Bill
HB 1075
Creates a public Persistent Domestic Violence Offender Registry, requiring court-ordered multi-year registration for repeat DV offenders and online access managed by SBI.
Purpose and intent
- Establish a new Persistent Domestic Violence Offender Registry to track individuals convicted of domestic violence offenses with multiple prior convictions.
- Create a formal process for court-ordered registration, state-level custodianship, and public accessibility of non-identifying registry information.
Key provisions and changes
1) Definitions (new Article 8A, G.S. 14-34.60)
- Bureau: North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).
- Conviction: Guilty verdict, guilty plea, or no contest; excludes juvenile delinquency adjudications.
- Domestic violence offense: Includes specific offenses listed (G.S. 14-32.5, 14-32.6, 14-134.3, 50B-4.1) or any offense where the judgment indicates domestic violence involvement under G.S. 15A-1382.1(a).
- Persistent domestic violence offender: Person required to register under Article 8A.
- Persistent domestic violence offender registry: Compiled list of individuals required to register under this Article.
- Prior conviction of a domestic violence offense: A previous DV conviction, with rules for counting multiple DV convictions within a session/week.
2) Registration requirements and fees (G.S. 14-34.61)
- Court duty to order registration: If a defendant is convicted of a DV offense and has at least one prior DV conviction.
- Proof of prior DV conviction: May be established by stipulation or court records.
- Registration expiration (based on number of prior DV convictions):
- 2-year term if there is ONE prior DV conviction.
- 5-year term if there are TWO prior DV convictions.
- 10-year term if there are THREE or more prior DV convictions.
- Reversals, vacatur, pardons: If a DV conviction is overturned or pardoned, the court reapplies expiration rules excluding the reversed conviction; if removal from the registry is warranted, the court shall discontinue the registration.
- Notification to SBI: Clerk of superior court must, within 7 days, send to SBI:
- Certified copy of the registration order.
- Date of birth, current photograph, and ID document if available.
- Registration fee: $150 flat fee per DV offender.
- $100 of the fee goes to SBI to cover registry costs.
- $50 to the Administrative Office of the Courts for record provision costs.
3) SBI as custodian and public registry (G.S. 14-34.62)
- SBI duties: Compile and maintain the Persistent DV Offender Registry; receive information from clerks; publish for public inquiry online; remove names after expiration or court order; integrate data into the state Criminal Information Network (as per G.S. 143B-905).
- Registry contents: Name, date of birth, DV conviction date, county of conviction, and a current photograph.
- Privacy protections: The SBI may use identifying details (address, SSN, driver’s license number, etc.) for identity verification, but such information cannot be published on the registry.
Effective date and scope
- Effective December 1, 2026.
- Applies to offenses committed on or after that date; however, prior DV convictions can still count toward the registration requirements if applicable.
Additional notes
- Sponsors include Rep. Pyrtle and several co-sponsors.
- The act adds a public-facing registry intended to increase visibility of repeat DV offenders and provide information to the public while restricting publication of sensitive identifiers.
Impact considerations
- Affects defendants convicted of DV offenses who have one or more prior DV convictions.
- Establishes a multi-year registration timeline (2–10 years) depending on prior DV history.
- Creates ongoing SBI operational responsibilities and funding via the registration fee.
- Public access to registry data will be available online, with limited published identifying information to protect privacy (no publication of sensitive identifiers).
- Could influence sentencing, DV case management, and public safety reporting due to enhanced offender transparency.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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