---
title: 'Racial Justice Act Moves Closer to Passage in North Carolina'
description: 'On May 12, the North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill to prevent racial bias in the administration of the death penalty. The senate’s…'
canonical: 'https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/racial-justice-act-moves-closer-to-passage-in-north-carolina'
section: news
date: '2009-05-13T13:57:58-04:00'
updated: '2025-03-14T14:26:30-04:00'
source: 'Death Penalty Information Center'
---

On May 12, the North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill to prevent racial bias in the administration of the death penalty. The senate's action came just hours after a House panel passed a nearly identical bill, known as the Racial Justice Act. The bill allows those convicted or accused of capital murder to argue through the use of statistical studies that race played a role in their death sentence or a prosecutor’s decision to seek the death penalty. If that bias is proven, a judge could vacate the death sentence or order that capital punishment not be sought. The next step for either version of the Racial Justice Act is a vote on the House or Senate floor. Two years ago, the House approved a similar bill. A video about the Racial Justice Act produced by the North Carolina Coalition for a Moratorium may be viewed [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCZK7AxUCQ).

(Associated Press, “[NC House panel Oks method on racial bias claim](https://www.wbtv.com/global/story.asp?s=10347506&ClientType=Printable),” May 12, 2009). See [**Race**](/race-and-death-penalty?did=105&scid=5) and [**Recent Legislation**](/recent-legislative-activity?did=236&scid=40).