GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2009

 

 

SESSION LAW 2009-556

SENATE BILL 488

 

 

AN ACT to make the increase in sentence lengths between prior record levels more proportionate using a set percentage increment.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

SECTION 1.  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

        240-300     276-345      317-397      365-456       Life Imprisonment Aggravated

                                                                                       Without Parole

B1   192-240     221-276      254-317      292-365        336-420        386-483         PRESUMPTIVE

       144-192      166-221      190-254      219-292        252-336        290-386                     Mitigated

             A                A                 A                 A                  A                  A                DISPOSITION

        157-196     189-237      220-276      251-313        282-353        313-392                  Aggravated

B2   125-157     151-189      176-220      201-251        225-282        251-313         PRESUMPTIVE

         94-125      114-151      132-176      151-201        169-225        188-251                     Mitigated

        157-196     180-225      207-258      238-297        273-342        314-393                  Aggravated

B2   125-157     144-180      165-207      190-238        219-273        251-314         PRESUMPTIVE

         94-125      108-144      124-165      143-190        164-219        189-251                     Mitigated

             A                A                 A                 A                  A                  A                DISPOSITION

          73-92       100-125      116-145      133-167        151-188        168-210                  Aggravated

C       58-73        80-100        93-116      107-133        121-151        135-168         PRESUMPTIVE

          44-58        60-80         70-93        80-107         90-121        101-135                     Mitigated

          73-92        83-104        96-120       110-138        127-159        146-182                  Aggravated

C       58-73         67-83          77-96         88-110         101-127        117-146         PRESUMPTIVE

          44-58         50-67          58-77          66-88           76-101          87-117                      Mitigated

             A                A                 A                 A                  A                  A                DISPOSITION

          64-80        77-95        103-129      117-146        133-167        146-183                  Aggravated

D       51-64        61-77        82-103       94-117        107-133        117-146         PRESUMPTIVE

          38-51         46-61          61-82         71-94          80-107         88-117                      Mitigated

          64-80         73-92         84-105        97-121         111-139        128-160                  Aggravated

D       51-64         59-73          67-84          78-97           89-111         103-128         PRESUMPTIVE

          38-51         44-59          51-67          58-78            67-89           77-103                      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

          25-31         29-36          33-41          38-48            44-55            50-63                    Aggravated

E        20-25         23-29          26-33          30-38            35-44            40-50           PRESUMPTIVE

          15-20         17-23          20-26          23-30            26-35            30-40                       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

          16-20         19-23          21-27          25-31            28-36            33-41                    Aggravated

F        13-16         15-19          17-21          20-25            23-28            26-33           PRESUMPTIVE

          10-13         11-15          13-17          15-20            17-23            20-26                       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

          13-16         14-18          17-21          19-24            22-27            25-31                    Aggravated

G       10-13         12-14          13-17          15-19            17-22            20-25           PRESUMPTIVE

           8-10           9-12           10-13          11-15            13-17            15-20                       Mitigated

          C/I/A            I/A               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"


SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective December 1, 2009, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 11th day of August, 2009.

 

 

                                                                    s/  Walter H. Dalton

                                                                         President of the Senate

 

 

                                                                    s/  Joe Hackney

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

 

 

                                                                    s/  Beverly E. Perdue

                                                                         Governor

 

 

Approved 10:50 a.m. this 28th day of August, 2009