RALEIGH, N.C. — All or portions of over two dozen laws the North Carolina General Assembly approved this year took effect as the calendar changed to December.
Measures starting Wednesday are designed to protect expectant mothers behind bars in part by prohibiting their shackling. They also raise the age for prosecuting children in juvenile courts from 6 to 8 years old.
All law enforcement officers are now required to report a fellow officer’s apparent excessive force to a superior.
The legal process by which a family can review police body camera footage has been altered. And there are tougher rules on stealing catalytic converters and police equipment.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said the amount of stolen catalytic converters have increased in recent years, with 218 on record in 2019, 862 on record in 2020, and 1,463 on record in 2021 as of Sept. 26.
Additionally, a law banning the "Carolina Squat" pickup truck modification went into effect. With this, a vehicle would be in violation of state requirements if the height of the front fender is 4 or more inches taller than the height of the rear fender. Truck owners in violation of the law can have their driver's license revoked for a year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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