North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina House Bill H896 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	H 1
4		-	HOUSE BILL 896
	3	+	H D
	4	+	HOUSE BILL DRH30369-NJ-47
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: Jesse's Law. (Public)
8		-	Sponsors: Representatives Paré and Cervania (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
10		-	Referred to: Judiciary 2, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
11		-	April 14, 2025
12		-	H896 -v-1
	9	+	Sponsors: Representative Paré.
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRH30369 -NJ-47
13	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
14	14		AN ACT TO ENSURE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN CHILD CUSTODY 2
15	15		PROCEEDINGS RECEIVE APPROPRIATE TRAINING . 3
16	16		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
17	17		SECTION 1. Chapter 50 of the General Statutes is amended by adding the following 5
18	18		new Article to read: 6
19	19		"Article 6. 7
20	20		"Jesse's Law. 8
21	21		"§ 50-110. Purpose. 9
22	22		The purpose of this Article is to ensure that professional personnel involved in cases 10
23	23		containing domestic violence or child abuse allegations receive trauma-informed and culturally 11
24	24		appropriate training on the dynamics, signs, and impact of domestic violence and child abuse, 12
25	25		including child sexual abuse. 13
26	26		"§ 50-111. Definitions. 14
27	27		The following definitions apply in this Article: 15
28	28		(1) Child custody proceeding. – Any civil action brought under this Chapter 16
29	29		concerning the custody of minor children. 17
30	30		(2) Domestic violence. – As defined in G.S. 50B-1. 18
31	31		(3) Minor child. – As defined in Article 5 of this Chapter. 19
32	32		(4) Reunification treatment. – A treatment or therapy aimed at reuniting or 20
33	33		reestablishing a relationship between a child and an estranged or rejected 21
34	34		parent or other family member of the child. 22
35	35		"§ 50-112. Training requirements for court officers and personnel. 23
36	36		(a) Any judge, magistrate, or judicial officer who hears child custody proceedings, and 24
37	37		any court personnel, including guardian ad litems, mediators, parent coordinators, and any court 25
38	38		referred professionals engaging in reunification treatment must complete the training program 26
39	39		described in this section. 27
40	40		(b) The training program shall consist of an initial training session constituting at least 28
41	41		20 hours and not less than 15 hours of ongoing training every five years that includes, at a 29
42	42		minimum, all of the following: 30
43	43		(1) A focus on solely domestic and sexual violence, including child sexual abuse, 31
44	44		physical abuse, emotional abuse, coercive control, implicit and explicit bias, 32
45	45		and trauma. 33
46	46		(2) Long- and short-term impacts of domestic violence and child abuse on minor 34
47		-	children. 35 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
48		-	Page 2 House Bill 896-First Edition
	47	+	children. 35
	48	+	H.B. 896
	49	+	Apr 10, 2025
	50	+	HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	51	+	Page 2 DRH30369-NJ-47
49	52		(3) Victim and perpetrator behavior patterns and relationship dynamics within the 1
50	53		cycle of violence. 2
51	54		(4) A study of scientific-based research, including, but not limited to, the Duluth 3
52	55		model, Saunders study, and Adverse Childhood Experiences study. 4
53	56		(c) The training must be provided by a professional with substantial experience in 5
54	57		assisting survivors of domestic violence or child abuse, including a victim service provider, as 6
55	58		defined in 34 U.S.C. § 12291, and, if possible, a survivor of domestic violence or child physical 7
56	59		or sexual abuse. The training must rely on evidence-based and peer-reviewed research by 8
57	60		recognized experts in the types of abuse referenced in this section and shall not include any 9
58	61		theories, concepts, or belief systems unsupported by the research described in this section. 10
59	62		(d) The training must be designed to improve the ability of those persons participating to 11
60	63		recognize and respond to child physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, and trauma in all 12
61	64		family victims, particularly children, and assist in making child custody decisions in appropriate 13
62	65		proceedings." 14
63	66		SECTION 2. The Administrative Office of the Courts or appropriate State agency 15
64	67		shall apply to the United States Attorney General's Office for federal grant support to implement 16
65	68		the training program established in this act, and any other federal grant funds made available 17
66	69		under the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. 18
67	70		SECTION 3. This act becomes effective October 1, 2025. 19