Rep. Longest files North Carolina House bill on junk fee prevention

A new bill filed by State Rep. Tim Longest seeks to regulate mandatory fees and enhance disclosure requirements to protect consumers from excessive or deceptive charges, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 955 on April 10 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘NC Junk Fee Prevention Act.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill enacts the North Carolina Junk Fee Prevention Act, aimed at regulating the disclosure and imposition of mandatory fees by certain service providers and entities. Covered entities, including short-term lodging providers and other specified services, must clearly display the total price, including mandatory fees, in advertisements and at the point of sale. Fees deemed excessive or deceptive are prohibited. Refund policies and their terms must be disclosed prior to transaction completion, with refunds covering the total ticket cost. For covered services, restrictions are placed on early termination fees, allowing charges for unreturned or outstanding equipment. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcement and may impose civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation. Amendments also address ticket price transparency for entertainment events, mandating clear disclosure of total ticket prices, mandatory fees, and additional charges. The act becomes effective Oct. 1, 2025.

Longest proposed another 19 bills during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Longest graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hil in 2013 with a BA and again in 2018 from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hil with a JD.

Longest, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 34th House district, replacing previous state representative Jack Nichols.