House bill would shield addresses of NC judges, DAs, law enforcement

House Bill 304 would not remove the information from public records completely. Instead, it would allow those officials to ask the city or county where they live to remove it from online sites, like property tax records or the board of elections.

Sponsor Rep. Allen McNeill, R-Randolph, said the public could still get the information by going in person to the office that holds the public record. It simply wouldn't be available online.

"There have been several instances lately where things have happened in this nation where officers, prosecutors and judges have been targeted," McNeill said, citing the 2020 attack on U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in New Jersey. The assailant, an attorney, came to her home posing as a FedEx worker and killed her son and critically wounded her husband before killing himself.

New Jersey passed a similar law last year, naming it after Salas' son, Daniel Anderl.

"It is time we take this simple step in protecting those who serve and protect us," McNeill said.

McNeill estimated the bill could affect more than 36,000 law enforcement officers statewide.

Rep. Amos Quick, D-Guilford, spoke in support of the bill, saying he had spoken to several judges in his district "who have pointed out to me the irony of the fact that, in the courtroom, they are protected by law enforcement, but then they walk out into the parking lot, and they're left on their own."

Rep. Julie von Haefen, D-Wake, pointed out that the state elections board website also allows people to look up anyone's address. McNeill responded that this bill is a first step on the local level.

"I feel like this is an issue that also affects elected officials," von Haefen added, asking McNeill whether he had thought of including them as well.

"Believe me, since I filed this bill, I've gotten numerous emails asking to be added," he answered.

McNeill filed a similar bill in 2015, but it did not pass. Asked who had objected to it at the time, he answered, "The banking and real estate industry who just like to be able to sit in their office and look up these records."

The bill still has two other committees to pass before making it to the House floor.