North Carolina House sees bill to establish public domestic violence offender registry

State Rep. Celeste C. Cairns has brought forward a bill in the North Carolina House seeking to set up a public registry for individuals who have multiple convictions for domestic violence, the North Carolina State House reported.

HB 1075, filed on April 28 during the 2025 regular session, carries the short title ‘Persistent D.V. Offender Registry.’

This summary is based on the wording of the bill text, with explanatory detail included to clarify specific sections.

The proposed legislation would require anyone with a domestic violence conviction and at least one previous domestic violence conviction to register in a program run by the State Bureau of Investigation. Judicial orders would determine registration requirements for 2, 5, or 10 years depending on the number of past convictions, with periods subject to change or early termination if a conviction is reversed or a pardon granted. The online public registry would display the offender’s name, birth date, conviction date, conviction county and a photo. A $150 fee would be required from each offender to fund the program’s administration. The bill’s provisions would become effective Dec. 1, 2026, for offenses occurring on or after that date.

Among the bill’s four sponsors, Charles W. Miller introduced the highest number of bills, filing 42 during the 2025 regular session.

North Carolina legislation undergoes a multi-step process before reaching the law. The process begins when a lawmaker files a bill; after committee review, it must be read three times in both chambers. If one chamber amends the bill post-passage, agreement on final text in both chambers is required. Once passed by both, it moves to the governor, who decides within 10 days (or within 30 when the legislature is out of session) to sign, veto, or have it become law without a signature.

Further information about this and other measures can be found here.

Cairns is a University of Georgia graduate with a BBA.

A Republican, Cairns was elected in 2023 to the North Carolina State House, representing District 13, following Patricia McElraft’s tenure.