PREVENT HARM TO CHILDREN.

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View NCGA Bill Details2023-2024 Session
Senate Bill 579 (Public) Filed Tuesday, April 4, 2023
AN ACT TO INCREASE THE PUNISHMENT FOR DISSEMINATING OBSCENITY, TO CLARIFY RESTITUTION FOR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR, AND TO MODIFY CERTAIN OFFENSES RELATED TO PUBLIC MORALITY AND DECENCY.
Intro. by B. Newton, Britt, Daniel.

Status: Ch. SL 2023-127 (Oct 2 2023)

SOG comments (2):

Long title change

Committee substitute to the 1st edition changed the long title. Original long title was AN ACT TO INCREASE THE PUNISHMENT FOR DISSEMINATING OBSCENITY.

Long title change

Conference report to the 3rd edition changed the long title. Previous long title was AN ACT TO INCREASE THE PUNISHMENT FOR DISSEMINATING OBSCENITY, TO CLARIFY THE REGULATIONS ON ADULT LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, AND TO PROHIBIT SEXUAL CONTACT WITH A MINOR.

Bill History:

S 579/S.L. 2023-127

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Oct 2 2023 - View Summary

    AN ACT TO INCREASE THE PUNISHMENT FOR DISSEMINATING OBSCENITY, TO CLARIFY RESTITUTION FOR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR, AND TO MODIFY CERTAIN OFFENSES RELATED TO PUBLIC MORALITY AND DECENCY. SL 2023-127. Enacted September 29, 2023. Effective September 29, 2023, except as otherwise provided.


  • Summary date: Sep 22 2023 - View Summary

    Conference report makes the following changes to the 3rd edition.

    Deletes Section 2 of the act, which enacted new GS 14-190.15A (restrictions on adult live entertainment) and Section 3 of the act, which enacted new GS 14-202.1A (sexual contact with a minor).

    Adds the following new content.

    Section 2

    Enacts GS 14-190.17B, requiring courts to order restitution for first, second, or third degree sexual exploitation of a minor offenses (set forth in GS 14-190.16, 14-190.17, and 14-190.17A, respectively). Directs the court to determine the full amount of the victim's losses for costs incurred as a proximate result of the offense, including applicable injuries and damages described in GS 15A-1340.35 (Basis for restitution); medical services relating to physical, psychiatric, or psychological care; physical and occupational therapy or rehabilitation; transportation, temporary housing, and childcare expenses; loss of income; and attorneys’ fees and litigation costs. Provides for apportionment when more than one defendant contributed to the losses of the victim. Allows for the defendant to petition the court to amend the order upon showing the victim has received restitution in the full amount of the victim's determined losses. Allows the court to require the victim to provide information for amounts paid in other cases for the same losses. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the court is not required to order restitution for a violation of GS 14-190.16, 14-190.17, or 14-190.17A if the victim has not been identified. Provides for the statute to supersede Article 81C, GS Chapter 15A (governing restitution in criminal cases), in case of conflict. Applies to orders for restitution entered on or after December 1, 2023. 

    Section 3

    Amends GS 14-190.1 to make it illegal for a person age 18 or older (was, any person) to: (1) intentionally disseminate obscenity; (2) knowingly and intentionally create, buy, procure, or possess obscene material with the purpose and intent of disseminating it unlawfully; and (3) advertise or otherwise promote the sale of material represented or held out by that person as obscene. Makes it a Class H felony (instead of Class I) for any person to knowingly violate this statute in the presence of a minor under age 18.

    Amends GS 14-190.6 by increasing the penalty from a Class I felony to a Class H felony for a person age 18 or older to intentionally hire, employ, use or permit any minor under the age of 16 years to do or assist in doing any act or thing constituting an offense under Article 26 (Offenses Against Public Morality and Decency) and involving any material, act, or thing they know or reasonably should know to be obscene.

    Amends GS 14-190.7 by increasing the penalty from a Class I felony to Class H felony for a person age 18 or older who knowingly disseminates to any minor under the age of 16 years any material which they know or reasonably should know to be obscene.

    Amends GS 14-190.8 by increasing from a Class I to a Class G felony for a person age 18 years or older to knowingly disseminate to any minor under the age of 13 years any material which they know or reasonably should know to be obscene.

    Amends GS 14-190.9 as follows. Makes it a Class H felony for any person at least age 18 to willfully expose the private parts of his or her person in any public place in the presence of a minor as defined in GS 14-190.13 (was, in the presence of any other person less than 16 years of age) for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire. Makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor for a person at least 18 years of age to willfully expose the private parts of his or her person in a private residence of which they are not a resident and in the presence of a minor as defined in GS 14-190.13 (was, in the presence of any other person less than 16 years) who is a resident of that private residence. GS 14-190.13 defines a minor as an individual who is less than 18 years old and is not married or judicially emancipated.

    Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2023.

    Amends the act's long title.


  • Summary date: Sep 21 2023 - View Summary

    Conference report to be summarized.


  • Summary date: Aug 16 2023 - View Summary

    House committee substitute to the 2nd edition makes the following changes.

    Revises new GS 14-190.15A (Restrictions on adult live entertainment) to remove the definition of “public property.” Removes the offense of engaging in adult live entertainment on public property. Also removes the offenses of expending public funds for adult live entertainment performers, events with adult live entertainment performances, and promotion of adult live entertainment or events featuring it. Makes organizational changes.

     


  • Summary date: Jun 28 2023 - View Summary

    House committee substitute to the 1st edition adds the following content.

    Enacts new GS 14-190.15A. Defines adult live entertainment as any performance or involving the actual presence of real people that exhibits specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas (definition in GS 14-202.10). Makes it illegal to (1) engage in adult live entertainment on public property (as defined); (2) engage in adult live entertainment knowing, or having reason to know, that individuals under age 18 are present; or (3) expend public funds to adult live entertainment performers, for an event at which adult live entertainment is performed, or to promote adult live entertainment or an event at which adult live entertainment will be performed. Violations are a Class A1 misdemeanor, enhanced to a Class 1 felony for a person committing a second or subsequent offense. 

    Enacts new GS 14-202.1A making it a Class A1 misdemeanor, unless covered under another law that provides for a greater punishment, for a person age 18 or older to engage in sexual contact with a minor. Defines sexual contact as any of the following intentional touching, if it can reasonably be construed as being for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification, done for a sexual purpose, or done in a sexual manner: (1) intentional touching of a person's intimate parts (as defined) or the intentional touching of the clothing covering the person's intimate parts or (2) intentional touching of another person with a person's own intimate part, whether or not clothed.

    Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2023.

    Makes conforming changes to the act's long title. 


  • Summary date: Apr 4 2023 - View Summary

    Amends GS 14-190.1, which makes it illegal to intentionally disseminate obscenity by increasing the penalty from a Class I felony to a Class H for violations committed knowingly in the presence of an individual under age 18. Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2023.