S 656 - Equity in Justice Act of 2021

• Expands Criminal Justice Fellows Program to all North Carolina counties with $663,579 in annual funding, and provides $8.4 million biennially for law enforcement accreditation and drug/mental health court programs.

• Implements major law enforcement reforms including mandatory body-worn cameras, use-of-force data reporting, duty to intervene requirements, restrictions on chokeholds, and State Bureau of Investigation investigations of officer-involved use of force incidents with special prosecutors.

• Decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana as an infraction (rather than misdemeanor) effective December 1, 2021, and requires automatic expungement of prior marijuana possession convictions by December 1, 2023.

• Reforms juvenile justice by raising minimum age for delinquency from 6 to 12 years, eliminating life without parole for juveniles (allowing parole after 25 years), and allowing prosecutors discretion on charging juveniles aged 16+ with felonies in juvenile court.

• Strengthens defendants' rights through expanded right to counsel for all felony and misdemeanor charges, reduced first appearance deadline from 96 to 48 hours, and prevents cash bonds for Class 1-3 misdemeanors absent danger findings.