Top North Carolina law officials react to Iryna’s Law crime bill

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A new law in North Carolina promises to be tough on crime, but critics want more done statewide to address defendants’ mental health.

House Bill 307 is known as Iryna’s Law after Iryna Zarutska, who was stabbed to death on a public train in Charlotte in August.

“The tragic murder of the poor, innocent girlin charlotte was just shocking and horrific,” U.S. Attorney, W. Ellis Boyle said.

Gov. Josh Stein signed the bill into law last week, but said he wants expanded mental health resources.

Among other changes, the law ends cashless bail for some crimes.

“I think Iryna’s Law addresses the catch and release system we’ve had for a while, brings accountability, and at least makes the judges or magistrates who decide to release violent offenders accountable,” Boyle said.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ 2025 confinement report, which tracks capacity at detention centers, provided the following information:

• The Wake County Detention Center averaged nearly 94% full in February
• The Durham County Detention Facility averaged nearly 56% full in February
• The Cumberland County Detention Center averaged nearly 83% full in February
• The Orange County Detention Center averaged nearly 75% full in March

Prior to the bill being signed into law, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman told CBS 17 in late September that she was certain it would cause the jail population to go up, but how much it would increase is unclear.

“I do think we have to be careful in these situations not to criminalize poverty,” Freeman said in September. “Just because people can’t post a bond does not make them any more of a risk to the community than somebody else. But I think the provisions in this bill, some that deal with bond, may help in some ways make sure our community stay safe.”

House Bill 307 also requires judges to order a mental health evaluation if the suspect is charged with a violent offense and they’ve been involuntarily committed at some point during the three years prior or if there’s reason to believe they may need one.

“The state of North Carolina right now is paying for capacity evaluations,” Freeman said. “I think a major challenge we have seen playing out in our courts is the backlog at Central Regional Hospital.”

According to information from this May to June, the NCDHHS found the average wait time for an evaluation at Central Regional Hospital was 69 days. A year ago, it was 64 days.

“We need to continue to ensure people who are dangerous and out in society are kept in an appropriate medical facility instead of allowed to roam the streets and commit murders,” Boyle said.

This week, Stein highlighted the need for more mental health professionals, stating there are more than 900 critical care beds, but North Carolina is using only 550 due to a lack of staff. He said he wants to see more money for funding mental health programs.