HB 219 Summary

• Replaces outdated terminology "illegitimate" and "bastardy" with "born out of wedlock" throughout North Carolina General Statutes in chapters covering inheritance, support, and civil proceedings.

• Allows children born out of wedlock to inherit from a deceased parent who died before or within one year after the child's birth if paternity is established through DNA testing.

• Updates Chapter 49 (formerly "Bastardy") to "Children Born Out of Wedlock" and modifies related articles covering support obligations, legitimation, and civil actions.

• Extends inheritance rights and succession benefits for children born out of wedlock to match those of legitimate children when paternity is judicially determined or properly acknowledged.

• Makes technical corrections to statutes referencing workers' compensation, family law, vital records, and public employee benefits to use modernized terminology and reflect updated legal procedures.