GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2025

SESSION LAW 2026-34

HOUSE BILL 83

AN ACT to amend the offense of disseminating obscenity to minors; to add the offenses of Disseminating obscenity to minors, disseminating harmful material to minors, and exhibiting harmful performances to minors to the list of criminal convictions that may require registration under the sex offender and public protection registration program; To require the Human trafficking commission to conduct a study on a system for reporting suspected human trafficking; and to make technical corrections.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

DISSEMINATION TO MINORS OF OBSCENITY AND MATERIAL HARMFUL TO MINORS

SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 14‑190.7 reads as rewritten:

§ 14‑190.7.  Dissemination to minors under the age of 16 years.minors.

(a)        Offense and Punishment. – Every person 18 years of age or older who is guilty of a Class H felony if the person knowingly disseminates to any minor under the age of 16 years any material which he the person knows or reasonably should know to be obscene within the meaning of G.S. 14‑190.1 shall be guilty of a Class H felony.and the person is at least four years older than the minor.

(b)        Registration. – When a person is convicted of a violation of this section, the sentencing court shall consider whether the person is a danger to the community and whether requiring the person to register as a sex offender pursuant to Article 27A of this Chapter would further the purposes of that Article as stated in G.S. 14‑208.5. If the sentencing court rules that the person is a danger to the community and that the person shall register, then an order shall be entered requiring the person to register.

SECTION 1.(b)  G.S. 14‑190.8 reads as rewritten:

§ 14‑190.8.  Dissemination to minors under the age of 13 years.

(a)        Offense and Punishment. – Every person 18 years of age or older who knowingly disseminates to any minor under the age of 13 years any material which he the person knows or reasonably should know to be obscene within the meaning of G.S. 14‑190.1 shall be punished as is guilty of a Class G felon.felony.

(b)        Registration. – When a person is convicted of a violation of this section, the sentencing court shall consider whether the person is a danger to the community and whether requiring the person to register as a sex offender pursuant to Article 27A of this Chapter would further the purposes of that Article as stated in G.S. 14‑208.5. If the sentencing court rules that the person is a danger to the community and that the person shall register, then an order shall be entered requiring the person to register.

SECTION 1.(c)  G.S. 14‑190.15 reads as rewritten:

§ 14‑190.15.  Disseminating harmful material to minors; exhibiting harmful performances to minors.

(a)        Disseminating Harmful Material. – A person commits the offense of disseminating harmful material to minors if, with or without consideration and knowing the character or content of the material, he:the person does either of the following:

(1)        Sells, furnishes, presents, or distributes to a minor material that is harmful to minors; orminors.

(2)        Allows a minor to review or peruse material that is harmful to minors.

(b)        Exhibiting Harmful Performance. – A person commits the offense of exhibiting a harmful performance to a minor if, with or without consideration and knowing the character or content of the performance, he the person allows a minor to view a live performance that is harmful to minors.

…

(e)        Registration. – When a person is convicted of a violation of this section, the sentencing court shall consider whether the person is a danger to the community and whether requiring the person to register as a sex offender pursuant to Article 27A of this Chapter would further the purposes of that Article as stated in G.S. 14‑208.5. If the sentencing court rules that the person is a danger to the community and that the person shall register, then an order shall be entered requiring the person to register.

SECTION 1.(d)  G.S. 14‑208.6(4) is amended by adding a new sub‑subdivision to read:

g.        A final conviction for a violation of G.S. 14‑190.7, 14‑190.8, or 14‑190.15, only if the court sentencing the individual issues an order pursuant to the applicable provision of G.S. 14‑190.7, 14‑190.8, or 14‑190.15, requiring the individual to register.

SECTION 1.(e)  Prosecutions for offenses committed before the effective date of this section are not abated or affected by this section, and the statutes that would be applicable but for this section remain applicable to those prosecutions.

SECTION 1.(f)  This section becomes effective December 1, 2026, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.

STUDY ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING REPORTING

SECTION 2.(a)  The General Assembly finds all of the following:

(1)        Human trafficking is a pervasive crime that often goes undetected. National statistics indicate that hundreds of thousands of people are trafficked in the United States each year, yet the vast majority are never identified.

(2)        North Carolina is recognized as a leader in efforts to combat human trafficking; however, frontline professionals, including law enforcement officers, healthcare providers, teachers, and social workers, often lack the training, tools, and resources necessary to adequately support victim‑survivors and hold traffickers accountable. Services remain fragmented and limited, despite a strong desire for collaboration and coordination across sectors.

(3)        Advances in the field have produced effective models for data collection, needs assessment, and landscape analysis at the State, county, and regional levels. These efforts help guide statewide partners in addressing a complex and constantly evolving issue.

SECTION 2.(b)  The North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission (Commission) shall conduct a study on human trafficking needs in the State, including information on the development process for a statewide human trafficking reporting and response system (system). After the Commission completed the study, the Commission is encouraged to begin facilitating stakeholder collaboration on the development of a system that facilitates referral to the National Human Trafficking hotline for crisis support as necessary. It is the intent of the General Assembly to establish a system that will (i) notify law enforcement and child protection officials of high priority reports, (ii) provide a secure dashboard for authorized personnel to view, triage, and respond to reports, and (iii) support real‑time communication between investigators and survivors or reporters with consent.

SECTION 2.(c)  This section is effective when it becomes law.

TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS

SECTION 3.(a)  G.S. 143‑805(d) reads as rewritten:

(d)      Subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall not apply to an official or employee that is engaged in any of the following activities in the course of that official's or employee's official duties:

…

(8)        Investigating matters involving offenders incarcerated with, or otherwise under the supervision of, the Department of Adult Correction or matters related to the misuse of devices owned by the Department of Adult Correction.

SECTION 3.(b)  G.S. 42A‑39 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

(c1)    Third‑Party Contractor Requirements. – A third‑party contractor shall ensure that any employee of the third‑party contractor who performs housekeeping services at the vacation rental or provides check‑in and check‑out services for the vacation rental receive human trafficking awareness training as required by subsection (c) of this section.

SECTION 3.(c)  G.S. 130A‑511(b)(1) reads as rewritten:

(1)      In consultation with the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission, the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association, and the Department of Health and Human Services, develop a training course, or identify existing training courses, to inform and educate individuals about human trafficking. Chapter 150B of the General Statutes does not apply to any training required to be developed or identified under this subdivision.

SECTION 3.(d)  Subsection (a) of this section is effective when it becomes law and applies to investigations occurring before, on, or after that date. Subsection (b) of this section is effective when it becomes law and applies to training required to be completed on or after that date. Subsection (c) of this section is effective when it becomes law and applies to training developed or identified before, on, or after that date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

SECTION 4.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 24th day of June, 2026.

                                                                    s/  Rachel Hunt

                                                                         President of the Senate

                                                                    s/  Mitchell S. Setzer

                                                                         Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of

Representatives

                                                                    s/  Josh Stein

                                                                         Governor

Approved 3:46 p.m. this 2nd day of July, 2026