Article 5.
Miscellaneous.
§ 131F-30. Public information; annual report.
(a) Public Information Program. - The Department shall develop a public information program to further the purposes of this Chapter. The purpose of the program is to help the public recognize unlawful, misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent solicitations and make knowledgeable, informed decisions concerning contributions.
(b) Information to Be Included. - The program shall include information concerning:
(1) The laws governing solicitations, including licensing and disclosure requirements, prohibited acts, and penalties.
(2) The means by which the public can report suspected violations or file a complaint.
(3) Any other information the Department believes will assist the public in making knowledgeable and informed decisions concerning contributions.
(c) Annual Report. - The Department shall prepare an annual report to be submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to be made available to the public by publishing it on the Department's web site, summarizing the information filed under this Chapter which the Department determines will assist the public in making informed and knowledgeable decisions concerning contributions. The report shall include the following:
(1) A list of complaints filed for which violations were found to have occurred in each of the following categories: charitable organizations, sponsors, solicitors, and fund-raising consultants.
(2) A list of the number of investigations by the Department, enforcement actions commenced under this Chapter, and the disposition of those actions.
(3) A list of those charitable organizations and sponsors that have voluntarily submitted an audited financial statement pursuant to G.S. 131F-6(a)(10) or an audit with an opinion prepared by an independent certified public accountant.
(4) A list of all solicitors licensed under this Chapter and the fixed percentage of the gross revenue that the charitable organization or sponsor will receive as a benefit from the solicitation campaign, the reasonable estimate of the percentage of the gross revenue that the charitable organization or sponsor will receive as a benefit from the solicitation campaign, or the guaranteed minimum percentage of the gross revenue that the charitable solicitation or sponsor will receive as a benefit from the solicitation campaign as provided in the contract between the solicitor and the charitable organization or sponsor, whichever of these three amounts is least. This list shall appear in order of percentages, from lowest to highest.
(d) Each year immediately following the submission of the report under subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary of State shall issue that report as a press release to all print and electronic news media that provide general coverage. (1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 759, s. 2; 2003-373, s. 1.)
§ 131F-31. Contributions solicited for, or accepted by or on behalf of, a named individual.
(a) Trust Account Required. - Contributions solicited for, or accepted by or on behalf of, a named individual shall be deposited in a trust account opened by a trustee named in a properly established trust document.
(b) Use of Trust Funds. - Contributions deposited in the trust fund may be used only for the purpose for which the contributions were solicited; if the contributions are no longer needed for the purpose for which they were solicited, they may be used for another similar charitable purpose. The trustee may disburse funds from the trust account only after making a written record verifying the purpose for which the funds will be used accompanied by documentation of the identity of the payee and the justification for the payment. The Trustee shall retain these records for each disbursement from the trust account for a period of three years after the disbursement. (1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 759, s. 2.)
Each charitable organization, sponsor, fund-raising consultant, and solicitor shall keep, for a period of at least three years, true and accurate records as to their activities in the State. The records shall be made available to the Department for inspection and shall be furnished no later than 10 days after the request was made. (1981, c. 886, s. 1; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 759, s. 2.)
§ 131F-33. Rule-making authority.
The Department shall have the authority to adopt rules necessary for the implementation of this Chapter or to prevent false or deceptive statements or conduct in the solicitation of charitable contributions. (1981, c. 886, s. 1; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 759, s. 2.)