House Bill 646 proposes a constitutional amendment to remove the exception that currently allows slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for crime in North Carolina. The bill rewrites Section 17 of Article I of the North Carolina Constitution so that slavery is “forever prohibited” and involuntary servitude is also “forever prohibited,” eliminating the existing carveout for persons duly convicted of a crime.
If enacted by the General Assembly, the measure would be placed before voters at the statewide general election on November 3, 2026. The ballot question would ask voters whether they support a constitutional amendment stating that slavery and involuntary servitude are forever prohibited. If approved by a majority of voters, the amendment would be certified by the State Board of Elections and become effective upon certification.
HB646 would amend the state constitution rather than ordinary statute, changing North Carolina’s foundational legal language on slavery and involuntary servitude. The practical effect would be to remove the constitutional basis for compelled labor as a criminal punishment, aligning the state constitution with an absolute prohibition on slavery and involuntary servitude. Because it is a constitutional amendment, it would affect the State Board of Elections, the Secretary of State, and the electorate through the referendum process, and it could have downstream implications for any laws or practices that rely on the current punishment-for-crime exception.
The available context suggests generally favorable or at least noncontroversial treatment of the bill, but there is limited evidence of debate because no committee transcript or recorded votes are provided. The bill’s sponsors and title indicate a reform-oriented effort to strengthen the constitutional ban on slavery and involuntary servitude. Its referral to committee without further recorded action in the provided materials suggests the measure was still in the early stages of consideration.
The central point of contention is the removal of the existing constitutional exception for involuntary servitude as punishment for crime. Supporters would likely view the change as a necessary moral and constitutional clarification, while opponents could argue that eliminating the exception may affect prison labor or other correctional practices tied to criminal sentencing. No specific objections, amendments, or divided votes are shown in the provided record, so any controversy is inferred from the substance of the proposal rather than documented debate.