Submission of Acts.
§§ 120-30.1 through 120-30.9: Repealed by Session Laws 1965, c. 1142.
The purpose of this Article is to ensure compliance with Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by designating certain officials who shall submit to the Attorney General of the United States any statute enacted by the General Assembly or action taken by any local government which affects any voting qualification, prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure with respect to voting different from that in force or effect on November 1, 1964, in any jurisdiction covered by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (1985, c. 579, s. 1; 1997-456, s. 27.)
§ 120-30.9B. Statewide statutes; State Board of Elections.
(a) The Executive Director of the State Board of Elections or, in the discretion of the Legislative Services Commission, a person designated by the Legislative Services Commission shall seek approval as required by 42 U.S.C. § 1973c for all of the following:
(1) Within 30 days of the time they become laws all acts of the General Assembly that amend, delete, add to, modify or repeal any provision of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes or any other statewide legislation, except relating to Chapter 7A of the General Statutes or as provided in subsection (b) of this section, which constitutes a "change affecting voting" under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and
(2) Within 30 days all alterations of precinct boundaries under G.S. 163-132.2(c) in counties covered by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
(b) With respect to acts of the General Assembly that amend, delete, add to, modify, or repeal any provision relating to apportioning or redistricting of State legislative or congressional districts, the Attorney General of North Carolina shall seek approval of the plan as required by 42 U.S.C. § 1973c. If the Attorney General of North Carolina fails within 30 days of enactment of the plan to seek approval of the plan, then the Legislative Services Commission may authorize another appropriate person to seek approval of the plan as authorized by law. (1985, c. 579, s. 1; 1989, c. 440, s. 4; 1995, c. 20, s. 4; 2001-319, s. 11; 2003-434, 1st Ex. Sess., s. 12; 2011-145, s. 22.3; 2011-391, s. 48; 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, ss. 3.1(a), (b), 6.1.)
§ 120-30.9C. The judicial system; Administrative Office of the Courts.
The Administrative Officer of the Courts shall submit to the Attorney General of the United States within 30 days of the time they become laws all acts of the General Assembly that amend, delete, add to, modify or repeal any provision of Chapter 7A of the General Statutes of North Carolina which constitutes a "change affecting voting" under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (1985, c. 579, s. 1; 1995, c. 20, s. 5.)
§ 120-30.9D. Constitutional amendments; Secretary of State.
The Secretary of State shall submit to the Attorney General of the United States within 30 days of ratification all acts of the General Assembly that amend the North Carolina Constitution and which constitute a "change affecting voting" under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (1985, c. 579, s. 1.)
§ 120-30.9E. Counties; County Attorney.
The County Attorney of any county covered by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 shall submit to the Attorney General of the United States within 30 days:
(1) Of the time they become laws, any local acts of the General Assembly; and
(2) Of adoption actions of the county board of commissioners, or the county board of elections or any other county agency which constitutes a "change affecting voting" under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in that county. (1985, c. 579, s. 1; 1995, c. 20, s. 6.)
§ 120-30.9F. Municipalities; municipal attorney.
The municipal attorney of any municipality covered by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 shall submit to the Attorney General of the United States within 30 days:
(1) Of the time they become laws, any local acts of the General Assembly; and
(2) Of adoption actions of the municipal governing body or any other municipal agency or county board of elections which constitutes a "change affecting voting" under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in that municipality; provided that, if required or allowed by regulations or practices of the United States Department of Justice, a municipal attorney may delay submission of any annexation ordinance or group of ordinances until all previously submitted annexation ordinances have been precleared or otherwise received final disposition. (1985, c. 579, s. 1; 1989, c. 598, s. 4; 1995, c. 20, s. 7; 2011-31, s. 12; 2012-194, s. 22(a).)
§ 120-30.9G. School Administrative Units; State Board of Education; Local Boards of Education Attorney.
(a) The State Board of Education shall submit to the Attorney General of the United States within 30 days any rules, policies, procedures, or actions taken pursuant to G.S. 115C-64.4 which could result in the appointment of a caretaker administrator or board to perform any of the powers and duties of a local board of education where that school administrative unit is covered by the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
(b) The attorney for any local board of education where that school administrative unit is covered by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 shall submit to the Attorney General of the United States within 30 days:
(1) Of the time they become laws, any local acts of the General Assembly; and
(2) Of adoption actions of the local boards of education which constitutes a "change affecting voting" under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in that school administrative unit. If the change affecting voting is a merger of two or more school administrative units, the change shall be submitted jointly by the attorneys of the school administrative units involved, or by one of them by agreement of the attorneys involved. (1985, c. 579, s. 1; 1991, c. 529, s. 2; 1995, c. 20, s. 8.)
§ 120-30.9H. Decision letters of U.S. Attorney General published in North Carolina Register.
All letters and other documents received by the authorities required by this Article to submit any "changes affecting voting" from the Attorney General of the United States in which a final decision is made concerning a submitted "change affecting voting" shall be filed with the Codifier of Rules. The Codifier shall publish the letters and other documents in the North Carolina Register. (1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 1032, s. 11; 2023-134, s. 21.2(j).)
§ 120-30.9I. Alternate submission authority.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, in the event that the person or party responsible under G.S. 120-30.9E, 120-30.9F, or 120-30.9G for submitting any local act of the General Assembly shall delay, obstruct, or refuse to make a submittal to the Attorney General of the United States, the Attorney General of North Carolina may submit that local act. Any person or party responsible under this Article for making such a submission shall promptly provide any information and materials the Attorney General of North Carolina might request to facilitate making the submission and making any supplements to the submission. (1991, c. 761, s. 21.1.)
§ 120-30.9J. Repeal of acts and ordinances which were denied preclearance.
Any (i) city or county ordinance or resolution, (ii) act, policy, or resolution of a county board of elections, or (iii) public or local law enacted by the General Assembly, for which prior to June 25, 2013, either the United States Department of Justice interposed an objection or the United States District Court for the District of Columbia denied a declaratory judgment under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is repealed. This section shall not apply to any ordinance, resolution, act, policy, or law to which the United States Department of Justice withdrew its objection or, after the United States Department of Justice interposed an objection, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued a declaratory judgment that such ordinance, resolution, act, policy, or law did not violate Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (2013-343, s. 1.)