HB 896 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Jesse's Law.

Jesse's Law (HB 896) mandates specific training for professional personnel involved in child custody proceedings in North Carolina. It requires judges, magistrates, judicial officers, and court personnel, including guardian ad litems and mediators, to complete trauma-informed and culturally appropriate training. This training focuses on the dynamics, signs, and impact of domestic violence and child abuse, including child sexual abuse. Professionals must complete an initial 20 hours of training and 15 hours every five years, based on evidence-based research. The bill aims to improve the ability of these individuals to recognize and respond to abuse and trauma when making child custody decisions.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Apr 10, 2025 Last action May 7, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Edition 1 → Edition 2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten to shift from immediately implementing mandatory training to establishing a study committee that will research and recommend training standards. This changes the approach from direct regulation to a study and advisory process, delaying any actual training requirements until after the committee completes its work.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from directly mandating training requirements for court personnel to creating a study committee that will investigate and make recommendations about training standards before any requirements are implemented.

REQUIREMENT

All immediate training requirements were removed, including the 20-hour initial training and 15-hour ongoing training mandate for judges, court personnel, and other professionals.

The study committee must examine training duration, frequency, content, provider qualifications, cost implications, and implementation models before making recommendations.

SCOPE

A new Study Committee was established with 13 voting members from various organizations including the courts, social services, legal aid, and domestic violence coalitions.

TIMELINE

The committee must submit an interim report by March 1, 2026 and a final report by June 30, 2026, with no specific training implementation date set.

FISCAL

The requirement to apply for federal grant funding under the Violence Against Women Act was removed.

Floor votes · House May 7, 2025

How they voted

109–0

Passed · 12 other

Total votes 121

May 7, 2025

D Democratic46

42 Yea 4

91% Yea

I Independent2

2 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican73

65 Yea 8

89% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 7, 2025

Committee

Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

upper

May 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed 3rd Reading

lower

May 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav

lower

May 6, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

May 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav Com Substitute

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

Ref to the Com on Judiciary 2, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Introduced

Filed

lower

1 primary · 18 co-sponsors