North Carolina HB 827: Create Annual Sex Offense Registry Fee.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 827

Short Title: Create Annual Sex Off Registry Fee. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative Scott.
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 9, 2025
*H827-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO CREATE AN ANNUAL SEX OFFENSE REGISTRY FEE TO SUPPORT THE 2
WORK OF MAINTAINING THAT REGISTRY. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1. G.S. 14-208.7 is amended by adding the following new subsections to 5
read: 6
"(e) Except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, each person required to register 7
under this section shall pay an annual fee equal to one and one-quarter percent (1.25%) of the 8
current federal poverty level guidelines for a one-person household published by the United 9
States Department of Health and Human Services. This annual fee shall support local 10
responsibilities required by this Article, including the regular verification of registrants and the 11
retention, maintenance, and dissemination of registrant records. This annual fee shall be collected 12
each year by the sheriff to whom the registrant returns the registrant's verification following the 13
anniversary of the registrant's initial registration date. Failure to pay this annual fee shall not 14
affect in any way the registrant's ability to register, verify information, or otherwise comply with 15
the requirements of this Part, though the county may seek collection of unpaid annual fees under 16
this subsection as a claimant agency under Chapter 105A of the General Statutes. The proceeds 17
of this annual fee shall be retained by the sheriff's office collecting the annual fee and shall 18
supplement local funds provided to the sheriff's office. No registrant shall be required to pay the 19
annual fee required by this subsection more than once in a calendar year. 20
(f) Each sheriff shall determine on January 1 of each year whether to collect the annual 21
fee required by subsection (e) of this section within that sheriff's county. Once this decision is 22
made, it shall be the decision for that county for the remainder of that calendar year, regardless 23
of whether the person holding the office of sheriff changes during that time. If a sheriff does not 24
make any specific determination under this subsection, the sheriff shall collect the annual fee 25
imposed by subsection (e) of this section pursuant to the provisions of this section. 26
(g) Upon request of the registrant, the sheriff required to collect the annual fee under 27
subsection (e) of this section, or the sheriff's designee, shall determine if the registrant is indigent 28
and may, upon a determination of indigency, waive all or part of the annual fee. This 29
determination shall be made within 10 business days of the date the registrant's request is 30
received. A request under this subsection, as well as the subsequent determination and action of 31
the sheriff or the sheriff's designee in response to that request, shall be recorded in written 32
findings by the sheriff's office and retained by that office with the registrant's records. A 33
registrant's request under this subsection shall be made in each calendar year in which the 34

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 827-First Edition
registrant seeks review under this subsection, and the sheriff or sheriff's designee shall make a 1
new determination and record unique written findings upon each request. 2
(h) Notwithstanding subsection (g) of this section, a registrant (i) incarcerated or (ii) 3
under the supervision of the Department of Adult Correction, Division of Community 4
Supervision and Reentry, at the time the annual fee required by subsection (e) of this section 5
would otherwise be collected, shall be deemed by the sheriff or the sheriff's designee to be 6
indigent and shall not be assessed the annual fee required by subsection (e) of this section. A 7
determination under this subsection shall be made each year and shall be recorded in written 8
findings and retained by the sheriff's office with the registrant's records." 9
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective January 1, 2026. 10