North Carolina awaits Gov. Stein's decision on bill that would reshape death penalty laws

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A criminal justice bill awaiting Gov. Josh Stein's signature could remove judicial hurdles that have stalled North Carolina's death penalty for nearly two decades, with new provisions that would expedite appeals and expand execution methods.

The death penalty was last used in North Carolina in 2006, but House Bill 307, dubbed " Iryna's Law ," could bring significant changes to how capital punishment is administered in the state.

The legislation would require death penalty appeals to be heard within two years of filing, a dramatic shift from the current system where appeals can stretch for decades.

Noel Nickle with the North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty said the compressed timeline raises concerns about justice.

"It takes time for these ca