GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2005

SESSION LAW 2005-355

HOUSE BILL 1491

AN ACT to require local boards of education to provide liability insurance for school social workers who transport students.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Article 21 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding the following new section to read:

"§ 115C-317.1.  School social workers and transporting students.

A school social worker shall not be required to transport students without the existence of a written job description or local board policy that imposes this requirement."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C-47 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(25a) To Reimburse the Additional Cost of Automobile Liability Coverage for School Social Workers Required to Transport Students. - Unless a local board of education otherwise provides for liability insurance coverage of a school social worker who is required to transport students under G.S. 115C-317.1, a local board of education may require a school social worker who is required to transport students as provided under G.S. 115C-317.1 to increase the liability limits or add a business-use rider, or both, on that employee's personal automobile liability insurance policy for the purpose of transporting students within the course of that employee's work duties, only if the board reimburses the employee for the additional premium charged, up to the maximum additional amount charged to a person with up to two points assessed under the Safe Driver Incentive Plan pursuant to G.S. 58-36-65, for the increased liability limits or the added rider, or both."

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2005.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 23^rd day of August, 2005.

                                                                    s/ Beverly E. Perdue

                                                                         President of the Senate

                                                                    s/ James B. Black

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

                                                                    s/ Michael F. Easley

                                                                         Governor

Approved 1:39 p.m. this 7^th day of September, 2005