A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to direct the legislative study commission on children and youth to study issues Related to children of incarcerated parents.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The General Assembly finds that children of incarcerated parents face significant obstacles in their lives.  In many cases, these children have witnessed the arrest of a parent, face unstable living arrangements and multiple school placements, live under financial hardship, and experience the social stigma associated with their parents' incarceration.  As a result of these factors, children of incarcerated parents are at risk for poor academic achievement, substance abuse, and delinquency and criminal activity, which often leads to poor outcomes for these children.
SECTION 2.  The Legislative Study Commission on Children and Youth shall study the issue of incarcerated parents and their children.  The study should include:
(1)	Identification of data relating to incarcerated individuals in the State who have minor children.
(2)	Recommendations concerning the need to develop a system to identify children of incarcerated parents.
(3)	Examination of any existing policies or procedures used by the Department of Correction to identify or assist incarcerated individuals who have minor children.
(4)	Identification of existing State services and programs, as well as recognized community‑based services and programs, for children whose parents are incarcerated.
(5)	Identification of barriers that exist to prevent incarcerated parents and their children from accessing services.
(6)	Identification of barriers that exist to prevent ongoing communication and contact between incarcerated parents and their children.
(7)	Identification of methods to improve collaboration and coordination of existing services and programs.
(8)	Examination of current policies and goals as they relate to the best interests of the children of incarcerated parents in North Carolina and identification of methods by which the State can better serve those interests.
(9)	Recommendations concerning new services and programs for children whose parents are incarcerated, involving both interagency and community‑based efforts.
(10)	Examination of other states' activities, policies, directives, and laws relating to children of incarcerated parents.
(11)	Any other issues the Commission considers relevant to this topic.
SECTION 3.  The Commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the 2010 Regular Session of the 2009 General Assembly upon its convening.
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.