Funding Recommendations

• Maintain state funding for domestic violence programs funded by the Council for Women
• Support the recommendations issued by the Domestic Violence Commission regarding the allocation of domestic violence funding through the Council for Women.
• Reinstate TANF funding in the amount of $2.2 million for domestic violence services to WorkFirst participants.
• Ensure that the Victims Compensation Fund is adequately funded and accessible to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

Clarify and Enhance Chapter 50B (Domestic Violence Protective Orders)

• Support the recommendations of the Domestic Violence Commission to revise Chapter 50B to correct technical problems and address procedural issues.
• Ensure that all victims continue to be protected under Chapter 50B after the passage of Amendment One.
• Ensure that DVPOs entered by consent without findings of fact are enforceable.
• Provide for the entry of permanent protective orders.
• Provide equal protection to all victims by expanding the definition of dating relationships to include parties of the same gender.
• Support the expansion of NC SAVAN to provide for statewide, automated notification of protective orders to victims of domestic violence.

Strengthen Response to Criminal Domestic Violence Offenses

• Strengthen penalties for domestic violence crimes and require mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders.
• Require entry of pre-trial release conditions into the NC AWARE system.

Require training on domestic violence for prosecutors, magistrates, clerks, mediators, custody evaluators, probation officers, parenting coordinators, guardian ad litems, juvenile justice court counselors, and educators in the public school system in collaboration with NCCADV.

Support effective domestic/dating violence prevention and intervention for children and teens:

• Require that the Department of Public Instruction mandate that every school develop a domestic violence response and prevention protocol and curriculum in collaboration with a local domestic violence service provider.
• Support continued implementation of youth violence prevention laws.
• Enhance domestic violence programs’ ability to serve victims of teen dating violence.

Protect domestic violence shelters and victims by ensuring confidentiality of shelter location and personal information of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking victims in public records.

Support the Campaign for Housing Carolina to increase the Housing Trust Fund so that affordable housing is more available for victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness for women and children, and the lack of affordable housing is a major barrier for victims trying to leave an abusive relationship.

Support the Healthy Families/Healthy Workplaces Campaign to provide paid sick days to covered employees which may be used to address the psychological, physical or legal effects of domestic violence.