Two weeks after the assassination of Charlie Kirk conservative leaders in the North Carolina House introduced new legislation this week, revising Senate Bill 13 as the Political Terrorism Prevention Act. It passed nearly unanimously, with a 105-6 vote.

The bill enhances the sentencing for politically motivated crimes, raising the felony class level one class higher than the principal felony for which the offender was convicted.

On the House floor, Majority Leader Brenden Jones shared about a series of politically motivated attacks, including the attempted assassinations of President Donald Trump and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh as well as the assassination of Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman.

Leader Jones said, “We’ve reached a point in this country where people don’t just lose their jobs over politics, they lose their lives. It’s not an exaggeration, it’s not rhetoric: it’s reality. This bill is our response.”

Leader Jones then added, “If you attack someone for their politics that is political terrorism. It is now an aggravated factor in the sentencing. It’s death penalty eligible if it results in murder. There is no parole, no soft landing, no early release for those who kill to silence speech.”

First term member and former Turning Point USA chapter leader at East Carolina University Rep. Wyatt Gable spoke in favor of the bill, “This should not be a left or right issue, not a Democrat or Republican issue: it should be about protecting the First Amendment. It’s about protecting North Carolinians from living in fear of political violence.”