RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – The North Carolina Commerce Protection Act of 2014, also known as Senate Bill 648, passed out of the state Senate on June 11 and was sent to the House, carrying with it a narrow asbestos reform amendment addressing successor liability thatprotects certain successor corporations from asbestos-related liabilities of the transferor.

The bill, which was introduced by senators Brent Jackson, Wesley Meredith and Jim Davis in April 2013, aims at making changes to the statutes governing commerce within the state, including laws regarding asbestos and Food and Drug Administration product liability actions.