Rep. Smith files bill in North Carolina House to standardize death benefit plans

A new bill filed by State Rep. Carson Smith seeks to streamline and secure death benefit plans for public employees and retirees in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 477 on March 20 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Retirement Death Benefits Rewrite.-AB’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill aims to recodify and standardize laws related to death benefit plans across various North Carolina retirement systems, including those for teachers, state employees, local government employees, and members of the judiciary and legislature. It introduces new sections to the General Statutes to streamline these benefits, particularly death benefits for both active and retired members. It establishes and administers death benefit plans under a master trust, the North Carolina Teachers’ and State Employees’ Benefit Trust, to separate and safeguard funds. Line-of-duty death benefits funding is also addressed, allowing for additional fiscal provisions through the Department of State Treasurer. The bill’s changes take effect on July 1, 2025, ensuring clarity and uniformity while enhancing benefit security for public employees and their beneficiaries.

A related bill, SB 359, was also filed in the North Carolina Senate, introduced by Sen. W. Ted Alexander (and two others) on March 20, 2025.

Of the two sponsors of this bill, Smith proposed the most bills (16) 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.

Smith, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2019 to represent the state’s 16th House district, replacing previous state representative Bob Muller.