A new bill filed by State Rep. Pyrtle in the North Carolina House seeks to revise the salary structure for full-time magistrates to provide increased compensation, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 511 on March 25 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Award Magistrates Salary Increases.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill appropriates $11.5 million from the General Fund annually for the 2025-27 fiscal biennium to the Administrative Office of the Courts for salary increases for magistrates in North Carolina. Effective July 1, 2025, the bill revises the salary structure for full-time magistrates who work an average of at least 40 hours per week. Under the new structure, the entry salary is initially set at $56,674, with incremental increases through six steps—ranging from $60,857 at Step 1 to $90,498 at Step 6. Salary increases occur biennially for Steps 1-3 and every four years for Steps 4-6 based on the anniversary of a magistrate’s original appointment.
Of the three sponsors of this bill, Charles W. Miller proposed the most bills (29) 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.
Pyrtle graduated from Appalachian State University in 1989 with a BAS.
Pyrtle, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 65th House district, replacing previous state representative Jerry Carter.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Ben T. Moss, Jr., and Charles W. Miller | HB 511 | 03/25/2025 | Award Magistrates Salary Increases. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Carson Smith, Charles W. Miller, and Jarrod Lowery | HB 505 | 03/24/2025 | Kayla’s Act: Protecting Dom. Violence Victims. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, Jennifer Balkcom, and Sarah Stevens | HB 449 | 03/18/2025 | Crimes Against Minors/Revise Law. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Allen Chesser, Charles W. Miller, and Cody Huneycutt | HB 450 | 03/18/2025 | Private Property Rights Act. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Brenden H. Jones, Charles W. Miller, and Dudley Greene | HB 354 | 03/10/2025 | Civil Procedure/Gatekeeper Orders/Database. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Brenden H. Jones, Charles W. Miller, and Dudley Greene | HB 355 | 03/10/2025 | OSFM to Study Future of Rural Firefighting. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, Cody Huneycutt, and Heather H. Rhyne | HB 330 | 03/06/2025 | Controlled Substances Act – Updates. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Carson Smith, Charles W. Miller, and Karl E. Gillespie | HB 300 | 03/05/2025 | Vet Care for Retired First Responder Dogs. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Carson Smith, Charles W. Miller, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 315 | 03/05/2025 | Gift Card Theft & Unlawful Business Entry. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Allen Chesser, Charles W. Miller, and Jeff Zenger | HB 272 | 03/04/2025 | The Sergeant Mickey Hutchens Act. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Celeste C. Cairns, Charles W. Miller, and Donna McDowell White | HB 275 | 03/04/2025 | Failure to Yield Penalties. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Bill Ward, Charles W. Miller, and David Willis | HB 270 | 03/03/2025 | Revise Law on the Death Penalty. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, Jeffrey C. McNeely, and Todd Carver | HB 193 | 02/25/2025 | Firearm Law Revisions. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. and Charles W. Miller | HB 198 | 02/25/2025 | Amend Law on Notice of ABC Violation. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Carolyn G. Logan, Carson Smith, and Laura Budd | HB 199 | 02/25/2025 | Nonconsensual Booting and Towing Reform. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Erin Paré, James Roberson, and Sarah Crawford | HB 137 | 02/17/2025 | Gabe Torres Act. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., John Sauls, Neal Jackson, and Paul Scott | HB 100 | 02/11/2025 | Expand Religious Property Tax Exemption. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Allen Chesser, Charles W. Miller, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 50 | 02/04/2025 | LEO Special Separation Allowance Options. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, Kelly E. Hastings, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 52 | 02/04/2025 | Protect Those Who Serve & Protect Act of 2025. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Carson Smith, Charles W. Miller, and Dudley Greene | HB 61 | 02/04/2025 | Assaults on First Responders. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Allen Chesser, Charles W. Miller, and Edward C. Goodwin | HB 38 | 02/03/2025 | Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Carson Smith, Charles W. Miller, and Jennifer Balkcom | HB 42 | 02/03/2025 | Burglary & B&E/Sentence Enhancement. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Carson Smith, Charles W. Miller, and Jennifer Balkcom | HB 28 | 01/30/2025 | Gun Violence Prevention Act. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. | HB 17 | 01/29/2025 | Various Local Election Changes. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, and David Willis | HB 2 | 01/29/2025 | Entry Fees for Interscholastic Sports Events. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. and Charles W. Miller | HB 22 | 01/29/2025 | Fire Investigation Law Revisions. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. | HB 26 | 01/29/2025 | Various Local Provisions I. |
