North Carolina legislation · 2025-2026 Session
North Carolina S989: Epstein Truth and Accountability Act.
Status: Introduced, May 5, 2026
What the bill says
An act to establish a human trafficking records commission within the department of justice to review and release records related to the epstein investigation, to make conforming changes to legislative privilege and confidentiality, to authorize the state bureau of investigation to assist the human trafficking records commission, to allow issuance of extreme risk protection orders, and to provide funding to the department of justice.
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A HUMAN TRAFFICKING RECORDS COMMISSION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO REVIEW AND RELEASE RECORDS RELATED TO THE EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION, TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES TO LEGISLATIVE PRIVILEGE AND CONFIDENTIALITY, TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION TO ASSIST THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING RECORDS COMMISSION, TO ALLOW ISSUANCE OF EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDERS, AND TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: PART I. CREATE HUMAN TRAFFICKING RECORDS COMMISSION TO REVIEW AND RELEASE RECORDS SECTION 1. Chapter 114 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read: "Article 11. "Human Trafficking Records Commission. "§ 114-80. Commission established; duties. (a) There is established within the Department of Justice the Human Trafficking Records Commission (Commission). The Commission shall review and release records related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein that are held by State authorities. The Commission shall redact all personally identifiable information of victims referenced in the records. (b) To the extent a member or officer of the General Assembly is identified in the records described in subsection (a) of this section, the common law of legislative privilege and the common law of legislative immunity do not apply in matters related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein." PART II. MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES TO …
Sponsors
- Batch, Sydney (D, 17) · primary sponsor
- Bradley, Woodson (D, 42) · primary sponsor
- Garrett, Michael (D, 27) · primary sponsor
- Chitlik, Sophia (D, 22)
- Grafstein, Lisa (D, 13)
- Murdock, Natalie S. (D, 20)
- Smith, Kandie D. (D, 5)
- Theodros, Caleb (D, 41)
Latest actions
- : Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget
- : Withdrawn From Com
- : Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- : Passed 1st Reading
- : Filed
Subjects: SBI, BUDGETING, SMUGGLING & TRAFFICKING, PUBLIC SAFETY DEPT., FAMILY ISSUES, CHILD ABUSE, MINORS, CONFIDENTIALITY
Common questions
- What is S989?
- S989 is a bill in the North Carolina Legislature (2025-2026 Session): Epstein Truth and Accountability Act.
- What does S989 do?
- In its own words: An act to establish a human trafficking records commission within the department of justice to review and release records related to the epstein investigation, to make conforming changes to legislative privilege and confidentiality, to authorize the state bureau of investigation to assist the human trafficking records commission, to allow issuance of extreme risk protection orders, and to provide funding to the department of justice.
- What is the status of S989?
- Introduced as of May 5, 2026. Latest action: Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget (May 5, 2026).
- Who sponsored S989?
- Batch, Sydney (D, 17), with 7 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for S989?
- On the North Carolina Legislature website: https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S989
Source: official North Carolina record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.