prior Conviction Levels for Misdemeanor Sentencing. – The prior conviction levels for misdemeanor sentencing are:
(1)	Level I – 0 prior convictions.
(2)	Level II – At least 1, but not more than 4 prior convictions.
(3)	Level III – At least 5 prior convictions.
In determining the prior conviction level, a prior offense may be included if it is either a felony or a misdemeanor at the time the offense for which the offender is being sentenced is committed."
Sec. 10.  G.S. 20-141.3(a) and (b) read as rewritten:
"(a)	It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle on a street or highway willfully in prearranged speed competition with another motor vehicle.  Any person violating the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
(b)	It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle on a street or highway willfully in speed competition with another motor vehicle.  Any person willfully violating the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor."
Sec. 11.  G.S. 90-98 reads as rewritten:
"§ 90-98. Attempt and conspiracy; penalties.
Except as otherwise provided in this Article, any person who attempts or conspires to commit any offense defined in this Article is guilty of an offense that is the same class as the offense which was the object of the attempt or conspiracy and is punishable as specified for that class of offense and prior record or conviction level in Article 81B of Chapter 15A of the General Statutes."
Sec. 12.  G.S. 15-48 is repealed.
Sec. 13.  This act becomes effective December 1, 1995.