Human Trafficking Reporting/Response System.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 585

Short Title: Human Trafficking Reporting/Response System. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives McNeely and A. Jones (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 1, 2025
*H585-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO APPROPRIAT E FUNDS TO THE NORTH CAROLINA HUMAN 2
TRAFFICKING COMMISSI ON TO COORDINATE AND SUPPORT THE 3
DEVELOPMENT OR USE O F A HUMAN TRAFFICKIN G REPORTING AND 4
RESPONSE SYSTEM. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1.(a) Article 29 of Chapter 7A of the General Statutes reads as rewritten: 7
"Article 29. 8
"Administrative Office of the Courts. 9
… 10
"§ 7A-354. North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission. 11
… 12
(c) Powers. – The Commission shall have the following powers: 13
… 14
(8) To coordinate and support the development or use of a reporting and response 15
system as required by G.S. 7A-354.2. 16
… 17
"§ 7A-354.2. Human trafficking reporting and response system. 18
The North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission shall coordinate and support the 19
development or use of a secure, technology -driven, and survivor -centered human trafficking 20
reporting and response system, with a focus on areas of the State where access to anti -human 21
trafficking resources is most limited." 22
SECTION 2.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Administrative 23
Office of the Courts, North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission, the sum of three hundred 24
thousand dollars ($300,000) in recurring funds for the 2025 -2026 fiscal year to be used to 25
coordinate and support the development or use of a secure, technology -driven, and 26
survivor-centered human trafficking reporting and response system, with a targeted focus on 27
western North Carolina, where access to anti -human trafficking resources remains extrem ely 28
limited. 29
SECTION 2.(b) The uses for the funds appropriated in this section may include, but 30
are not limited to, each of the following: 31
(1) Expanding the reach of a reporting and response system, as referenced in 32
subsection (a) of this section, in western North Carolina. 33
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 585-First Edition
(2) Funding one full -time regional operations coordinator to perform at a 1
minimum each of the following job functions in relation to the reporting and 2
response system required to be developed or used pursuant to G.S. 7A-354.2: 3
a. Oversee implementation of the development or use of the system. 4
b. Strengthen partnerships with law enforcement and service providers 5
regarding the use of the system. 6
c. Ensure the effectiveness of the system in western North Carolina and 7
other areas of the State deemed to have the most need for the system. 8
(3) Launching a targeted public awareness and outreach campaign to increase 9
utilization of the reporting and response system among at -risk communities, 10
first responders, and the general public. 11
SECTION 3. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 12