A new bill filed by State Sen. Danny Earl Britt Jr. seeks to update North Carolina’s trespassing laws to regulate access to private lands for hunting, fishing, and trapping, according to the North Carolina State Senate.
The bill, filed as SB 220 on Feb. 27 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Protect Private Property Rights.-AB’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill revises North Carolina’s laws on trespassing for recreational purposes such as hunting, fishing, and trapping. Individuals entering posted or unposted lands without written permission from the landowner or authorized agent may face misdemeanor charges—Class 2 for posted lands and Class 3 for unposted lands. It mandates carrying written permission, signed and dated within the past 12 months, while on such property. A provision allows access if permission is granted to a club and the individual carries a membership card and copy of the club’s permission. Repeated violations can result in increased penalties, including permanent revocation of licenses for certain offenses. Additionally, the bill introduces penalties for unlawfully launching watercraft from public highway rights-of-way. The effective date for these changes is Oct. 1, 2025.
Of the three sponsors of this bill, Bill Rabon proposed the most bills (11) during the 2025 regular session.
Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
Britt graduated from University of Oklahoma with a JD.
Britt, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 24th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Amy Galey.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danny Earl Britt, Jr., Bill Rabon, and Tom McInnis | SB 220 | 02/27/2025 | Protect Private Property Rights.-AB |
| Danny Earl Britt, Jr. | SB 127 | 02/21/2025 | Lower Taxes for Scotland County. |
| Danny Earl Britt, Jr., Amy S. Galey, and Buck Newton | SB 117 | 02/18/2025 | GSC Uniform Comm. Code/Emerging Technologies. |
| Danny Earl Britt, Jr., Eddie D. Settle, and Warren Daniel | SB 50 | 02/04/2025 | Freedom to Carry NC. |
| Danny Earl Britt, Jr., Eddie D. Settle, and Todd Johnson | SB 51 | 02/04/2025 | Maintain NAIC Accreditation of DOI.-AB |
| Danny Earl Britt, Jr. | SB 52 | 02/04/2025 | 24th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
