NC H483

Allows courts to consider posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a mitigating factor when sentencing veterans.

Requires defendants to prove they served in a U.S. Armed Forces combat zone as defined by federal Internal Revenue Code section 112, using either Secretary of Military and Veteran Affairs certification or DD-214 form.

Requires defendants to provide documentary evidence that they have been diagnosed with PTSD connected to their military service and are undergoing professional treatment for the condition.

Defines PTSD using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) or subsequent editions published by the American Psychiatric Association.

Becomes effective October 1, 2017, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.