More than a week after its overwhelming passage in the General Assembly, a reluctant Gov. Josh Stein signed House Bill 307, Iryna’s Law into effect today.
He also declared that there would be no executions by firing squad during his administration, and ripped legislators for adding the “last minute amendment” legalizing firing squads.
The move came after days of criticism of Stein’s delay in signing the bill, which had a veto-proof majority in both houses. The governor said that as with any public safety bill that crosses his desk, he studied the bill extensively before deciding to sign it into law.
Stein could have ignored the bill, which would allow it to automatically become law, or vetoed it. Republican leaders in the General Assembly were confident the bill had enough support for an override vote.
The governor announced in a video address this afternoon that he will sign the bill into law.
“My top priority is to keep people safe,” he said in a video message.
“Everyone deserves to be and feel safe in their daily lives,” he said.
Stein said that overall, the bills does make people safer, but “it fails, however, to focus on the threat that people pose, instead of their ability to post bail.”
Stein said he spoke with both the families of Iryna Zarutska, the Ukranian refugee stabbed to death on a commuter train in Charlotte, and relatives of the victims of the bar shooting in Southport that left three peopled dead and eight injured.
The new law, which was named in honor of Zarutska, is a sweeping rewrite of the state’s rules for magistrates and judges dealing with violent criminals. In addition to eliminating the option of cashless bail, the law calls for changes in mental health evaluations for dangerous offenders. It also limits death penalty appeals to two years, and require testate sped up executions.
Stein – a vocal opponent of the death penalty – took major issues with the addition that allows execution by firing squad. The new option is seen as a way around the ongoing litigation preventing the use of certain kinds of chemicals in lethal injection executions.
“There will be no executions by firing squad during my time as governor,” he said in the video address. “It’s barbaric.”
He said the bill does not do enough to make people safe in North Carolina.
The governor also took advantage of the moment to call for legislators to pass his budget proposal when they return in October. The proposal calls for millions in gang deterrent programs, more police officers, more training for police officers, and more mental health support through his plans to fund Medicaid.
Stein also called for red flag laws which would allow law enforcement and family members to “temporarily” remove firearms from individuals they deem a threat. The individuals would then have to prove in court that they can safely own firearms.
He said that while there has been progress in mental health, “it is not enough.” He called on solons to fully fund Medicaid and pass his budget proposal, which includes more mental health resources and drug intervention programs.
“We need to get to the real causes of violence,” Stein said.
Rep. Brenden Jones said he was happy that Stein finally signed the bill, and criticized Stein’s issues with the legislation.
“I am pleased Governor Stein ultimately made the right decision to sign Iryna’s Law,” Jones said in an emailed statement. “I am surprised at his criticisms of the bill which are completely misplaced. Iryna’s Law delivers long overdue judicial reform in North Carolina, ensuring our courts are held accountable for the soft-on-crime policies that allowed Iryna’s killer to exploit the system and secure repeated releases.”
Rep. Tricia Cotham (R-Mecklenburg), who represents the Charlotte area, was relieved the law was finally signed. Cotham was trying to Dra attention to the growing crime problem in Charlotte well before Zarutska was killed.
“I am thrilled that Iryna’s Law is now a reality in North Carolina,” Cotham said. “Finally, we are getting dangerous criminals off our streets so we can make sure no one else suffers the heartbreak that Iryna Zarutska’s family endured. I’m especially proud that, through our efforts, this law provides additional prosecutors for Mecklenburg County, giving our local law enforcement the tools they need to fight violent crime. I thank my colleagues.”
Watch the full address here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAmVa3tzXrI
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