GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2017
SESSION LAW 2017-198
HOUSE BILL 704
`AN ACT TO ESTABLISH the Joint legislative study committee on THE DIVISION OF LOCAL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. There is established the Joint Legislative Study Committee on the Division of Local School Administrative Units (Committee). The Committee shall consist of five members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The President Pro Tempore and the Speaker of the House of the Representatives shall each appoint a cochair of the Committee from among its membership. The Committee and the terms of the members shall expire when the Committee submits a final report to the General Assembly. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing officer.
SECTION 2. The Committee shall study and make recommendations on the following:
(1) The feasibility and advisability of enacting legislation to permit local school administrative units that were merged from separate units to be divided into separate local school administrative units once again.
(2) The varied and best ways by which the division of a local school administrative unit could be achieved.
(3) Whether legislation permitting the division of local school administrative units should require as a prerequisite to the division a majority vote of the qualified voters of the county through a referendum or election.
(4) Whether legislation permitting the division of local school administrative units should require as a prerequisite to the division a petition from a certain percentage of the qualified voters of the county and, if so, to what entity the petition should be delivered.
(5) Any other issue the Committee considers relevant to this study.
SECTION 3. The Committee shall meet upon the call of its cochairs. A quorum of the Committee is a majority of its members. No action may be taken except by a majority vote at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The Committee, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and Article 5A of Chapter 120 of the General Statutes. The Committee may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services, as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02. Members of the Committee shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowance as provided in G.S. 120‑3.1. The expenses of the Committee shall be considered expenses incurred for the joint operation of the General Assembly.
SECTION 4. The Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional and clerical staff to assist the Committee in its work. The Director of Legislative Assistants of the House of Representatives and the Director of Legislative Assistants of the Senate shall assign clerical support to staff the Committee.
SECTION 5. The Committee shall submit a final report on the results of its study, including any proposed legislation, to the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives on or before May 1, 2018, by filing a copy of the report with the Office of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, and the Legislative Library. The Committee shall terminate on May 1, 2018, or upon the filing of its final report, whichever occurs first.
SECTION 6. This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 30th day of June, 2017.
s/ Philip E. Berger
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
s/ Tim Moore
Speaker of the House of Representatives
This bill having been presented to the Governor for signature on the 30th day of June, 2017 and the Governor having failed to approve it within the time prescribed by law, the same is hereby declared to have become a law. This 31st day of July, 2017.
s/ Karen Jenkins
Enrolling Clerk