GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION LAW 2001-396
AN ACT TO ALLOW PROTECTION OF VOTER RECORDS IN CASE OF DOMESTIC ABUSE PROTECTIVE ORDERS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 163-82.10 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(d) Exception for Address of Certain Registered Voters. - Notwithstanding subsections (b) and (c) of this section, if a registered voter submits to the county board of elections a copy of a protective order without attachments, if any, issued to that person under G.S. 50B-3 or a lawful order of any court of competent jurisdiction restricting the access or contact of one or more persons with a registered voter, accompanied by a signed statement that the voter has good reason to believe that the physical safety of the voter or a member of the voter's family residing with the voter would be jeopardized if the voter's address were open to public inspection, that voter's address is a public record but shall be kept confidential as long as the protective order remains in effect. That voter's name, precinct, and the other data contained in that voter's registration record shall remain a public record. That voter's signed statement submitted under this subsection is a public record but shall be kept confidential as long as the protective order remains in effect. It is the responsibility of the voter to provide the county board with a copy of the valid protective order in effect. That voter's address shall be available for inspection by a law enforcement agency or by a person identified in a court order, if inspection of the address by that person is directed by that court order."
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective December 1, 2001.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 22nd day of August, 2001.
s/ Beverly E. Perdue
President of the Senate
s/ James B. Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ Michael F. Easley
Governor
Approved 7:40 p.m. this 30th day of August, 2001