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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
SESSION LAW 2026-34
HOUSE BILL 83
*H83-v-6*
AN ACT TO AMEND THE OFFENSE OF DISSEMINA TING OBSCENITY TO MI NORS;
TO ADD THE OFFENSES OF DISSEMINATING OBS CENITY TO MINORS,
DISSEMINATING HARMFU L MATERIAL TO MINORS , AND EXHIBITING
HARMFUL PERFORMANCES TO MINORS TO THE LI ST OF CRIMINAL
CONVICTIONS THAT MAY REQUIRE REGISTRATIO N UNDER THE SEX
OFFENDER AND PUBLIC PROTECTION REGISTRATION PROGRAM; TO REQUIRE
THE HUMAN TRAFFICKIN G COMMISSION TO COND UCT A STUDY ON A
SYSTEM FOR REPORTING SUSPECTED HUMAN TRA FFICKING; AND TO MAK E
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 c ommunity 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 pursua nt 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.
Page 2 Session Law 2026-34 House Bill 83
(a) Disseminating Harmful Material. – A person commits the offense of disseminat ing
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 charac ter 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
House Bill 83 Session Law 2026-34 Page 3
priority reports, (ii) provide a secure dashboard for authorized personnel to view, triage, and
respond to reports, and (iii) suppo rt 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 an d 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 i s
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.
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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