GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2017

S                                                                                                                                                    D

SENATE BILL DRS15306-LU-148

Short Title:      Buncombe County Domestic Violence Task Force.		(Local)
Sponsors:	Senator Edwards (Primary Sponsor).
Referred to:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to allow the buncombe county Board of commissioners to create a domestic violence task force to combat the rising rate of domestic violence in the county and better serve the needs of the citizens of buncombe county.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners (Commissioners) may, by resolution, create a Domestic Violence Task Force (Task Force) to combat the rising rate of domestic violence in the county and to address the needs of the residents of Buncombe County who are victims of domestic violence. The Commissioners shall develop the mission for the Task Force and consider objectives that address each of the following:

(1)        Promote engagement with the community to increase prevention, intervention, and treatment for individuals and families dealing with domestic violence.

(2)        Provide support to victims of domestic violence by ensuring all victims have access to counselors, legal resources, and medical care.

(3)        Facilitate cooperation between governmental and nongovernmental agencies to help educate the community about domestic violence and encourage information sharing between these agencies to increase assistance to victims of domestic violence.

(4)        Collect data on the incidence of domestic violence in the county and the manner in which agencies, law enforcement, and the courts respond to domestic violence in the community.

(5)        Provide findings, recommendations, and improvements, specific to Buncombe County, to the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and policy makers, including legislators.

SECTION 1.(b)  The Task Force shall work in conjunction with other governmental and nongovernmental agencies located within Buncombe County, including law enforcement agencies, to share only the information necessary to meet the objectives described in subsection (a) of this section. The Commissioners shall determine the criteria for membership on the Task Force and select and manage the composition of the Task Force; provided that a Task Force member may review and have access to records in a domestic violence fatality case only if:

(1)        A district attorney has given written approval for access due to the completion of the investigation or court proceedings; or

(2)        A district attorney has given written approval for access, stating that access by the Task Force will not have any negative or adverse effects on the investigation or completion of a pending case.

SECTION 2.  The Commissioners shall establish reporting requirements for the Task Force created under Section 1 of this act. Any reports issued pursuant to this act shall not identify the specific case or case reviews that led to the Task Force's findings and recommendations.

SECTION 3.  This act applies to Buncombe County only.

SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.