A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to create the offense of habitual misdemeanor larceny.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 16 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 14-86.2.  Habitual misdemeanor larceny.
(a)	The following definitions apply in this section:
(1)	"Convicted" means the person has been adjudged guilty of or has entered a plea of guilty or no contest to the misdemeanor larceny charge, and judgment has been entered thereon when the action occurred.
(2)	"Misdemeanor larceny" includes the following offenses:
a.	Misdemeanor larceny pursuant to G.S. 14-72(a).
b.	Any repealed or superseded offense substantially equivalent to misdemeanor larceny under G.S. 14-72(a).
c.	Any offense committed in another jurisdiction substantially similar to misdemeanor larceny under G.S. 14-72(a).
(b)	A person commits the offense of habitual misdemeanor larceny if that person is 18 years of age or older, commits misdemeanor larceny under G.S. 14-72(a), and has been convicted of five or more prior misdemeanor larceny convictions. A person convicted of violating this section is guilty of a Class H felony.
(c)	For purposes of this section, if an offender is convicted of more than one offense of misdemeanor larceny in a single session of district court, or in a single week of superior court or of a court in another jurisdiction, only one of the convictions may be used to establish the offense of habitual misdemeanor larceny.
(d)	A violation of this section shall not constitute commission of a felony for purposes of G.S. 14-7.6."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective December 1, 2003, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.